North Korea’s test-firing of seven mid-range missiles on Saturday, America’s birthday, again demonstrated the ability of the country’s authoritarian regime to grab headlines and defy penalties imposed on it by the United Nations, the U.S. and other countries for its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.
North Korea tests short- and mid-range missiles several times a year and signaled last month that it was preparing new tests by issuing warnings to domestic vessels to avoid certain areas in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, through July 10.
[…]
Defense analysts in several countries, including the U.S. and South Korea, will take several weeks to determine whether Saturday’s tests showed that North Korea is advancing its ability to carry nuclear warheads on those missiles.North Korea fired the missiles into the Sea of Japan from military posts along its east coast. Last Thursday, North Korea test-fired four short-range missiles from the same locations.
[…]
North Korea’s leaders are able to push forward their weapons program because they show little regard for the impact of weapons-related economic penalties on the country’s people. Moreover, they have South Korea and Japan pinned down militarily by hundreds of missiles and artillery rockets and they have China fearful that their ouster and resulting instability would send many North Koreans into northeastern Chinese provinces.
More like a psychotic child wanting attention.
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Much noise about nothing, presenting no threat to us whatsoever. And if it did, the assured threat of the complete destruction of North Korea would deter just as effectively as it has against much more dangerous nation states. Note that I didn’t say “mutually assured destruction” because it would be a completely one-sided battle in our favor once nuclear weapons were used and they would be used very early in any major conflict. The US troops in South Korea are basically serving as a tripwire.
Forgot to mention that the first North Korean nuclear test produced a fizzle yield and that a western-owned sensor network determined that the second test produced only around 3kt (still close to a fizzle).
The Libs are silent on the NoKo to Hawaii ballistic missile launches, but scream bloody murder over this type casting of Kim Jong Il.
#1 Winston said: Much noise about nothing, presenting no threat to us whatsoever.
Try telling that to the Japanese intelligence community, the Hawaiians and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Even the libs’ favorite source of info – The Huffington Post – has a report on the threat.
These are ancient scuds, and they’re lucky to get off the ground without blowing up the launcher. If North Korea launched these south, I think China would act quickly and cross the border to stabilize things before the west could even act. They want to keep the area as a buffer zone, and the last thing they want is NATO moving in. I suspect if an order was given, Kim Jong II would be dead within an hour.
NATO moving in?
Don’t make me laugh.
#5 and #6 – NATO wouldn’t move in, but I guarantee you South Korea would quickly jump in.
Stop behaving like international law means something.
That’s total garbage.
If that was the case there would be repercussion for the war crimes that were the invasion of Iraq, bombing of yugoslavia (in support of the largeest terrorists org) and the kidnapping of the Haitian president.
But there isnt.
International law means nothing since it is not applied evenly.
Why should North Korea follow rules others dont?
Do as I say, not as I do.
Sorry, I’m Asian but after many visits to that region I think we (US) really should just blow all of them away. I’m talking about China, N.Korea, S.Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc. I can’t stand these people and their “way” of life. But then again here I am venting my frustration by having them blown off the planet 🙂
Of course, this would apply to every other country too for their dumbass way of life and thinking. US can be last, we can bomb ourselves afterwords but definitely Europe, Asia, Russia and Japan…in that order. Japan sooner is ok with me.
#1
Don’t get drunk on your own Hubris. North Korea isn’t as weak as you might think.
“North Korea, which can and is willing to face up to the sole military superpower of the world, cannot be called a weak nation. Nevertheless, Western press and analysts distort the truth and depict North Korea as an “impoverished” nation, starving and on the brink of imminent collapse. An impoverished, starving nation cannot face down a military superpower. Today few nations have military assets strong enough to challenge the US military. Russia, though weakened by the collapse of the Soviet Union, has enough assets to face up to the US. China, somewhat weaker than Russia, too, has strong military that can challenge the US. However, both Russia and China lack the political will to face down the US.”
The link to the original article doesn’t seem to work but this website has a copy.
Here is the original link if you can get it to work.
China really needs to step in and take care of this. If they are really worried about refugees, they could just nuke them and their wouldn’t be any. I can’t imagine anyone in the world would really care, expect maybe Russia, since they are N Korea’s main supplier of weapons technology.
I think it’s time we launch some missiles of our own and show North Korea a real show….
North Korea is acting just like the United States and Russia were between the 1950’s and 1990’s.
amusing how people inside the USA never see things that way though….
Hardly. The US and the Soviets were real super powers, North Korea is one step above a banana republic run by a madman. We also had the military might to wipe each other off the planet, N Korea couldn’t even wipe out S Korea. Cooler heads and sanity prevailed in the cold war, somehow I don’t think its going to go as well for N Korea in the end.
#5: “…NATO moving in”
Har! Do you know what the “A” in NATO stands for?
It’s interesting that North Korea as it exists today is the result of the US illegally invading during the 50’s.
And to #9, it might be worth reflecting on who is responsible for the dire state of the 4 countires you name. Cambodia being another victim of an illegal war.
Maybe it’s time to set our boats just in international waters and practice our in-flight missile intercept capabilities.
#16
US illegally invading… Whose laws are you using?
And why would you make the US out to be the bad guy in this situation?
Do you think we should have allowed Communist influence to have wiped out what we know today as South Korea? I dont think that having a N. Korea like country that is twice as big as it is currently would have made things any better for the world today…
N. Korea is a sovereign country. The Golden Rule applies. Remember that the US invented neucs. and is the only country that has killed people in mass with them. We should be more careful who’s sovereignty we offend.
#16
Don’t preach to me about the wars there. My family has been in them, I’ve been in them when I was a kid. My family has been through the stupid Bush wars as well. Have you or any of your family been to any wars?
War is not nice, war should be the last option. We don’t like it but at times you feel like this has to stop. But there are people like N.Korea and others that will eventually kill people and who do you think will be call upon, again, to help? The US. And who will be blame for having to stay there “too long?”
N.Korea is a threat and should be treated as such. If diplomacy fails their government needs to be overthrown. All I really want out of this if for the people there to see what really is going on outside of their little country. That of course could be a bad thing too 🙂
We could stand back and just let other countries “take” care of themselves but if himself has taught us anything it’s that by doing so millions and millions of lives may be lost due to our “selfish-ness.” What do you want to live with? The fact that you didn’t lift a finger and millions died or the fact that you went in early to take out the powers in control and potentially saved millions?
Wow. tons of misspellings so early in the morning 🙂 Sorry for that everyone. Good morning!