Nuclear weapons

[Art Vandelay]

If the USA had stopped at the 38th parallel, as per the Chinese ultimatum, China probably would have stayed out of the war.

If you wished to support your claim that the US was engaged in expansionism because they went past the 38th parallel, why didn't you say so, rather than make a completely different claim? I see no good-faith explanation for you posting an evasive response, then accusing me of a strawman when I tried to get you to explain it.

In my opinion you cross the line between "maintaining the status quo" and "expansion" when you start pushing into the territory of the other state and look intent on conquering it.

In other words, in your opinion it's okay to redefine words to suit your argument. Are you seriously suggesting that when the US or one of its allies is attacked, it should restrict all of its military operations to the US and its allies? War is about attacking the other guy's army. The NK army was north of the 38th, so the US went north of the 38th. What were they supposed to do, just sit around and wait for another invasion?

What it boils down to is that China already fought a war to keep a buffer between themselves and US-friendly South Korea, and the USA has been making threatening noises about that buffer they fought for. Calling China names for not liking that is, at best, naive.

In other words, CHINA fought a war of expansion for its own interests. Of course they don't like the idea of having to give up a buffer state. Too bad.

It's not a straw man, I'm just pointing out that you framed your statement in such a way as to exclude actions from consideration, in favour of comparing words. That's misleading at best and dishonest at worst.

You're the one who started discussing the words of Bush, then you complained when I talked about the words of NK. YOU'RE the one who's being misleading and dishonest.