2018 Winter Olympics--cancelled?

[ossiblue]

Just looking for opinions on this, obviously I have no information regarding what may happen.

Given the extreme tensions generated by NK, its missile tests and the back-and-forth verbal harangues with the U.S. President, does anyone see a possibility that these games may be cancelled or, if nothing else, a financial and crowd attracting failure?

Nikki Haley has already floated the idea that the U.S. may withhold sending its athletes. Lindsey Graham has suggested that the U.S. should remove non-combatants and families from South Korea, though the military has said there is no such plan in the works. Regardless, the message is out there.

The games are scheduled for February. Is the world audience, who would fly to SK for the games, going to be hesitant, given the potential for some aggression? Will the presence of the games, the foreign population, the focus of the world on SK, encourage Kim Jong Un to do something bold and unpredictable--not necessarily start a war, but something provocative that would endanger anyone in SK?

Thoughts on this?

[javadog]

I think they will go on, and I think the US athletes will attend, absent anything serious happening between now and then. I think the attendance from Western countries will probably be less than it would if they were held in say, Switzerland or Canada, because few people want to go to South Korea to begin with. I don't know if there's enough interest in Asia to offset the lack of attendance from Western countries. I don't think the piglet will try anything during the games, because I think he's figured out if he does anything much more than one of his missile tests, he and his regime would be burnt toast, within minutes.

[1990C4S]

No chance. Zero. The sunk cost is enormous. As is the TV revenue....

Something far more significant would have to happen, like a real NK missile attack.

[Tervuren]

To a reasonable person; target the Olympics and you've just declared war on most of the civilized world.

Not exactly a wise thing to do. I would expect that while NK's leader may be able to do all sorts within his own country; he knows the result of doing this will be his end.

China would not take kindly to the death of their athletes.

[vash]

no way..it's a time to celebrate humanity, put aside our differences and compete for honor.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by javadog

I think they will go on, and I think the US athletes will attend, absent anything serious happening between now and then. I think the attendance from Western countries will probably be less than it would if they were held in say, Switzerland or Canada, because few people want to go to South Korea to begin with. I don't know if there's enough interest in Asia to offset the lack of attendance from Western countries. I don't think the piglet will try anything during the games, because I think he's figured out if he does anything much more than one of his missile tests, he and his regime would be burnt toast, within minutes.

Can't disagree with anything you've posted.

I really only used the word "cancelled" to stimulate some interest in responding to the thread as I believe the more likely negative outcome is a financial disaster for SK. You make very good points about non-western attendance. I have no clue as to how much SK is indebted to the success of the games, but as February approaches and if the revenue from visitors does not flow in and other countries refuse to send teams there may be a financial disaster in the making.

[javadog]

I think any Olympic games, whether winter or summer, can be a financial disaster if you look at the events in only those terms. Countries hold these events for the PR exposure they generate and I think South Korea is healthy enough that the cost really doesn't matter to them.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

To a reasonable person; target the Olympics and you've just declared war on most of the civilized world..

Piglet is not reasonable (or sane).

Originally Posted by javadog

I don't think the piglet will try anything during the games, because I think he's figured out if he does anything much more than one of his missile tests, he and his regime would be burnt toast, within minutes.

I disagree because:
1) Piglet is surrounded by yes-men who fear for their lives if they tell him something he doesn't want to hear
2) Piglet knows that except for President Trump, the ROW is too afraid to do squat (which is how his family has gotten this far without being snuffed out). For example:

BAGHDAD – Hundreds of ISIS fighters had just been chased out of a northern Syrian city and were fleeing through the desert in long convoys, presenting an easy target to U.S. A-10 "warthogs."

But the orders to bomb the black-clad jihadists never came, and the terrorists melted into their caliphate -- living to fight another day. The events came in August 2016

Trump, Mattis turn military loose on ISIS, leaving terror caliphate in tatters | Fox News

[Por_sha911]

One more thing:
As far as I am concerned, the Winter Olympics were cancelled when the NHL refused to send players to play for their countries.

[RKDinOKC]

If they sent athletes to the Olympics, the athletes would probably take a knee during their national anthem.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

no way..it's a time to celebrate humanity, put aside our differences and compete for honor.

hahahaha. Thanks Vash.

Not to mention, the little fat guy above 'em is firmly based in reality and completely rational!

[scottmandue]

Wow, this has been totally off my radar (winter Olympics).

Who in their right mind picked SK as a location?

I predict it will go ahead and be poorly attended.

I am a pretty liberal guy but have to agree, if the piglet does something stupid we will turn NK into a parking lot.

[vash]

which will turn SK into another smaller parking lot?

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by RKDinOKC

If they sent athletes to the Olympics, the athletes would probably take a knee during their national anthem.

Um, you're thinking NFL.
Ain't no knees taken in the NHL unless its followed by 2 minutes in the sin bin.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by vash

which will turn SK into another smaller parking lot?

Where would we get out Kia's and Hyundai's then? (yeah,
I know they have plants here)

But no, I don't see Meraca nuking anybody... we would go in with laser guided bombs, cruse missiles, high tech air strikes, etc.

[javadog]

I think if the piglet ever goes all in, we will unleash at least a few tactical nukes and possibly more. Nobody wants to let that genie back out of the bottle but Trump isn't going to watch the piglet unleash everything he owns for weeks on end.

[motion]

He wants attention and respect, not suicide. Nothing will happen.

[javadog]

More than anything else, he wants to wake up tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by javadog

I think if the piglet ever goes all in, we will unleash at least a few tactical nukes and possibly more. Nobody wants to let that genie back out of the bottle but Trump isn't going to watch the piglet unleash everything he owns for weeks on end.

I'm guessing Japan and China would not be too pleased with us dropping nukes in their backyard.

[BeyGon]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

To a reasonable person; target the Olympics and you've just declared war on most of the civilized world.

Not exactly a wise thing to do. I would expect that while NK's leader may be able to do all sorts within his own country; he knows the result of doing this will be his end.

China would not take kindly to the death of their athletes.

didn't that happen once before, an attack on one of the villages?