Material in North Korea's nuclear test unclear, worrying for U.S.
By Jill Dougherty and Pam Benson
More than a month after North Korea tested a nuclear device, the United States is unable to pinpoint whether the regime was able to use uranium to fuel the explosion, a capability that would represent a significantly enhanced nuclear program.
The lack of clarity comes as North Korea ratchets up its bellicose rhetoric each day.
New video broadcast on North Korean television showed the nation's leader, Kim Jong Un, addressing his troops along the border on Monday and issuing a blood-chilling threat, "Throw all enemies into the caldron, break their waists and crack their windpipes." It was the same location he and his late father visited in November 2010, just two days before the North shelled an island, killing four South Koreans.
The bellicose comments have been intensifying over the past months, increasing worry about Kim's unpredictability.
"I am very concerned about what they might do. And they are certainly, if they chose ... could initiate a provocative action against the South," Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday.
North Korea has threatened a pre-emptive nuclear attack not only on South Korea, but on the United States too. Military and White House officials have said the United States can defend against any such threat. President Barack Obama told ABC news this week that he does not think North Korea can make good on the threat.
"They probably can't, but we don't like margin of error," Obama told ABC News.
That ambiguity is not lost on Sen. Dianne Feinstein. "There's perhaps nowhere else on Earth where the capacity to wreak enormous damage is matched by the possibility of North Korea using their nuclear weapons," the chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee said.
Particularly worrisome are the advancements the North Koreans have made in their nuclear and missile programs. In December, they successfully launched a long-range ballistic missile for the first time under what the United States and other Western nations say was the guise of putting a satellite into orbit.
The United States is concerned that a long-range ballistic missile could be fitted with a nuclear warhead and could be capable of striking the mainland, although experts say North Korea does not yet have the expertise to do so.
And then last month, the Pyongyang regime conducted its third underground nuclear test.
U.S. officials tell CNN they have not determined what kind of nuclear device the north tested underground from its Pung-gye-Ri nuclear test site.
A U.S. intelligence official said "nothing has changed" since the Office of the Director of National Intelligence put out a statement within hours of the February 12 nuclear test indicating the test had an explosive yield of several kilotons.
The U.S. Air Force uses sniffer planes to take air samples after a test in hopes of scooping up radioactive particles that will provide more specific details about the contents. The official's comment indicates the United States has obtained no further information that would help determine the type of nuclear material used, and at this late date, probably would not.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, an international group that monitors nuclear tests, also said it was unable to get a fix on what fissile material was used by the North Koreans and didn't expect it ever would.
"What we are not sure of is if the North Koreans used plutonium, which they used in their earlier tests or highly enriched uranium for this third test," said Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association. "If they used highly enriched uranium, that would be very worrisome because it would suggest they have a larger supply of this material that would allow them to build a larger number of nuclear weapons."
Kimball said detection is always iffy. If the chamber where the explosion takes place deep underground is well-sealed, few particles may be released into the atmosphere. And if samples are gathered, they need to be "relatively fresh and very good" to determine whether it was a plutonium-based or uranium-based explosion.
The type of nuclear material matters because North Korea gave up its production of weapons-grade plutonium six years ago and only has a limited amount of the fissile material in its stocks, enough for approximately six bombs, according to experts. After years of denial, the regime acknowledged in 2010 it had an enriched uranium facility. That's problematic because such facilities are hard to detect and could produce large supplies of highly enriched uranium.
Kimball doesn't like the trend. "They don't yet have the capability to deliver a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile that could reach the U.S. Despite whatever they say, they may soon - in the next two to three years with further testing - be able to deliver a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile that could strike their neighbors," Kimball said.
A North Korean expert believes that Kim Jung Un's regime is playing the international community. "North Korea had done three tests: the ballistic missile, the nuclear and a test of all of us, and the question is, what are we going to do?" said Philip Yun, executive director of the Ploughshares Fund, an anti-nuclear weapons foundation.
The United States and the United Nations have recently imposed additional economic sanctions against North Korea, but so far sanctions have not led to the resumption of talks.
The U.S. special envoy to North Korea says unless the regime is serious about talks and meets its obligations to de-nuclearize, its future will be bleak.
"North Korea will not achieve security, economic prosperity and integration into the international community while it pursues nuclear weapons, while it threatens its neighbors, while it tramples on international norms, abuses its own people and refuses to fulfill its long-standing obligations and commitments," Glyn Davies told a congressional panel. "This is one of the hardest foreign policy problems out there."
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Obama is by far the worst president ever! Sure, weaken our military and just assume N. Korea is incapable. Idiot!
Sorry, but by far the worst ever US President: Dubya, by a landslide. Wake up & chill out.
You are a moron to make such a statement. Obama has done nothing to weaken out military and fatso from NK would be doing the same no matter who is president. Why don't you and your fellow mouth breather conservatives shut the hell up and let the smart people in the room solve the problems of consequence. We'll call you whenever another non-issue rears its head so you can chime in with your inane dribble. Maybe we should attack Iraq again since that was our last republican president's reaction when faced with a totally unrelated attack on our country. Oh, by the way, it was the same president in power when we were attacked on US soil, not a democrat. Seems the only US leaders that emboldens our enemies to attack us are republicans. So who is it that projects weakness? The party of the weak minded. Now go home and get your shine box.
dude shoe shine box freaken awesome! I like it.
Obama hasn't weakened the military, that was the GOP in the house. They were the peole who trotted around saying who cares if the military is weakened, we enbrace the sequester.
As for North Korea being incapable, that decision isn't made by the president that is decided by experts who actually know a lot more than you do about what is going on.
