President Elect Obama could have his hands full should Kim Jong-Il go to meet his maker. As far as anyone knows, there is no clear successor to his rule. There are several high ranking military personnel that are currently calling the shots, but none that can really bring total control to a country that is non-functional at all levels.
Should Jong-Il die or become completely incapacitated, the country would suffer a complete meltdown. The Chinese know this, hence the preparation for military action along their border with North Korea. North Korea's position as an antagonist to the west has outlived its usefulness. It could be in China's own best interest to take action against its one time client state and settle this problematic situation once and for all. With or without the U.N.'s Security Council blessing, this could help stabilize things in the region.
The take over of North Korea by China would serve President Elect Obama quite well. It would eliminate a thorn that has been in the side of every presidents since 1953. He would be able to issue a diplomatic response to China showing the world that he condemns the act (especially since this would surely rattle the South Koreans), while quietly giving the Chinese a wink and a nod. The downside could be that this may embolden China to take action against Taiwan.
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