North Korea Threatens the US... again...

[Ice]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapc....ap/index.html

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea would respond to a pre-emptive U.S. military attack with an "annihilating strike and a nuclear war," the state-run media said Monday, heightening anti-U.S. rhetoric amid close scrutiny of its missile program.

Estimates for the range of the missile vary widely, but at least one U.S. study said it could be able to reach parts of the United States with a light payload.

Meanwhile, a South Korean government official said Seoul is considering buying U.S. shipborne SM-2 missiles to bolster its missile-defense system.

M-2 missiles, however, are reportedly effective against cruise missiles and at striking aircraft but would not be able to hit a long-range missile.

Anyone else find it funny that we here so much about Iran, a country that denies making a nuclear weapon, but so little about NK, a country who countinues to threaten us and develop long range nuclear weapons?

I threw in the part about the SK missile defense just because I found it interesting.

[rory_20_uk]

Been mentioned time and time again here.

North Korea is unstable, would do massive damage to S Korea and possibly Japan and is far to close to China to try an armed invasion.

[Ice]

Been mentioned time and time again here.

North Korea is unstable, would do massive damage to S Korea and possibly Japan and is far to close to China to try an armed invasion.

True, but the longer we wait, the longer the Kim has to develop new kinds of weapons and strengthen his forces. I don't forsee this simply going away, but getting worse.

[rory_20_uk]

Yup. neither do I.

But what to do? The USA seems to only be something if it feels directly threatened. Allies are nice and all, but not the same (Western Europe threatened by missiles for most of the cold war. But still Cuba getting them was a chrisis)

So some ICBMs can reach Alaska. So what - is this newsworthy? They could already get over to Japan and South Korea, so what's changed?

If North Korea are allowed to implode they are likely to go in a blaze of glory. So the neighbours support them so they can still struggle on.

Short of a massive nuclear attack, what can be done? George could do such a thing, as it's his last term in office in any case.

[spmetla]

Well they've done this sort of thing since the ceasefire.

Makes you wonder what the situation would be like if General McArthur hadn't been relieved. At with a blockade and war in Manchuria I mean, not using atomic weapons on the PRC.

Any way to get rid of NK's stupid goverment short of war?

[Red Peasant]

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea would respond to a pre-emptive U.S. military attack with an "annihilating strike and a nuclear war," the state-run media said Monday, heightening anti-U.S. rhetoric amid close scrutiny of its missile program.

I'm not defending the vile NK regime, but that seems like a reasonable position to assume to me. If the US attacks them then they will strike back. That's what nuclear deterrents are for. It's just good old Cold War rhetoric.

[Avicenna]

Not exactly stupid, at least not from their point of view. Gives them a bargaining chip. From the rest of the world's point of view though, yes, gotta agree that it's stupid.

Perhaps China might help? They would probably be far more concerned: sure, the ICBM can get Alaska, but it can also go straight into any of China's cities. Just because they're all communists doesn't mean that they'll definitely support each other, look at the PRC and USSR's relations towards the end of the Cold War.

EDIT: I agree with Red Peasant. Two nuclear powers will eventually end with one being forced to fight with it's back against the wall when it's close to defeat, and will probably use the missiles then. The problem with NK is that any military strike would probably drive them to want to fire. Unless, of course, you guys can locate the missiles and capture them quickly.

[PanzerJaeger]

This is China's baby. They're the emerging superpower - soon to eclipse the United States - let them take the lead.

As long as America assures Kim Jong that, in the event of war ,there will be a lot more of the United States left than North Korea, there is not much that can be done on our end.

[Redleg]

The question I ask myself, is this the standard opening gambit of North Korea's when it seeks talks and concessions so that it can survive for a little longer?

Or is as someone alreadly mention, just the normal to be expected rethoric of the cold war?

With North Korea you never really know.

However does anyone care to bet that some type of talks with concessions are going to happen in the next 3 months?

[Avicenna]

Like the 6 party talks? Weren't those useless?

[Redleg]

Like the 6 party talks? Weren't those useless?

Some would call the 6 party talks useless.

I however wouldn't. It was an attempt to get China, Russia, South Korea, and Japan into the negotation process with North Korea. North Korea was against them because it would put a lot more pressure on them to particapate and perform in accordance with the agreements reached.

[Ice]

I'm not defending the vile NK regime, but that seems like a reasonable position to assume to me. If the US attacks them then they will strike back. That's what nuclear deterrents are for. It's just good old Cold War rhetoric.

I realize this, but I also said "again".

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0206-01.htm

North Korea Threatens US with First Strike
Pyongyang asserts right to pre-emptive attack as tensions rise over American build-up

This isn't the first time..

[Al Khalifah]

North Korea's nuclear deterant is rather weak at best. The technology being used could easily be intercepted by basic counter-measures and intelligence. Unless North Korea actually does decide to attack Alaska, I wouldn't be too worried about it retaliating effectively for the time-being. Given time however, it may well develop or purchase weapons that are not so easily stopped or that can be launched with only minimal warning.

It's worth pointing out that North Korea has one of the worlds most expensive (if not the most) subterranean rail systems - because it was designed to resist a conventional nuclear blast. Given Kim's raving insanity, I doubt the potential for the mass slaughter of his people would be much of a deterant anyway.

