NKorea warns of nuclear war

[Dudeskey]

Kim Jong (mentally) Il doesn't know when to quit does he? Kind of puts us in a pickle in terms of manpower and equipment if he decided to make good on his word....™

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/...koreas_nuclear

By HYUNG-JIN KIM, Associated Press Writer Hyung-jin Kim, Associated Press Writer – Sun Jun 14, 7:26 am ET

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea's communist regime has warned of a nuclear war on the Korean peninsula while vowing to step up its atomic bomb-making program in defiance of new U.N. sanctions.

The North's defiance presents a growing diplomatic headache for President Barack Obama as he prepares for talks Tuesday with his South Korean counterpart on the North's missile and nuclear programs.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak told security-related ministers during an unscheduled meeting Sunday to "resolutely and squarely" cope with the North's latest threat, his office said. Lee is to leave for the U.S. on Monday morning.

A commentary Sunday in the North's main state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, claimed the U.S. has 1,000 nuclear weapons in South Korea. Another commentary published Saturday in the state-run Tongil Sinbo weekly claimed the U.S. has been deploying a vast amount of nuclear weapons in South Korea and Japan.

North Korea "is completely within the range of U.S. nuclear attack and the Korean peninsula is becoming an area where the chances of a nuclear war are the highest in the world," the Tongil Sinbo commentary said.

Kim Yong-kyu, a spokesman at the U.S. military command in Seoul, called the latest accusation "baseless," saying Washington has no nuclear bombs in South Korea. U.S. tactical nuclear weapons were removed from South Korea in 1991 as part of arms reductions following the Cold War.

South Korea's Unification Ministry issued a statement Sunday demanding the North stop stoking tension, abandon its nuclear weapons and return to dialogue with the South.

On Saturday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry threatened war on any country that dared to stop its ships on the high seas under the new sanctions approved by the U.N. Security Council on Friday as punishment for the North's latest nuclear test.

It is not clear if the statements are simply rhetorical. Still, they are a huge setback for international attempts to rein in North Korea's nuclear ambitions following its second nuclear test on May 25. It first tested a nuclear device in 2006.

In Saturday's statement, North Korea said it has been enriching uranium to provide fuel for its light-water reactor. It was the first public acknowledgment the North is running a uranium enrichment program in addition to its known plutonium-based program. The two radioactive materials are key ingredients in making atomic bombs.

On Sunday, Yonhap news agency reported South Korea and the U.S. have mobilized spy satellites, reconnaissance aircraft and human intelligence networks to obtain evidence that the North has been running a uranium enrichment program.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said it could not confirm the report. The National Intelligence Service — South Korea's main spy agency — was not available for comment.

North Korea said more than one-third of 8,000 spent fuel rods in its possession has been reprocessed and all the plutonium extracted would be used to make atomic bombs. The country could harvest 13-18 pounds (6-8 kilograms) of plutonium — enough to make at least one nuclear bomb — if all the rods are reprocessed.

In addition, North Korea is believed to have enough plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs.

North Korea says its nuclear program is a deterrent against the U.S., which it routinely accuses of plotting to topple its regime. Washington, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, has repeatedly said it has no such intention.

The new U.N. sanctions are aimed at depriving the North of the financing used to build its rogue nuclear program. The resolution also authorized searches of North Korean ships suspected of transporting illicit ballistic missile and nuclear materials.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the new U.N. penalties provide the necessary tools to help check North Korea's continued pursuit of nuclear weapons.

The sanctions show that "North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and the capacity to deliver those weapons through missiles is not going to be accepted by the neighbors as well as the greater international community," Clinton said Saturday at a news conference in Canada.

[Bronx33]

Kim Jong (mentally) Il is a lunatic with a red button that he really shouldn't be allowed to have. ( just one sane NC needs to wack this idiot and his idiot son)

[Punisher]

[cutthemdown]

They still an't launch a nuke with solid fuel on a missile so we can see them fueling it. If China and Russia are on board with sanctions he can't fight back. If China and Russia where in on a coalition with the USA it's over for them.

[Punisher]

Ok when the world gets nuked I'm starting my own Mutant Gang.

Who wants to join?

[That One Guy]

As far as I know, they haven't actually weaponized it so it can't be used in a warhead. All talk at this point unless they're gonna put it in a truck and drive it into South Korea.

[Requiem]

I've been waiting 22 years of life to see a nuke be dropped. Hopefully it falls on Kim's head.

[barryr]

It's Bush's fault. Wow, that didn't take much thinking, now I know what's like to be a liberal.

[Requiem]

But Barry, you've always known what it was like to be a retard. You've never known differently!

[barryr]

Originally Posted by Requiem

But Barry, you've always known what it was like to be a retard. You've never known differently!

