The Norks Come a-Knockin'
Get a load of this. The North Koreans are in Ankara.
The team met with Turkish Foreign Ministry officials and a Turkish non-governmental organization specialized in foreign aid, one diplomatic source said. In addition to asking for aid, the team gave information about North Korea’s policy on nuclear weapons.
Some history here, courtesy of an e-mail Bill Walsh sent me many years ago.
Did you ever hear the story that the North Koreans were shocked that Americans with our critical-thinking, multiple-perspective stuff were the easiest to brainwash? Pretty much 180 degrees from what they expected. The opposite end of the scale? The Turks. They were totally impossible to turn. Their perspective was: "I'm a Turk, you're my enemy, if I had a pointy stick, I'd kill you right now."
We live in interesting times.
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Jul '10
Re: The Norks Come a-Knockin'
All the wrong moves...
Mar '11
Re: The Norks Come a-Knockin'
Surely this meeting was arranged out of Turkey's sympathy for the terrible suffering endured by the noble and courageous North Korean people and without the intercessions of any other power or interest......
Jun '10
Re: The Norks Come a-Knockin'
The reason Americans were easiest to "brainwash" was because of their democratic predilections. Once separated from their officers Americans tended to democracy in the same sense that anyone can grow up to be president.
The Turks on the other hand when separated from their officers always vested command in the oldest man among them. Should that man be taken and confined with the officers, the next oldest man was automatically elevated to command. In the case of the Turks there was always a command structure. In the case of the Americans there was freedom and choice even in this military situation. The difference today is that North Koreans are eating grass and America has an obesity problem. North Korea won on brainwashing, America won on everything else.
Mar '11
Re: The Norks Come a-Knockin'
Ms. Berlinski you thief, I do believe you appropriated the piece for your missive's décolletage from STRATFOR. Come now despite the importance of this matter I do believe an acknowledgement is due.
Sep '10
Re: The Norks Come a-Knockin'
Off topic, Claire. I just wanted to remind you that when Bruce Springsteen got happy he wrote TUNNEL OF LOVE. That thing sucked. Happiness isn't what it is cracked up to be. You are the best in my little book. ag
Apr '11
Re: The Norks Come a-Knockin'
Have you read Marine!, the biography of Chesty Puller? There's a passage where he's in Korea having dinner with a Turk commander the night before an attack, and he eases him out of the tent before the Turk remembers that Puller too is an infidel. I'm not doing it justice, condensing it down this way; it's well worth reading.
Back when I was a GI, I always liked having the Turks as allies.
Aug '11
Re: The Norks Come a-Knockin'
I remember the episode of MASH with the crazy wounded Turkish soldier who just wanted to be stitched up and sent back to the front so he could kill more Chinese....