North Korea vs USA

[Blue Hefner]

Well its ok saying that unless you live in one of the countries this maniac is flying missiles over, or you live on an island such as Guam that he has threatened to take out. No'one is going to Japan or Korea now because of this nutter, costing them millions in lost tourism.
I fear theyre gonna have to blast this fucker and his generals it seems to be the only way to stop him making missiles with nuke warheads that can reach the USA & its allies, Im getting a bit anxious about this as his rockets can already reach Darwin.

Darwin is a long way from North Korea, wouldn't the missle be shot down over the sea?

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Darwin is a long way from North Korea, wouldn't the missle be shot down over the sea?

ICBMs travel outside the atmosphere, at ridiculous heights, and re-enter close to their target. This is what "Star Wars" or America's SDI, was all about...weaponizing space with defensive countermeasures...but would they always be defensive???

 

[Blue Hefner]

ICBMs travel outside the atmosphere, at ridiculous heights, and re-enter close to their target. This is what "Star Wars" or America's SDI, was all about...weaponizing space with defensive countermeasures...but would they always be defensive???

Thanks for explanation

That said, I can't see NK attacking anyone. If you look at America's recent history, NK have a lot to be worried about

 

[Chippy_boy]

On the other hand by leaving him to further strengthen his nuclear weapons may cost 100s of thousands of lives in South Korea, Japan, Europe or even here in the UK. They would join the couple of million N Koreans that dies of starvation under the family of Kims benevolent governance.

Sorry to say his nuclear facilities need knocking out and then deal with what he chooses to do in response...if anything at all.

Can't agree with that at all, I am afraid.

There is absolutely zero chance of NK ever launching a first strike against SK or anyone else. Think about it: to do so would ensure their (NK's) immediate, complete and total destruction. They would be eliminated from the map in a matter of hours; their infrastructure completely destroyed; the regime wiped out; the leaders eliminated, all gone. In a matter of hours.

So they are simply not going to do this, are they. Their sole reason for being so desperate to get nuclear weapons to to protect themselves. And they are justified in being concerned with the US' insistence on constantly parading its armed forced around the peninsular, and constantly warning NK about military options. It's the very worst thing to do, if you want to de-escalate things.

On the other hand, a pre-emptive strike by the US, unless it was vast in scale and wholly unacceptable to the international community - Russia and China in particular - could leave NK with some residual capability to retaliate against SK. Seoul is very close to the border and possibly could be destroyed by a NK nuclear bomb, leading to millions of deaths, tens of thousand of US troops killed and worldwide economic depression. Not a good plan at all.

 

[Chippy_boy]

It really wouldn't. North Korea has no intention of attacking anyone as that would be utterly suicidal, they just want to look scary enough that no one invades them and preferably puts them in a position to get the UN to lift some of the sanctions that has contributed to them to be starving. It's the same thing they've been doing for decades now. They are all about self preservation and always have been and for good reason.

Ignore them and they'll continue to be irrelevant, attack them and you force them to defend themselves.

Agreed.

It's rather disappointing that the west (with China and Russia) haven't managed to sit down with NK and try to find a way to get NK to stop its nuclear weapons program, in return for various guarantees and concessions. China could agree to protect them, for example, provided they agree not to invade SK or to attack anyone. This would keep the US well at bay and make their weapons program completely unnecessary. Don't know, maybe that's a daft idea, but I'm sure a diplomatic solution exists. We haven't tried very hard to find one.

 

[Bill Walker]

Agreed.

It's rather disappointing that the west (with China and Russia) haven't managed to sit down with NK and try to find a way to get NK to stop its nuclear weapons program, in return for various guarantees and concessions. China could agree to protect them, for example, provided they agree not to invade SK or to attack anyone. This would keep the US well at bay and make their weapons program completely unnecessary. Don't know, maybe that's a daft idea, but I'm sure a diplomatic solution exists. We haven't tried very hard to find one.

It sounds easy
But I dont think Kim will sit down with anyone, he's an evil nutter, his whole population lives in poverty and fear.

Its ok saying they wont start any war, if thats the case why are they being so provocative flying missiles over Japan ?

I mean how would people in the UK feel if say France was flying missiles over the UK mainland ?

 

[west didsblue]

The biggest risk is that a NK missile launch targetting an empty area of the Pacific goes astray and hits Japan or another Pacific island. This will provide the excuse needed for a massive retaliation and could cause countless deaths on both sides. Ratcheting up the tension as Trump and Kim are doing with their war of words is really not a great idea.

 

[CTID1988]

Trump may well have had his say over Iran, but he is not the problem there, maybe the solution. Israel simply will not tolerate a nuclear armed Iran. No pissing about warning them or calling them names, no pointless drivel via the UN....if Iran get anywhere close to having nuclear weapons Israel will take them out. Given that Iran have stated thier wish to wipe Israel off the map who can blame them.

Iran never said that, it was a mistranslation

 

[Chippy_boy]

The biggest risk is that a NK missile launch targetting an empty area of the Pacific goes astray and hits Japan or another Pacific island. This will provide the excuse needed for a massive retaliation and could cause countless deaths on both sides. Ratcheting up the tension as Trump and Kim are doing with their war of words is really not a great idea.

Totally agree. I am not (yet) losing sleep over this, but I am not entirely relaxed about it either. The situation is pretty dangerous and both leaders are behaving idiotically.

 

[Chippy_boy]

It sounds easy
But I dont think Kim will sit down with anyone, he's an evil nutter, his whole population lives in poverty and fear.

Its ok saying they wont start any war, if thats the case why are they being so provocative flying missiles over Japan ?

I mean how would people in the UK feel if say France was flying missiles over the UK mainland ?

He's flying missiles over Japan in an attempt to try to convince the west that he has the power to hurt us already. He is perhaps concerned about an imminent attack and is trying to do everything possible to make the US think twice about it.