Speaking from someone who paraded a fake scout a couple years ago in these forums.

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by barryr

Speaking from someone who paraded a fake scout a couple years ago in these forums.

Nope, he wasn't fake -- but whatever makes you feel better getting to sleep at night Barry. I know making a cool 27k a year must be hard on you!

[cutthemdown]

Originally Posted by cah412

As far as I know, they haven't actually weaponized it so it can't be used in a warhead. All talk at this point unless they're gonna put it in a truck and drive it into South Korea.

exactly when they do detonate they do it underground with a bunch of procedures leading up to it. We watch it from space.

IMO they don't yet actually have a bomb they can drop or put on a missile, that is the next step though.

It's getting close to time to have to deal with them with a massive attack. No way we can let them put a nuke on a missile. Obama has to get CHina to agree to help take out their nuclear program.

[frerottenextelway]

Originally Posted by cutthemdown

exactly when they do detonate they do it underground with a bunch of procedures leading up to it. We watch it from space.

IMO they don't yet actually have a bomb they can drop or put on a missile, that is the next step though.

It's getting close to time to have to deal with them with a massive attack. No way we can let them put a nuke on a missile. Obama has to get CHina to agree to help take out their nuclear program.

That would be horrible. We would lose. Almost all the soldiers we have based there would be killed (like 30,000) and they would just absolutely annihilate Seoul.

[cutthemdown]

Originally Posted by frerottenextelway

That would be horrible. We would lose. Almost all the soldiers we have based there would be killed (like 30,000) and they would just absolutely annihilate Seoul.

How would they kill them? Until they can put nukes on a bomb or missile it would be tough to kill those troops with artilliary IMO. They would send about 300 thousand charging the border and we would have to take them out with tactical nukes and fuel air bombs. We would have to tactical nuke a bunch of other stuff as well.

I would say never even think it but i'm starting to worry they will drop a nuke at some point. If at some point they are going to do something crazy then would it not be smart to move first?

Do you really think this country can be allowed on it's current track?

What do you think we should do? Submit to the threat its war if we search ships? They may attack just over that who knows.

It's no ones fault other then Kim Jong, he's the crazy one, he lied to Clinton,lied to Bush, and is now telling Obama that America has no say in out nuclear ambitions.

Well I bet to differ we do have a say. The Korean war never ended and IMO them trying to get nukes re-opens that door.

I do say Russia and CHina have to be on board, but I think even they are getting nervous about N. Korea.

Still tell me how the N Koreans kill 30 thousand of our troops in we did a military strike on some nuke facilities. I'd like to hear that theory.

[frerottenextelway]

Originally Posted by cutthemdown

How would they kill them? Until they can put nukes on a bomb or missile it would be tough to kill those troops with artilliary IMO. They would send about 300 thousand charging the border and we would have to take them out with tactical nukes and fuel air bombs. We would have to tactical nuke a bunch of other stuff as well.

I would say never even think it but i'm starting to worry they will drop a nuke at some point. If at some point they are going to do something crazy then would it not be smart to move first?

Do you really think this country can be allowed on it's current track?

What do you think we should do? Submit to the threat its war if we search ships? They may attack just over that who knows.

It's no ones fault other then Kim Jong, he's the crazy one, he lied to Clinton,lied to Bush, and is now telling Obama that America has no say in out nuclear ambitions.

Well I bet to differ we do have a say. The Korean war never ended and IMO them trying to get nukes re-opens that door.

I do say Russia and CHina have to be on board, but I think even they are getting nervous about N. Korea.

Still tell me how the N Koreans kill 30 thousand of our troops in we did a military strike on some nuke facilities. I'd like to hear that theory.

Nukes aside, N Korea is loaded with traditional weapons. Our soldiers there would just be sitting ducks. Wes Clark was on TYT last week talking about it, and he estimated we would instantly have over 15,000 casualities if War started just based on that, along with Vietnam sized numbers with our good friends in Seoul.

I don't know what the answer is, but I'd like to think that is not it.

[Meck77]

He can win a nuclear war. Brilliant!

[cutthemdown]

Originally Posted by frerottenextelway

Nukes aside, N Korea is loaded with traditional weapons. Our soldiers there would just be sitting ducks. Wes Clark was on TYT last week talking about it, and he estimated we would instantly have over 15,000 casualities if War started just based on that, along with Vietnam sized numbers with our good friends in Seoul.

I don't know what the answer is, but I'd like to think that is not it.

I had always said I thought Kim Jong just does stuff to get more free oil and food, but i'm starting to wonder if he cares at all about the world or his country after he is gone. He may be crazy enough to use some go out with a blast on Japan or Seoul mindset.

I believe Clark that troops would suffer heavy casualties. But what will the suffer if we do nothing and some day he drops a nuke on them?

