Proximity

On Twitter yesterday, I (©Evil_Mofo for those of you who don't already know) mentioned the North Korea issue yet again. I'll reiterate here that before you scoff at those of us concerned about it, consider all the Americans that are, in fact, in harm's way. In bases, way stations, PXs, and even in the private sector, not to mention embassies and, oh, yeah, the DMZ on the Korean peninsula, there are plenty of targets for the sausage-fingered brat to aim at.

An "attack on the U.S." is not limited to the lower forty-eight states of the continental United States. An attack on our citizens abroad, or even, dare I say it, our interests or allies, would constitute an attack on the U.S.

We live in a global world now, people. We must conduct ourselves as such. That cocooning shit might have worked back when everyone traveled by steam and sail, but not anymore. "Halfway across the world" is a hell of a lot shorter these days. It's a matter of hours. For reference, consider that a flight from Philly international to Australia takes twenty-three hours - not even a day.

This blog can be read in South Korea, printed out, and smuggled into the north in a matter of minutes, but I'm not afraid of the michelin man's evil twin painting my head with a laser. To be fair, I'm not "afraid" of anything concerning NoKo. Nor am I panicking, or even alarmed. I'm concerned.

I'm concerned, because we've already lost so many lives for no damned reason.
I'm concerned because neither you, nor I can afford another war (and you know damn well, we'll be the ones paying for it).
I'm concerned because we've ignored this spoiled brat for so long, that he might just have more balls than brains (as an aside, Kim, maybe you should ask Japan if it's a good idea to fuck with us on an atomic level).

I'm concerned, because people seem to think the world can't invade their personal space.