Obama has been doing pretty well have you notice the fact that the economy is getting better no matter how much the House tries to wreck it. To start with Dubya took a growing economy and destroyed it, went to war for no reason and quit looking for Bin LAdin in 6 months after 9/11. Obama has had to straighten out Dubya's mess
No, I'm the idiot for not using robbers when I banged your mama. Had I done so, I wouldn't be responding to your dumb comment.
And though our military is not weakened, the defense cuts are the result of the economic crisis GWB, the worst so-called president in U.S. history created.
That child emperor is being fed lies by his older minions to instigate a war that they don't want to be blamed for. Dennis Rodman better talk some sense to Kim before he regrets his order for war. There are forces in this world that look forward to this because it's spells 'big business'. Question all authority people. We can prevent the staging of an Armageddon through the banishment of our own ignorance. May Jehovah God bless humanity to help bring peace so that He can help us build a paradise on Earth. Hallelujah and praise Jesus. Amen.
Or just Nuke them before they can nuke us or our friends..... just wait till the wind tosses the fall out over China since they have SO helped us get to this point...
Nukes do not just Damage & Go Away,,like Xbox!! Nukes kill for Years & Years & the damage is far reaching into future Generarations of Man & Beast. It was designed to be a deturant not a (Final Blow)! (in Hopes that it would NEVER BE NEEDED OR USED!!!!)
Im not Jahova but I do agree with your outcome!! War is not the answer!!
Sher I hate to point out but if we detonate a bomb just like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they'll be fine within a matter of month/years. Nagasaki and Hiroshima are rebuilt and thriving...
A child emperor being fed lies by his minions who don't want to be blamed for a war . . . I'M sorry but . . . has this ever HAPPENED before????
(Couldn't resist.) 😉
Good one!
Our President is a (p)ussy and many will die before any action is taken.
Spoken like a true moron. Isn't it past your bedtime little one?
Get help, you sad little half-wit.
Many more will die if we do take action.
I can't believe that we allowing such blatent threats to be directed at us with nothing (and I am crazy liberal) – demand an apology and if not given take out Kim Jong Un (and his handlers).
There is a reason you are not president. And it's a good one.
I totally disagree. This is no different than they playground at recess. If you play his game his way he wins. I think we should *totally* ignore these bozos until they negotiate in a civilized way. Not fall for their game every single time they play it. I swear, we're like Charlie Brown with the football.
The real question is how serious are they about starting a war? Pretty much every other industrialised nation has better resources and weapons than they do. I highly doubt that China would sit by and let them use nukes as well. Pretty sure a serious attempt at such would illicit a backhand from China at the least since it would in all probability cause problems for them as well.
China has to much to lose, should NK bomb SK or USA!! China would never let that happen!! No USA,,NO China as we know it Now!!
That's not true, they have a 100% military economy; it's high-tech, well armed, well-equipped, well-trained and it's *formidable.* Look into it; it's true. This isn't Iraq, this is a real military and they're *loyal.* This would be the REAL deal.
This is a problem for the 1% to deal with. We're not fighting for the elitists' again.
So, the abhorrent poverty and absolute ignorance that the North Korean people live in is somehow acceptable. Totalitarianism is horrible in any incarnation and should not be allowed to persist. Too bad China likes to use North Korea as a pawn to perpetuate its most extreme ideas.
Think of all the people in NK as living behind The Berling Wall!! Sorta The Same! They have no idea how life is or how good it can be because they have a Dictator (KIM) that keep them in the DARK! For real! no lights..ETC! look Google Maps..NK is one of the Darkest Countries in The world!! No infrastructure!
I just don't see us having a dog in this fight though. I was actually in favor of both Iraq and Afghanistan, STILL am – and I'm a Democrat if you can believe that, but we've done ENOUGH. There's THOUSANDS dead, TENS of thousands horribly wounded, ENOUGH is ENOUGH. This isn't our problem. And there's PLENTY of equal sufferering in other places such as Africa so that's not a motivation to fight, since we do "nothing" in those places.
We have *NO* dog in this fight; *NO* interest, strategically, morally or otherwise. ENOUGH.
HUMMM....go back to Wall Street! re-try your hand there!
So let the rich flip the Bill for the nuke, target the capitol of N.Korea and have the rich hire Mexicans from Home Depot to fill the hole?
I do not think Kim is serious in his threats to follow through with action. What I see is a young man just come into power with his fathers death. His population is uncertain where the son stands as they were comfortable with the fathers rule. This son is playing upon the emotions of his population giving them something to believe in so they have a connection to him in power. He's simply telling the people what he thinks they want to hear. He is so naive to think his isolation will protect him from the rest of world. He's bluffing, and when one of his shoulders gets trigger happy to start a fight with South Korea I predict Kim will run and hide so it all goes away like the child he is. South Korea will return fire which brings the American's into the fray. What is left of North Korea will be a smoldering hole. What I can't predict is China's reaction. I know for a fact America does not want trouble with China. I hope Kim wises up before he winds up killing people with his big mouth.
i have no fear of NK. we all know what would happen if NK launched against any one that actually matters (in the world, ie; UN and people that are awesome) KIM JONG BUTTHURT is an inbred swine. a biproduct of cross pollenating brothers and sisters. 2 seconds after they launch watch ever at any one their nuke would blow upp right in their face and for what ever reason that it doesnt, it would never reach western soil nor SK soil becuase we are the REST of the world. does any one think that china would interfere with ANY thing we choose to do to NK? even if china acted against us (the US) they would still have to deal with the UN (our allies) and that would not end well for them. they dont have the tech or training that todays hardened soldiers have. they may have numbers but we have the WAR EXPERIENCE on an individual level of soldiering. NK is still using 50's era equippment. their people are starving... for no cuase at all!! i wouldnt be supprised if NK nuked them selves to aviod any asian type of shame for the self realisation of how stupid it would be to go against the world. if they launch itll be them versus earth.