If China and Russia get on board with sanctions I guess we will see. Will Korea start attacking? If they do then what?

You say you don't know what to do, I'm asking you point blank if we search ships, and they fire on us, what do you think Obama should do?

Are you so afraid of war that you will let a country like N Korea defy the international community and build nukes, and detonate them, and then make then fit on missiles. Thats next you know, a missile test that detonates a nuke out in the ocean. They do that and then what can you even do?

[cutthemdown]

Clinton, Bush, all failed with this guy, Obama fails and it could be much worst because the further they get along they less we can do to stop them.

They get nukes then that means Japan would have to spend tons on missile defense etc etc

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by Meck77

He can win a nuclear war. Brilliant!

It's kinda like blowing up your neighbors mail box and for getting yours is right next to it

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by cutthemdown

Clinton, Bush, all failed with this guy, Obama fails and it could be much worst because the further they get along they less we can do to stop them.

They get nukes then that means Japan would have to spend tons on missile defense etc etc

I think its safe to say that it was impossible for the Bush admin to put the pressure of enforcing UN sanctions on Kim Jong Il. We were involved in two major wars at the time, and the public was so tired of war that there is no way that Bush could have put any muscle behind empty threats.

The US are the only aspect of the UN that actually feels the need to do something about these loons. Its time for other UN nations to step up and help.

[mhgaffney]

Japan could have nukes inside of a year.

That would cause a dangerous escalation of tensions in Asia -- given the bad blood between China and Japan.

Bush's crazy foreign policy was actually pushing the Japanese to re arm. This is something we need to avoid at all cost.

I don't know what the answer is with NKorea. How can you rationally look ahead or analyze when you are dealing with a psychopath?

Unfortunately, there appears to be no political opposition inside N Korea. Dissenters are in prison or dead.

[sisterhellfyre]

Originally Posted by Punisher

Ok when the world gets nuked I'm starting my own Mutant Gang.

Who wants to join?

That depends. What mutant superpower do I get? ;-)

[Dudeskey]

Originally Posted by McSkillet

I think its safe to say that it was impossible for the Bush admin to put the pressure of enforcing UN sanctions on Kim Jong Il. We were involved in two major wars at the time, and the public was so tired of war that there is no way that Bush could have put any muscle behind empty threats.

The US are the only aspect of the UN that actually feels the need to do something about these loons. Its time for other UN nations to step up and help.

To say it was impossible for the Bush administration to pressure NK is inaccurate. North Korea's been an issue since before Bush was trying to make a case for invading Iraq. He had a bigger fish to fry but passed it up!

[sisterhellfyre]

Originally Posted by cutthemdown

You say you don't know what to do, I'm asking you point blank if we search ships, and they fire on us, what do you think Obama should do?

My answer would depend on the specifics of what you mean by "fire on us." If a North Korean patrol boat or warship fired on Americans enforcing the UN regulations, the USN should blow the NK vessel (whatever it is) into tiny pieces. Period. In my mind we'd just about have to respond the same way for an incident in the air, too. After the immediate action, our next step should be to pause, with all forces on high alert, to see what happens next. If more NK forces of any sort begin to move or mobilize, get everything ready to roll. Welcome to the Second Korean War.

A land-based attack over the border? That would be an act of war, and I'm sure the South Koreans would have a lot to say about that. There have been a variety of "incidents" over the years, most of which are never reported, where patrols cross paths and fire on each other. It usually doesn't make our news because there aren't frequent US casualties. I have no doubt at all that a larger attack over the border would be treated as war, and American forces would be involved instantly. Again, welcome to the Second Korean War.

I've read various scenarios and speculations about Korea-2. Many of them end short of total destruction because they figure the NK military will collapse or the population will rise in revolution (or both). That would probably be the best outcome to hope for. The grimmer possibility is that the NK populace could go the way of the Japanese inhabitants of Okinawa. I don't think there's any real way to guess which (if any) would happen. The NK people are among the world's most completely isolated, steeped from dawn to dusk and cradle to grave in the psychotic propaganda of the Kim family. Any deviation from the official party line is harshly punished. Is it possible that any ability to think critically or independently has survived in that atmosphere? I'd like to think so, but really don't know.

[sisterhellfyre]

Originally Posted by cutthemdown

If China and Russia get on board with sanctions I guess we will see. Will Korea start attacking? If they do then what?

China and Russia were on board with the new UN sanctions. They both made clear afterward that they do not believe the new sanctions offer an option for military action against North Korea.

What happens next really depends on how vigorously the new sanctions are enforced, and how the Kim family business responds. I'll just bet there are offices in the Pentagon (and other capitols too) where they're burning the midnight oil to come up with procedures and rules of engagement for these interceptions and searches -- if they ever happen.