N. Korea anyone?

[A.Nonymous]

Apparently N. Korea is at it again. They've done enough posturing this time that the US is moving a missile defense system into place in Guam just in case. Curious what everyone thinks. Just the same old BS from N. Korea or do you think they're serious enough to try something against either S. Korea or the US this time?

 

[Benjie]

Some light reading last night: China is on better terms with South Korea than with North Korea. China has moved is military to the North Korean border... China is explaining to the world it is not the bad guy as it is expanding to be the world's biggest economy. China is not... What have we done to put ourselves in this position?

 

[iTzKPanda]

All I know is that if N Korea attacks America, S Korea will be there to fight against N Korea. Tension is rising between the north and south.

 

[Shocky]

If they target the U.S or their bases then it's game over for North Korea, how messy it gets will depend on how China reacts to the situation.

I don't think N. Korea will attack as they have too much to lose, but who knows what they're thinking.

 

[iTzKPanda]

who knows what they're thinking.

 

[A.Nonymous]

If they target the U.S or their bases then it's game over for North Korea, how messy it gets will depend on how China reacts to the situation.

I don't think N. Korea will attack as they have too much to lose, but who knows what they're thinking.

Yeah, but the political climate in the US is very, very, very anti-war at the moment. I don't know how aggressively Obama can go after N. Korea even if they do something. Does he want to be responsible for us being mired in another country for several decades when he's criticized Bush for the same thing?

 

[ElasticNinja]

Yeah, but the political climate in the US is very, very, very anti-war at the moment. I don't know how aggressively Obama can go after N. Korea even if they do something. Does he want to be responsible for us being mired in another country for several decades when he's criticized Bush for the same thing?

I guarantee you that if North Korea starts heavily shelling Seoul and mobilising troops, you will have 60+% support for US intervention. The US mood is not particularly anti-war.

 

[huh]

Yeah, but the political climate in the US is very, very, very anti-war at the moment. I don't know how aggressively Obama can go after N. Korea even if they do something. Does he want to be responsible for us being mired in another country for several decades when he's criticized Bush for the same thing?

He (we) better aggressively go after N. Korea "even if they do something"!




.

 

[A.Nonymous]

I guarantee you that if North Korea starts heavily shelling Seoul and mobilising troops, you will have 60+% support for US intervention. The US mood is not particularly anti-war.

No offense, but you don't live here. Not sure how you know what the US mood is. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are very unpopular here at the moment. The idea of a third war isn't going to go over well with Obama's base I don't think.

 

[SiempreTuna]

If the North Koreans were crazy enough to do anything, I believe the US would be obliged to get involved. At least, that's what the US has been promising S Korea and Japan for the last 50-odd years.

There was an excellent interview with a former JCoS last night where he confirmed that US military planning has included contingencies for the war in Korea kicking off again ever since the ceasefire in the 50s. Even at the height of the Iraq and Afghan wars.

I find it impossible to believe the N Koreans would be mad enough to start a war. At least, not deliberately. On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if they try sinking a ship or two or shelling a coastal town like they did about 18 months ago.

 

[ElasticNinja]

No offense, but you don't live here. Not sure how you know what the US mood is. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are very unpopular here at the moment. The idea of a third war isn't going to go over well with Obama's base I don't think.

Indeed I don't! But I mean, there is some level of support for intervention in Syria, so intervention in SK would be likely to get much more support. War weariness is relative. SK has always been a steadfast ally, while no one likes NK.

 

[A.Nonymous]

Indeed I don't! But I mean, there is some level of support for intervention in Syria, so intervention in SK would be likely to get much more support. War weariness is relative. SK has always been a steadfast ally, while no one likes NK.

Not sure where you get the idea that there is support for intervention in Syria. There certainly isn't amongst the mainstream public. No doubt there are some in DC who support such a thing, but you find them no matter what public opinion is. I think the general public opinion is people want to get all the troops home and stop screwing around in other countries.

 

[SiempreTuna]

I'm sure the war weariness in the US (we're every bit as weary in the UK) was a factor in N Korea betting a little sabre rattling would win them some juicy concessions

 

[ElasticNinja]

I think the general public opinion is people want to get all the troops home and stop screwing around in other countries.

No, A.Nomymous, that is your opinion. You are not the average American

 

[copestag]

despite any feelings currently popular among US citizens... they will support action in NK if they fire first

btw there is zero support for intervention in Syria except among the regime

if you recall there was support in the high 90%s for war in the middle east in the early 2000s...... it just grew old real fast

and the same will happen in NK...... if the need arises Americans will rally around the idea of wiping NK off the planet...... until it becomes apparent that we have no intention of following through on anything... then it will be as unpopular as the middle east

its really hard to tell whos doing the sabre rattling us or them

if we had not spent so much time talking ("peacefully negotiating") in the first place they wouldnt be anywhere close to nuclear capabilities..... and no serious threat to the US

 

[SiempreTuna]

its really hard to tell whos doing the sabre rattling us or them

There's some truth in that: the NORKS are - perhaps understandably - a tad upset about the current war games going on in SK, the B52s that have been flying close to their border and the warships and nuclear-capable stealth bombers that have been deployed to the theatre.