I agree with you too! I think he is playing w FIRE! Sometimes Actions speak louder than Words and I hope that will not be the case!! Kim is a Wise person & in a High Place, He will Be treated as such, should the threat arise! Just like any other threat around the world. Accordingly,
iI totally agree with what you have said! Kim needs to allow his chest to exhale!! No One wants to hurt him ,,,only help him, but sometimes PRIDE is to hard to swallow. He should embrace the help not fight it off!!
If they do anything, I hope their target should be the US government, NOT the American people.
Time to buy some more stock in Samsung! Need a nuclear powered Smart Phone! STAT!
TIme for China to take the role of "cleaner" and un-ruffle a few feathers.
Starve them first. Second, tell the PRC that unless they leash in their client, we will put tactical nuclear missiles on South Korean soil and on Navy ships. Cut a deal for the PRC to abandon the north, sieek a unification, with the withdrawal of all US troops. The South Koreans hate our troops there anyway.
Gee, I had no idea Henry Kissinger used this site. Tell us more of your brilliant strategy, Dr Kissinger.
Allow 1000 people out of NK, too go explorer the world & there would be a different (Point of View!) The people of NK have nor idea of the beautiful things that are beyond their border! They see & live in Black & white..let us show the color!! Ask Kim if he will allow his people to see life in color!!!
just remember you read this. We will NOT attack N. Korea. We will wait tip domestic issues here in the USA get worse and the government needs a distraction... that's when N. Korea will attack.... drawing us into a war.
And so by implication you obviously think that the ruler of North Korea is "OUR guy." It's fascinating how you conspiracy theorists, ALWAYS, *100%* of the time, make these wild unsubstantiated claims and then scoot and run without providing one shred of evidence to back them up. You think it's obvious because "that's clearly the way things ARE" but I bet it's more that it's just the way you want the world to be. You want things to be more convoluted and full of intrigue because you think it's more interesting (more like a movie...) that way, but you never provide a microgram of real evidence.
Isn't it possible that North Korea wants to lose what little it has of its statehood, and is hastening that end? The only way forward for keeping the country they have now is forever escalating an arms race which they can never win, while enduring tough international sanctions and starving most of their people. All in all, not a very good way to live. There is no way of attaining stability this way. But by defeat, they can lose their government and reunite with prosperous South Korea.
If you're in a wrestling match, but you haven't eaten in a week and really want to get some food, you just might throw the fight so you can chow down for a meal.
"More than a month after North Korea tested a nuclear device, the United States is unable to pinpoint whether the regime was able to use uranium to fuel the explosion, a capability that would represent a significantly enhanced nuclear program."
Um... What? No- they mean plutonium. Terrible reporting. U-235 is how any nuclear program starts.
No they mean Uranium. The NK's used Plutonium in previous tests. Before you call the reporting terrible it would be a good idea to actually read the article.
The US started with both. And detonated a plutonium bomb first. You're an idiot.
*** What we are not sure of is if the North Koreans used plutonium, which they used in their earlier tests or highly enriched uranium for this third test," said Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association. ***
Seriously, kill yourself.
You should, Chris. It's only proper.
Why doesnt American use Drones over North Korea ? oh thats right NK is not as poor as pakastain .... They NK have defence that could knock down drones ? but then again... why not send in a drone an take out Kim jun un
The US isn't worried about instability with North Korea. Their only real ally is China- and their is no aggression between China and the US because they are symbiotic trade partners. The US government is only concerned with countries that destabilize it's alliance, or it's trade partners. If the DPRK had oil, or could affect our position with China- hell yes, we'd already have invaded. But they're not relevant, and not a threat. They're just crazy enough to keep and eye on them.
well dumba ss, the pakis ALLOW US, to drone people in their country cause we pay off their leaders ... duh... just like yemen and any other country we kiill people in.. you idiiot
nk is broker than shiiiizzz, we could wipe them out in a second, i served a tour there in 2001 and the south could annihilate them in 4 days... the south has the same tech we do and the north is still running with 50s era equipment that barely runs cause the sanctions keep them from getting anything... they can't even FEED their people which is why thousands starve and their average height is 4" less than a south koreans..... you idiiot ...
Because if you fly a drone over NK you've invaded them starting a war. Starting a war means NK and China are going to throw everything they have at the US and SK.
That is why flying a drone over NK is a bad idea, even if you did take out Kim Jong Un it wouldn't do anything, hes more of a figure head than anything, the country is ran by his advisers.
We invaded Iraq for less cause than this. Hmmm.
Actually there is much more oil in Iraq than in North Korea. Also China is never going to loan the US the money to attack their backyard.
If North Korea was hindering a oil pipeline to the EU we would be on them like flies on poop.
i had higher hopes for him, but i don't think he's going to make it.
High hopes? He's narry as tall as a yard stick with half his fathers interrect. *snicker*
Kim Jong-Un is playing with fire. He has his predecessor's toys, but not even as much intelligence.
The world needs to end this regime. Not kill everyone – just end the regime.
So ronery.
awesome
screw it we will take the hills no fear in this eye
Kim Jong Un-done!!!!
As awful as war always is, and as deleterious it would be to the world economy, a pre-emptive attack now by the North Koreans might eventually be a blessing in disguise. If, according to the article, they don't have the technology to carry out their threats, but might fairly soon, the impatience of their new young leader might prompt him to fight before their ready, making it a much more winnable war for South Korea and their allies. They're also on China's bad side right now, so I'm not sure China would be interested in jumping in to save them. Again, war totally sucks. The ideal situation is that sanctions make life in North Korea so bad, that people become discontented with their leaders. The question is, will that happen before they reach the point that it will be too late?