If America wants NK out of the picture, it need only attack.

[GoreBag]

Stands to reason. I wouldn't expect a dictator to turn the other cheek.

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

Its happened with us and russia. they were making nukes on a island near america, we denied further acess and stopped a nuclear war. Korea can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk?

[Divinus Arma]

The real deanger here is not nuclear war, but a conventional war.

NK is staged and ready to invade SK at a moment's notice. They train for nothing but invasion, not defense, but invasion. We would lose SK in a new york minute. NK is no Iraqi army. These guys are tough, extremely disciplined, and their culture does not interfere with warfighting; it enables it.

And our leftist liberal media would also backstab us on this issue too. They would give away every secret plan and broken code that they could find.

The war we would need to wage would be extraordinarily costly and the people of the United States are too bloated and lazy to do it right. They can't even handle 3,000 lives from volunteer forces in a low-intensity conflict. How are they going to handle 30,000 lives in a draft force during a high-intensity conflict?

Not gonna happen. Europeans don't care. Americans won't care.

[solypsist]

balls are wildy different from brains, however...

Stands to reason. I wouldn't expect a dictator to turn the other cheek.

[GoreBag]

balls are wildy different from brains, however...

Not really.

[doc_bean]

First rule of MAD defense: make the other party believe you're crazier than them.

This does show what a bad strategical decision the Iraq war was, NK and Iran know the US can't fight a conventional war against them. Europe barely has an army (the UK has the only half way decent one that could be used in such a situation it seems) and China doesn't want too much trouble *just yet*. NK can pretty much do whatever they want. Alliances don't hold up when the ally attacks first (thank God) and i'm not sure if an empty missile on SK or Japan would be enough to get the world behind them attacking NK.

[Avicenna]

North Korea's nuclear deterant is rather weak at best. The technology being used could easily be intercepted by basic counter-measures and intelligence. Unless North Korea actually does decide to attack Alaska, I wouldn't be too worried about it retaliating effectively for the time-being. Given time however, it may well develop or purchase weapons that are not so easily stopped or that can be launched with only minimal warning.

It's worth pointing out that North Korea has one of the worlds most expensive (if not the most) subterranean rail systems - because it was designed to resist a conventional nuclear blast. Given Kim's raving insanity, I doubt the potential for the mass slaughter of his people would be much of a deterant anyway.

If America wants NK out of the picture, it need only attack.

Intercepted by what? The missile defence system which just messed up twice in a row?

[Ice]

Intercepted by what? The missile defence system which just messed up twice in a row?

What exactly do you mean?

[Avicenna]

What exactly do you mean?

EDIT: here http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4268001.stm

[Ice]

That was a year and a half ago.

http://www.mda.mil/mdalink/html/mdalink.html


June-06

A test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System was successful in using a Standard Missile 3 interceptor to destroy a target warhead that separated from its booster rocket

May-06

The U.S. Navy, in cooperation with the Missile Defense Agency, today successfully conducted a ballistic missile defense demonstration involving the intercept of a target missile in the terminal phase (the last few seconds) of flight

May-06

A test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was successful in meeting all test objectives. The test took place at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, and involved the successful launch of the THAAD interceptor missile from its mobile launcher

Aprl-06

The second of two planned Critical Measurements and Counter-Measures tests was successfully conducted at the Pacific Missile Range Facility

Just to name a few...

[DukeofSerbia]

How paranoic, neostalinist's (hell on Earth) North Korean regime can treat USA?! And only with one or few long rang missiles?

[Avicenna]

oh, whoops

I wonder how I found that article at all...

[Ice]

And only with one or few long rang missiles?

That fall apart 30 seconds after launch. It would have probably scared us more if he hadn't had launched them.

[IrishArmenian]

This guy is poking a lion in cage with a stick. Sooner or later, someone will release the lion. Plus, North Korea is a small country that could easily be covered with Nuclear weapon explosions and radiation. The US is a large country, and even if your missles do not fall apart and they DO connect with a target, you have a whole arsenal controlled by incredibly patriotic people looking for you.

[doc_bean]

This guy is poking a lion in cage with a stick. Sooner or later, someone will release the lion. Plus, North Korea is a small country that could easily be covered with Nuclear weapon explosions and radiation. The US is a large country, and even if your missles do not fall apart and they DO connect with a target, you have a whole arsenal controlled by incredibly patriotic people looking for you.

I think the US would rather avoid getting about 10 million of its citizens killed...

[master of the puppets]

cowards speak the loudest, and madmen are generally cowards. assasinate him and see how long his regime lasts.

look at stalin, when he had a stroke all his closest associates left him lying in a puddle of piss for 20 minutes before they thought to get the doctor, his people won't have any love for him and his followers may be easier to reason with.

[Csargo]

cowards speak the loudest, and madmen are generally cowards. assasinate him and see how long his regime lasts.

look at stalin, when he had a stroke all his closest associates left him lying in a puddle of piss for 20 minutes before they thought to get the doctor, his people won't have any love for him and his followers may be easier to reason with.

You speak the truth Master of the Puppets.