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But why should we go to war with North Korea? They can't threaten us. Unless we go to war with them on the peninsula. Well for starters, because we're obligated by treaty to defend S.Korea.
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...you portrayed the regime as rational and interested in self preservation.I think they are interested in self preservation and self interest, and from that perspective, they can be said to be a "rational actor." However, their idea of self interest, how they view and understand the world around them and their options, and what they might view as acceptable risk are very likely not in line with how we view the world, and so it's difficult to predict reliably what they might do. We should be careful not to mirror image, and assume that they view their interests the same way we might if we were in their shoes.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)