Kim Jong Un is bluffing. He's trying to get attention, and seeing how far he can push. If he was seriously contemplating launching a nuclear attack, promoting the threat wouldn't be a wise thing to do. Just a lot of hot air from a wannabe world leader. He should be careful before someone takes him seriously and decides to pre-emptive strike his tiny country. I bet 99% of his people wish he'd stop running his crocodile mouth before he gets his canary ass country blown up.
I think the unknown material they used to make their nuclear weapon is called Kimchi!
You make the dangerous assumption that "his people" have access to the same sort of information that the free world does. Most of the people in NK are utterly brainwashed and think that KJU is the savior of Korea. Any hardships, any famine, any difficulties are all the fault of the West and other countries that he talks against. Any food aid that NK gets is considered "tribute" payments so NK won't beat up on the rest of the world. I'm not making this stuff up!
Kim Jong Un is like the Gerber Baby. You don't provide complex written sanctions to the Gerber Baby and expect a mature intelligent response. You can expect at most, a temper tantrum. What's crazy? Having a big smiling guy wearing pink give the Gerber baby a hug or detailed complex sanctions that simply change the Gerber Baby's diet from one of caviar to sardines? We define the craziness of our diplomatic approach in terms of our own society and international relations. We have to approach it from the dictator's point of view. Obama said he would talk to any country or leader to solve problems. Rodman explained that Kim Jong Un wanted to talk to Obama about basketball on the phone. When Kim Jong Un is snubbed he cuts the "hotline". That was no accident. It was personal. Everything is personal when dealing with a dictator. There is no North Korean army. There is only the dictator in charge of it. There are no North Korean diplomats. Its time to break the code, put our egos in check for the sake of saving a lot of lives and moving towards peace. Get the job done. Its gone on too long. It doesn't matter how we do it as long as it is done.
As you look at the picture accompanying this article, notice that the big tanks with long range guns are parked on an open beach. Notice also that the tanks barrels are "camouflaged" with a bit of seaweed obviously picked up lower down on the beach. These tanks, big as they seem, won't last ten seconds if it comes to a confrontation. The only question will be who takes them out first, us or the South Koreans. Let them choose.
Those aren't tanks, they are motorized artillery guns.
How 'ya gonna *find* it? Do a Google for "scoot and shoot." That gun you're looking at is 170 mm, we don't *have* anything that big. (Or at least, very few.) That thing shoots High Explosive shells 40 miles and it *doesn't* miss.
Gee, listen to the military expert who can't tell a tank from an artillary gun.
The trouble with Korean men is they all have small penises. A small penis leads to an inferiority complex and eventual acting out. I can only imagine how sad little Kim boy must feel trying to live up to his stature in life.
okay, isn't that what dick pumps are for? It would be ironic if that is the reason though.
see real UFO's on hessdalen.org goto STATION CAM #2 watch UFOs fly in distance across night sky in mountain webcam. I think we need to be concerned about the real threat to mankind, not some Korean wanna-be. Be patient you will see ufo flying in formation across sky, several at a time some times one or two. The Truth is out there!
Get help, nutter.
It's time to tell NK that we will not allow any more misscile tests, because we can't determine if it is a real attack or not, so any missile launch will be considered hostile, and destroyed. This may precipitate a war, but they won't last very long. There is a lot of bark, and not much bite. China will probably sit on it's hands if hostilities break out. They are not happy with the current regime either. But it's a chance we have to take. Take down a few of the tests, and they may decide that fighting might not be in their best interests, but then again it could start the second Korean war. It's going to be tense times. If the bullets do start to fly, go aqfter the leadership as fast as possible. Take the war directly to the NK generals and Kim Un. Cut the head off the snake first.
I know this only works when actors are assumed to be rational, but I've really been trying to understand what North Korea's interests are and I don't get it. Why the hell would a country the size of north korea be trying to push the buttons of countries who already don't like them and who have far greater fire power than they do? If anyone has a reason to be mad, it's the rest of the world (and the oppressed people of North Korea). They're the ones making the threats. It's like they want us to come bomb them or something.
Gee I hope little North Korea Boy realizes his new found friend Dennis Obama Rodman lives in the country he is planning to nuke. Hm...Maybe Rodman will give him where to fire missile, at Michael Jackson mansion?
Seriously, did you think before posting that? You can't actually believe it was clever or witty, can you? As humor goes, it's a complete whiff. No offense.
What I want to know is why does North Korea hate the United States so much? What is N.K. View point? War is not the answer. Violence only begets more violence. The U.S. Needs to focus more on defense to protect us all. Attacking N.K. Will only rile them up.
NK hates us because we fought on the side of south korea during their civil war. After that we economically supported south korea who then prospered and have lobbied against many actions on NK within the UN. We have also leveled many economic sanctions against them....so yeah...they hate us. But ...their leaders have been total nut cases...sowhat else can we do?
They do not want peace, they want to reabsorb south korea.... and we aren't going to let that happen.
Their leaders are nut cases? Like our leaders are not? Does this sequestration make any sense?
Probably because the USA was the first country to violate the Armistice Agreement of 1953, by keeping military forces in South Korea. This is/was contrary to the agreement where all foreign military troops where to have been withdrawn.
South Korea was a military dictatorship, run by American puppets, until the late 80's. South Korea slaughtered more than 40 000 of it's own citizens in creating the country because a large number of people there were against the idea of an American shaped government forced on them. It's also only recently been acknowledged that Stalin provided North Korea with combat air support, so any war against North Korea would likely be waged also against Russia AND China.
Man oh man the education system in North America sucks. The American military cannot beat illiterate peasants using small arms in Afghanistan yet the deluded masses think they could 'cakewalk' right across North Korea. Yeah, go for it!