There are good reasons for all of these actions, but seen from a NORK perspective, I guess they could look a tad aggressive.

 

[huh]

Good Morning! Sunlight on the E North Korea Coast at the Sea of Japan.Photographed by a human living and working on the International Space Station.
Credit-NASA

 

[pbf98]

I heard that the bombing test runs to SK were in a response to what appeared to be a few american cities listed as targets in an image from nk

Do I want us to stop messing around with the troops and bring them home? Yes, I think we have exhausted enough time and money policing someone else's gov't. However if a country is legitimately threatening us I have no problem if the US were to decide to take action.

 

[ElasticNinja]

Do I want us to stop messing around with the troops and bring them home? Yes, I think we have exhausted enough time and money policing someone else's gov't. However if a country is legitimately threatening us I have no problem if the US were to decide to take action.

Are these statements not contradictory?

A soldier's job is to be at risk. Not to stay 'at home', even if that is what many do. Being messed around with is their occupation. They are pawns, and have willingly signed up to be so.

 

[andruoid]

It wasn't to long ago that NK said they weren't going to develop nuclear weapons. They 'only' wanted nuclear power for energy. They lied. Simple as that. On that note Iran has or will probably do the same thing.

From what I know and read I don't think I've ever actually heard a country say; "We are going to use nuclear weapons".

However, let's say NK launches whatever limited amount they have. Whether or not they succeed in hitting the targets they (NK) will get the pounding of the century. No, not by a nuclear counter-strike but, conventional means of which we haven't seen since the early days of Daisy Cutters in Afghanistan. The US would not send nukes into NK. US, Russia and China know the outcome if that happened; the world would kill itself off.

In terms of leadership, Kim Jong Un is a kid at 30. I truly believe he is being strong-armed into the current situation by the higher-ups in his military. This is scary that a single person is being controlled by a unknown number of fanatics.

Needless to say, this situation needs to calm down.

 

[pbf98]

I don't see there being a problem with having the soldiers safe here when they are not needed elsewhere, I do not see the need to have them policing a country that we have no right to control.

My great uncle fought in WWII and was part of the Bataan Death March, his thoughts about NK is simple, make them part of the ocean.. now with today's politics its not really that simple to do something like that and end all threats, we would then have to worry about the backlash that may arise from such an event. He still holds a grudge against Japan, but I can understand after being forced to walk 14 miles and watch some of your close friends get tied to a tree and left to die. NK and Japan aren't too different in his eyes.

 

[ElasticNinja]

I don't see there being a problem with having the soldiers safe here when they are not needed elsewhere, I do not see the need to have them policing a country that we have no right to control.

The South Korean government has entrusted the US with their country's safety. the US is happy to have an ally in the region.

My great uncle fought in WWII and was part of the Bataan Death March, his thoughts about NK is simple, make them part of the ocean.. now with today's politics its not really that simple to do something like that and end all threats, we would then have to worry about the backlash that may arise from such an event.

Well yes, killing 24 million brainwashed people is usually considered morally wrong.

NK and Japan aren't too different in his eyes.

They very much are though. Japan is very much a pro-US country, friendly with the West.

 

[ItnStln511]

There was an excellent interview with a former JCoS last night where he confirmed that US military planning has included contingencies for the war in Korea kicking off again ever since the ceasefire in the 50s. Even at the height of the Iraq and Afghan wars.

That's nothing new though.

I find it impossible to believe the N Koreans would be mad enough to start a war. At least, not deliberately. On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if they try sinking a ship or two or shelling a coastal town like they did about 18 months ago.

I doubt they would even do that. I think they're just bluffing.

 

[huh]

The best defense......is a good offense


hello?

does...no one play chess here??
and ...you call yourselves nerds?
or is it geeks....

(not in a mean way)...

anywho....

 

[Speed Daemon]

Yeah, but the political climate in the US is very, very, very anti-war at the moment. I don't know how aggressively Obama can go after N. Korea even if they do something. Does he want to be responsible for us being mired in another country for several decades when he's criticized Bush for the same thing?

Let's get real here. After 9-11 nobody openly wanted to get into another Vietnam-style war! The Bush administration lied to us, and one of the consequences that we must pay for that betrayal, and our subsequent unwillingness to get out ASAP when we learned the truth is that we're beholden to Communist China, Japan and other major players in the Eastern Asia region. Over there we're not a superpower, we're just another beggar nation.

The fact of the matter is that 1.) The US does not have the funds needed to get into another war for 100 years or so, no matter how necessary, and 2.) because we owe half of our Gulf War II debt to North Korea's biggest ally, we're financially and politically painted into a corner. The US no longer has the financial wealth nor the political high ground to be able to beat our chests and yell "here I come to save the day!"

If push comes to shove, it's highly unlikely that Communist China is going to finance unilateral action by the US. And nobody in the Obama administration is going to try to peddle BS like "we'll be greeted as liberators". There will be no US invasion of North Korea.