you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 68 points 2 years ago (13 children)

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the US announced it would lift the ban on American contractors going to Ukraine at the same time as this. Russia reaps what it sows. Ukraine gets highly payed and skilled contractors, in return, Russia gets malnourished and untrained Korean conscripts.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 13 child comments
  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago* (6 children)

    I dont think it's quite the same thing though. US contractors won't be fighting, I think they'll just be maintaining and repairing equipment.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 21 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    Arguably, a much more critical job for a capital-intensive army.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Yes, it’s actually huge. Especially for maintaining a weapon as complicated as an Abrams tank. If it can be repaired close to the front lines then that has the potential to cut days off the turnaround time compared to towing it over to Poland.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

    I will never understand why the American military think it's a good idea to send them tanks that are so complicated. Especially when they're going up against cold war era relics.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    The best tactic Ukraine could have at this point would just be to encourage the North Koreans to defect. Can't imagine it'll be particularly difficult, "hey switch sides and we won't kill you, and here's a free house with electricity, water and indoor plumbing".

    It would be like trying to convince people to leave the 15th century.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago

    … “and don’t worry about your family back home in North Korea who will be compressed into tinned meal”.

    The defection rate will be low I suspect. It’s an automatic TFK (total family kill) to defect and I doubt they’ll send anyone who don’t have family at home in Glorious Motherland!

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago

    I wonder if many will even fight? If I were from North Korea, I'd consider surrender to be a godsend. They would do terrible things to the family members, though... I guess that's the true cruelty of regimes like this. They punish the people you love.

  • source
  • parent