"NK doesn't want war they wan't attention and respect"
I wish someone really would call their bluff and once and for all put that annoying government out of it's misery. I think S. Korean alone would be enough to do the job
Isnt North Korea's army several times larger than those of South Korea and the US combined?
yes and no, yes they have a decent size army, no because all their weapons and technology come from cold war knock offs. There is really only one way to finish this, take them out. Now i see alot of comment about the north korean people being oppressed, but heres the thing, they are raised to belive that every thing they have is because of the "leader". They belive he is a god. The sad thing is, after generation's of this belive, the people don't know any better. Throw in a little fear, you got your self a scary situation. A great majority of them are fanatical to the end.
Sure, S. Korea could defeat N. Korea, but only after N. Korean shelling of Seoul results in possibly hundreds of thousands of deaths...no exaggeration.
The NK dictator reminds me of the Ferengi in Star Trek.
Ferengi Commander: Picard, I'm going to blow up the Enterprise!! What are you going to do about it?
Picard: Mr. Worf, cut the channel. I'm going to the Holodeck.
Quark and the Ferengis were much more appealing than the Un-meister.
Mighty big talk from a two-bit dictator who can't feed is people. Be careful what you wish for Comrade Kim...
Any real threats (yes,there are some) aside , I am struck by how much his rhetoric sounds like the teenage trolls who post thier game-based drivel as if they had any real world connection.
War should always be a last option. Although NK talks a big game and has ramped up their war rhetoric I believe given their recent past its only a facade for their people and to solidify Un as a 'tough' leader. No attack will take place. I've called it every year the past so far and i've been proven right each time, NK doesn't want war they wan't attention and respect. They are just going about it the wrong way, so the U.S. and international sanctions put NK back in its place. With China starting to support and implement them, the sanctions will bite harder and make NK rethink its rhetoric. Summary: calm down you warmongers, there will be no war so long as YOU don't jump the gun.
Seek God's guidance and protection.
God isn't going to move you to a fallout shelter. God isn't going to prevent a petty dictator from doing something stupid. He never has, and isn't likely to start now...
God actually patrols the discussions at CNN and forces people to write drivel.
If you don't think there was some kind of intervention from God during the Cuban Missile Crisis (for example), then you *literally* don't understand what happened.
If he bombs SK then wouldn't NK get the fall out? Where is Kim's rational? Never mind, I know. It's in his little private part.
If Kim UN decides to use a nuclear weapon against his neighbors in the South, then there is a good possibility that fallout will work its way north. It all depends on the height of burst, yield of the weapon, and weather patterns. The biggest factor in regards to fallout though is yield of the weapon and height of burst. Fallout is basically scrap from the weapon, dirt from the ground, or anything else engulfed in the blast. The less crap engulfed the less fallout.
He seems to think that rodman is obama?
I'm thinking you're right. LOL He like tall man with black skin. He cool.
Its definitely time for the US to make a preemptive strike against N. Korea inasmuch as we need to demolish their nuclear launch sites, uranium enrichment facilities, and nuclear power generation sites as well. We can do this will conventional missiles and drones, perhaps, but nuclear strikes should be used if any retaliatory missiles are launched from N.Korea toward any nation because we must assume they would be nuclear weapons because of the threats these jerks continue to spew...
yeah, and put americans at risk of being bombed on our own soil?
Too bad someone didn't perform a preemptive strike on your ancestors.
Yep. Mr. Know-It-All would have our planes running out of fuel looking for those nuclear power sites. N. Korea doesn't have any nuclear power. So many experts here. Two days ago they couldn't find N Korea on a map.
Ok who wants a nuclear attack to happen? I don't have my hand raised. Everyone seems to want to fuel the fire, get him, bomb him.. take him out.. really? Do you like to hang out and have fun BBQing with family, or would you rather dodge bombs? Regardless of what has happened in the past, you want to continue to fight and lose loved ones? That is the kind of life you want here on earth? Why not atleast try to have peace? Obviously if we are not dealing with a rational human being, than we do need to take measures appropraite to maintain peace, but if Dennis Rodman thinks we can get through to this guy than why not atleast try. But also, if we did for example take out Mr Un, we are faced with someone who is just like him. So do we fight a never ending war at the expense of our economy?
Dennis Rodman? Really? We simply need to put Lil Kim to sleep along with any other friends or family members that may want to pick up his slack.
It's not likely that NK wants a war. They are talking a big game. Kim Jong Fat is the spoiled brat kid that was sheltered by rich parents. He artificially overconfident in his country's abilities. Keep in mind that NK still has basically the same military technology that they did in the Korean war. They don't have real nukes. They don't have ICBMs. They have child's versions of those. The danger is in the Dunning-Kruger effect. They don't realize how crappy they are, so they may actually provoke. It will be a huge pain in the butt but they're going to be wiped out. How do you communicate with them and humble them without provoking them? It's like the guy with Napoleon syndrome that keeps starting fights and losing.
Well, we could easily take out the NK leadership! We placed an embargo on "luxury" items, such as Cognac and iPods. Well, lace the Cognac with some slow acting poison (ask Putin what he would recommend), make the iPods explosive time bombs and let a few shipments slip through. Who do you think, in NK, is allowed to drink Cognac, or listen to iPods? I can at least tell you where they live. It's the only place in NK that has lights on at night!
Most of what we are hearing from North Korea is meant for their domestic audience. Kim Jong Un is trying to maintain power and is stuck between his hardline military generals, the Party and his starving population. He needs to make the Generals feel relevant and show them that he is a strong leader to avoid a coup. On the other hand he has to scare his people by making them believe that they are the ones under constant threat of war, and that he is the only one who can protect them.
What North Korea actually wants is a peace treaty. The Korean war never ended and the US refuses to sit down and negotiate a treaty because North Korea wants too many concessions including the withdrawal of the 28,500 troops from South Korea. China wants stability and they are worried that if North Korea collapses economically there will be a flood of NK's across the Chinese boarder.
NK will not nuke anybody because this will not accomplish anything other than their total destruction. The US doesn't want an all out war because North Korea has no economic or strategic benefits and China won't allow it anyway. Stop being so scared and start thinking logically people.
