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US Bans Sales of iPods To North Korea

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the kim-on-a-segway-would-be-cute dept.

gamer4Life writes "The United States has created their list of products banned from being exported to North Korea. This list includes iPods, plasma televisions and Segway electric scooters. U.S. intelligence officials who helped produce the Bush administration's list said Kim prefers Mercedes, BMW and Cadillac cars; Japanese and Harley Davidson motorcycles; Hennessy XO cognac from France and Johnny Walker Scotch whisky; Sony cameras and Japanese air conditioners."

5 of 269 comments (clear)

  1. The Good Kind of Sanctions by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As I've posted before, I think this is a good approach.

    There are good sanctions & bad sanctions. An example of bad sanctions were the sanctions the UN imposed against Iraq that caused a lot of human suffering. Yes, it put pressure on the dictator but it was easy ammo to use against the United States. Essentially claiming that we were starving and murdering the civilians--and I knew people that were saying we were doing horrible things!

    When we impose sanctions on a country to pressure the dictator, I think that things like food, water, clothing & medicine should be increased with pro-American propaganda along with it. What we should decrease is things like automobiles, electronics & other high standard of living commodities. Therefore we make it annoying for the people of North Korea to get by but it isn't possible to point to conditions of people dying due to our sanctions.

    Their economy might stagnate and people might die as a result of that but it's not so easy to point the finger at the UN then. In my opinion, the blocking of these high commodities is precisely how sanctions should be done. If these have little or no effect (which they probably will) then you can always ramp it up to include other things. I think one of the harsher things you could do is just block all traffic two/from North Korea from the United States. I mean, they probably block most of it already so that might not matter but internet access would be another commodity that would certainly upset me if I didn't have access to it.

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by inviolet · · Score: 5, Insightful
      This [sanctiong] does not hurt the dictator.

      It doesn't have to; he won't change his mind about us because we annoy him. What will get his attention is if the influential North Korean upper-classmen get pissed off at him over his policies.

      The lower-class are just ballast. It's the upper-class that wields the most political power because Kim can't function without them and their thousands of separate fiefdoms. If those upper-classmen cease enjoying their lifestyle, then watch for a regime change or even a "popular uprising of the common man".

      --
      FATMOUSE + YOU = FATMOUSE
    2. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by Main+Gauche · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "In other words, you make the only people your enemies who could actually overthrow the dictator you're trying to get rid of - the rich upper-class with ambitions."

      Yes, the rich upper class is always the one starting revolutions.

      "Great plan. No surprise you're doing so well in Iraq, you have all these excellent ideas. ;-)"

      Did you read the post to which you responded? GP was contrasting his idea to the ones used in Iraq. But don't let that get in the way of a chance to make an Iraq crack.

      If GP weren't already maxed out, I'd be shoving my karma points his way.

  2. Re:North Korea is dark by unsupported · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Dude, the people of North Korea eat leaves and twigs to survive. They are constantly told that South Korea and the rest of the world are worse off than they are. The only pictures the news shows of North Korea are of the millitary. Old busted ass Russian missile vehicles, the millitary, and Shorty Mc-Il. God forbid the rest of the world actually see the attrocities this mad man is unleashing against his own people.

    [soapbox]But don't get me started on why the UN did not do anything when North Korea first uncapped their nuclear reactors. They should never have gotten this far.[/soapbox]

    --
    Yopu for you?
  3. MAKE YOUR TIME by Infinityis · · Score: 5, Insightful

    IN A.D. 2006
    WAR WAS BEGINNING.
    Kim: WHAT HAPPEN?
    Mechanic: SOMEBODY SET UP US THE BAN.
    Operator: WE GET EMBARGO.
    Kim: WHAT!!
    Operator: VIDEO IPOD TURN ON.
    Kim: IT'S YOU!!
    Bush: HOW ARE YOU GENTLEMEN!!
    Bush: ALL YOUR IPOD ARE BELONG TO US.
    Bush: YOU ARE ON THE WAY TO BOREDOM.
    Dictator Kim: WHAT YOU SAY!!
    Bush: YOU HAVE NO CHANCE TO PRESS PLAY MAKE YOUR TIME.
    Bush: HA HA HA HA....
    Operator: DICTATOR!
    Kim: TAKE OFF EVERY 'MP3'!!
    Kim: YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DOING.
    Kim: MOVE 'ITUNES'.
    Kim: FOR GREAT JUSTICE