Well said. I agree with everything you said.
Thanks! As a married man I don't hear that very often!
He's kidding.
Agreed – well said....
I, for one, am not particularly afraid of NK. Even if they do launch a nuclear attack against the US, I doubt that the little town I live in would be targeted. Seems to me like what we should be trying to do is be ready for their first attempted launch of a nuclear warhead and find a way to detonate it on the pad. You know that the "Dear leader" would be there so kill two birds with one stone.
Immensely intelligent thinking, and such heartwarming concern Americans other than you. Zip this comment to the Pentagon.
I agree, well stated. Anyone who lived through the 60's and 70's with the constant puffing by the Soviet Union realizes that those type of regimes have to create uncertainty to keep themselves relevant, but do not really want confrontation because they don't have real military strength. In hindsight, we now know how weak the Soviet Union really was (although it put up a strong boastful front). Korea is not even a shadow of the old USSR. Our only real concern should be irrational action by KJU because of his personal concern for his own relevance. Stay ready, but no need for a preemptive strike.
Yawn. Business as usual. Nothing to see here. Move along, people.
Kim Jong: "Crack their windpipe". Response: "Wind their crackpipe"
Pass the crackpipe.
The last thing one wants to do with a child who is throwing a temper tantrum is to start arguing back with him..... let him wear himself out, unless he starts hurting others. If he does, smack him down really quick.
best analogy of the week....
I say we make a back channel deal with China. They can have North Korea if they open the border, and allow Koreans to transit back and forth from the 2 sides. Maintain their controlled border between North Korea and China, just to keep us honest, and have a semi unified Korea after 50+ years. China wins, because they appear as the great stabilizers in the area. We win, because we get rid of an unstable Kim, and have a semi predictable neighbor.
"They can have Korea"?? This isn't a game of Risk or Monopoly. What do you think the NK's will say when China shows up and says "Hi, we're taking over." China is never going to invade if that's what you are implying. Nations go to war only for Treasure or Power. North Korea has nothing to offer but a headache.
O.... M.... G....
China should squash North Korea.
Crack our windpipes? Oh no you don't fo mo , game on!
We're going to filet your tiny little pee pee and force feed it to your family!
Starve em' out; let the people revolt against this midget.
Their gov't already does that to them.
Can't we all just get along ...
hahahahahahahahaha!
Off this mo fo before he does something very bad.
Has it ever occurred to Kim Jung Un, that immediately after he launches an attack, he and his raggedy-azz country will be an ash heap?
Not an ash heap. A big blob of molten glass.
I am soooo tired of big media writing what big brother tells them with big corp pulling the strings.
80% of the world population is so dump!
and Yes I am a White middle class America.
I bet you fell pretty "dump" for writing that right about now...
dump?..
Well, the other 20% of us are pretty tired of you as well.
What does the UN security council or any gov't think they can use economic sanctions and ultimatum to a soverign and dictate to them what to do? UN is just a meeting place. it has no military power it's all voluntary.
I await your Ph.D. dissertation with breathless anticipation.
I seriously say send Dennis. The guy got right to the little fat guy, is his buddy and could probably could work something out. And if he can't then just beat the little butterball up and take one for team USA. Just rig Dennis with a mini WMD inside his fat black c**k and go BOOM!
Come on Eric.............they are playing Rodman for the fool. Kim Jong Un is laughing at us. The only person taking this "relationship" seriously is Dennis Rodman.....and apparently you. Wise up chum, can't you see what's really going on here?
The guy says "Just rig Dennis with a mini WMD inside his"...and you think he's serious...
Ok.
what do you expect north korea to say when US labels it an axis of evil and doesn't take orders from a country that threatens it's regime and communist and marxist ideology. and for Iran, or any country they have the right to defend themselves from foreign threats like the US does with thousands of nuclear warheads.
Exactly
Are you that far out into oblivion? You realize even China is against them now. China was their only ally. Why do you think North Korea has no allies ? The idiot starves his people, his country is in shambles and he cares about nothing other than military. He also murders them for not acting the way he wants them to act.
The U.S also has a right not to give North Korea anything aka sanctions.
"USA! USA! USA!"
I love America!!
Marxism is an ideology in which everything sucks equally for everyone.
More propaganda to drive fear in the hearts of the American people so they give up even more liberty. We have a 750 Billion defense budget (almost 35% of all defense spending globally). N. Korea spends under 40 Billion. Just another distraction to keep us focused on anything but the Plutocracy (and ultimately a dictatorship) in America. Move along, nothing to see here.
Another cup of "tea" for you?
Kim Jong Un has the power right now to go down in history as someone who saved the world from an unnecessary war, if he wants too. He would be remembered more if he decided to sit down and talk with the US and S Korea instead of being angry and wanting to attack us. I am sure that President Obama would be open to talks with Mr Un, to come to a mutual understanding. I as an American do not want to go to war with N Korea or anyone else. I am positive that issues can be resolved with simple communication. I feel like N Korea feels as if they are the outsider and they need to fight back.. but they don't and I am sure our politiitions would be open to talks with N Korea if they would just let their guard down long enough to get to the root of the problem. We are not out to destroy them, and I don't believe they want to destroy us. If Mr Un wants to go down in history as the person that changed the world, it would be by making peace, setting aside grudges, and being diplomatic. He has to want to be a great leader, and that is hard, but it is by changing history, and looking forward to the future as being a part of a great world I know that acceptance will be there for them and their people. But he needs to reach out to us and S Korea, we are here to listen and to work together to make this a better world. Ok I am just a bus driver, but really I want to see the threats stop and I want to see a great world live togehter in peace. I want to see Mr Un, be the bigger person, that will speak volumnes guaranteed.
Dennis Rodman will get it worked out........
Un is only a puppet, he's not running the country, he only does and says what he's told.
You guessed. You have a 50% chance.
Marianne: What hallucegenics have you been taking? This dictator and his family have been killing his people and using them as slaves. He is a mass murderer.... See Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, Saddam Hussein, Ayatollah Kohmonei and you will possibly gain some insight to the absolute evil that these people represent....
So this 28 year old is responsible for Hilter, and every war monger in the past? Really? He is new in his position, adn is very young.. If all he has are the same people around him that only want war and blood on their hands of course he is going to follow in historys footsteps, but if the world shows him there is a better path, hopefully he can turn things around. Yes men are war mongers and women generally seek peace.. who wants to be worried about a nuclear bomb ending up in their neighborhood killing their kids.. Women are the smarter species LOL, we don't have huge egos lol we are practical.
Dear Polyanna: you are assuming reason, empathy, and intellectual strategy for self preservation upon the psyche of people (mostly men) the world has known for 3,000 years as the ones who have rained down death and destruction. Society does not call them dictators, megalomaniacs, and psychopaths for no reason.
I've got to agree with you. I actually find this "marianne" person scary!. Hey "marianne", if you want to cut somebody some slack, how about you do it for the people of the United States, not tiny tyrant and his league of goons. And, if you are not an American yourself, but rather a plant, than have some compassion and concern for the innocent people of North Korea suffering under this lifetime dictatorship
Snomannn is ranting against what Marianne didn't say.
I think we need to send Dennis Rodman there ASAP to solve the problem!
This person is only thirty years old. What will he do for the rest of his life except make threats? is he going to change? Someone had better take him out – the sooner the better. Will he change for anyone? We will be spending the rest of our lives living with this monstrosity until someone quiets him down. Who's going to do just that?
Only one country can settle this- China. And, guess who has no interest in making things easy for US- China.
When you know you have a cancer; you cut it out....get rid of it. North Korea is a cancer to the rest of the free world. It is time to eliminate this scourge by any means available....if necessary use nukes on their military.
Free world? Really?
What worries me is that we have democrat in the office. Democrats reluctance to any kind of confrontation could prevent them from acting quickly if the need arises. Look at vietnam ( 3 million dead) because the democrats forced the us to quit that war. Rwanda (almost 1 million dead). Clinton did nothing while almost 1 million people were slaughtered. He even said this was one of his biggest regrets. Iran held our people for over 400 days. Carter was completely ineffective.
Hold on there.. you do realize the President (and only person ever) to order atomic bombs dropped was a democrat right????
"They probably can't, but we don't like margin of error," Obama told ABC News
thanks for being so sure...dufus
You can do better I suppose while you hide anonymously behind your computer!
Our intelligence is supposed to be the best, so they should know for sure right?
Imagine a ship going to LA or SF. It has a bomb in a container. The bomb goes boom. What? You are surprised that America was attacked by a non-ballistic delivery system. Imagine FedEx delivering a package to the White House...
It'd be a good idea to simply turn their entire populated areas into nice smooth parking lots. This would be a great time to finally test the M.O.A.B. to see if they really do produce the same damage without the perils of fallout. If the entire nation is really as brainwashed as the media informs us, there's no reason to spare anyone over the age of say 6. Last thing we need is a bunch of stinky, sneaky, hostile subhumans to carry their grudge into adulthood, possibly carrying out vengeful acts of terrorism on U.S. soil. Actually, screw it! I'm fine with reducing their entire population to cinders, infants included. Awwww.. what a nice thought. Use 50 megaton drops, and turn everything into glass. Do it!
You think we won the Vietnam War, don't you. . . .
Damn Communists. . . .
:/
Easy there Corky, put your helmet back on.
VERY insightful coming from you troll.
I'm not sure why you think that isn't standard English which makes logical sense and makes sense from a common sense point-of-view as well. Have you ever considered taking a Logic course? I'm not being condescending or snarky, I mean it 100% literally. It's standard English and makes complete sense.
Yes, it does.
the dictator and the military know they will be dust if they launch nukes. they do not want to upset their opulent lifestyle. they may attack south korea with conventional weapons though. then what? i am sure the world will rush in to help. just kidding, they will do nothing
I could care less what this nickel buffoon has to say...about anything.
Two possible scenarios:
1. This is more bluffing/rheoric. Business as usual.
2. The nutburger actually does something stupid. Ends up getting his ass kicked quite quickly by S. Korea / USA.
Let's suppose the first tier or two of leadership gets taken out. Now what? The country will collapse. The humanitarian crisis that will unfold is my biggest fear. This will make Iraq look like chump change. At least Iraq had oil/income.
China will have no problem picking up the pieces and they should, NK is their baby.
No...North Korea is a thorn in their side!
So who is drumming up the war machine now? Not the US this time. Pretty loud and clear that its North Korea and their childish acting imp of a leader. It's not even a question of "mass weapons of destruction" over there–North Korea has nuclear bombs. Everyone can agree on this. And now they are threatening to make a preemptive strike? What is the US and its Allies waiting on?
Did ya mean "weapons of mass destruction (wmd)"?
My guess is they're waiting on China.
This guy has violated UN stuff. So, have the World Court issue a warrant for his arrest. Send in drones and Special Forces to 'tag' him.
Wait a second. America couldn't scramble F-18's or whatever to intercept commercial aircraft flying into Trade Center or Pentagon. But they are going to be able protect us from a nuclear missile attack?
The times they do change. Try saying that nonsense all loud on a domestic flight there cowboy and see what happens. You are comparing apples to oranges. Bin Laden and his dead pals didn't have a few nuclear bombs and the might of a highly skilled and specialized military of a nation.
Why would you scramble jets to intercept commercial aircraft? If they had known they would have. By the time they did, it was to late! Missiles launched at the US is different. Missiles have to leave the atmosphere after being launched and therefore would be detected by NORAD. Besides...not much a fighter jet could do to stop them!
this is a threat towards America, this is no joke, taunting kim is just going to make him willing to destroy America even more then he already wants to, this is serious the word "lol" should not be used in this kind of topic at all.
Uh, IT aint a word .. duh....
"make him willing to destroy America even more then he already wants to" Are you saying that he wants to uber-destroy America?!
And who's taunting Kim? You don't mean the posters here who say "lol", do you?
lol
I wonder if Kim Jong Un has taken the time, in between his incendiary remarks, to learn the meaning of the phrase "ballistic missile submarine". If he stays on his present course, he may well feel, for a brief moment, what one can do.
The real worrisome part here is that NK has surprised us before with their capabilities. I don't want to be on the wrong end of a surprise launch by this wacko son of Lil Kim.
60 YEARS AGO!!!
No way the little man is in charge of the country. I believe he is just a puppet, real power, the old military establishment. Korea has nothing to gain by playing nice with the U.S. They want unification with the South only if the North is the main communist power. They know that is not going to happen. They also know that Russia and China will keep helping them no matter what they say publicly.
You keep taunting this man, pushing him further into a corner. You have no idea the amount of plutonium that has been produced , just to show the world what a nuclear holocaust is really about.
I say hit everything with drones, Napalm, perhaps a wee bit of agent orange. anything and everything unload American style if they so much as sneeze
Who is pushing this man into a corner? It's all his doing. He is putting people in concentration camps, restricting the most basic freedoms of his people, threatening the world with unwarranted attacks, making aggressive remarks to all other leaders, attacking his neighbors (even their allies), starving his people, and more.
No one has attacked North Korea. They started in exactly the same shape as South Korea just a few decades ago. His family drove the country to the most miserable pain and ruins one can find in this day and age, whereas South Korea is a prosperous, stable and free country. There's nothing magical in the South, it is just something sinister in the North. And it's all this family's doing.
This family feels the world is against them. They have brainwashed the NK population to feel the same way. Lots of NK will march into the South as revenge for any attack on their nation. Death before dishonor. This would be history repeating itself for the 100th time.
Actually the North & South did start out rather different. Originally NK controlled most of Korea's industry, almost all mineral resources. Then they squandered it while SK developed into one of the Asian Tigers
What ever happened to the gold ol' coup d'etat?
just go ahead and take 'em out before they can make anymore problems. if china has a prob, close all the apple factories lol
Rude, obnoxious, expendable.
America certainly is.
Go back to your hand job / prostate massage du mb fk.
You have an appropriate handle.
Your comment is based off of nothing more than anti-Americanism. Have fun being an ignorant pompous ass.
Gotta love how you @ssholes crawl out from under your rock's to prove my point.
You certainly are the smart one "rectum man"
You sound like you are a spoiled child. What would you know about America? You don't know anything about this country. You third world people lack ambition and drive to accomplish what America has done in it's short existence. Sure, we have have problems but we don't fret over them....we solve them. We are everything you mentioned and damned proud of it. When some one is in trouble, we help them and when someone gives us a hard time, we insure that they regret it;
Easy there, Callahan.
Rectum boy said
"Gotta love how you @ssholes crawl out from under your rock's to prove my point."
What point would that be? that you're a useless troll??? well you're right on that one
Obama should go on TV and angrily tell NK to "bring it on!" and we'll finish this once and for all if the little weakling has the cohones for war. And then dramatically pull the suitcase out from under the desk and have the camera zoom in as he slams his fist down on the red blinking button. Then the camera pulls back and shows Obama grinning and saying "take that you little F'er"
You should try living in the real world someday.
Not enough IQ to light a match, du mb fk
Wow, Tom, that's pretty deep. About as deep as your hungry @ss.
Your comments really are unnecessary and just don't add anything to the conversation. No one really cares what your anus does on the weekends and no one really cares how much you hate the United States.
easy for you to say. but your not the one out here in the pacific on the front lines of this whole thing. So enjoy your watching and criticizing while your sitting comfortable on your home couch. Have empathy for the troops and their families instead of starting your war crys when you have no idea what the hell your talking about because your not directly involved as we are out here.
Never mind him, Jesse. Let him believe for a moment he thought up a terrific SNL skit. Right now his head is swimming with self-satisfaction.
starving people, kid with a new toy. Come on world this guy will be trouble count on it. Sometimes I wonder why the world community tolerates such a putz.
They are very upset about the current Military exercises. Maybe moving the Military Sea Maneuvers closer to NK every day will get them to consider trading 'no more exercises' for behaving themselves.
It was probably TNT.
They don't acutally need a missile to deliver a nuclear weapon to the US. All they have to do is get it into one of the thousands of shipping containers that arrive at US ports every day. They wouldn't get a more-effective air burst, but they could still destroy a port city with decent-yeilding atomic bomb.
Geez!!! Draw him some plans while you're at it!!! Geez!!!
Heh-heh...
Sorry, Tony Soprano already explored this exact scenario.
Really... you don't think that base has been covered... over and over again. Why anyone believe that we're sitting on our hands with this is beyond thought. We use the technology everyday!
Yeah, someone could smuggle a nuclear weapon into the U.S. simply by hiding it inside a bale of marijuana.
I'm sensing the plot of The Peacemaker happening here.
Korea really isn't an American problem anyways. Shut er down.
What are you talking about???
Not sure how to make it any clearer, no need for Americans in Korea.
Then I suppose you want the UN to get out of South Korea, too, right? After all if you're going to hate the US you may as well hate everyone else involved. By the way, if the US were to exit South Korea the North would invade in a heartbeat.
Who cares?
North Korea, if they are stupid enough to start a nuclear war, would be wiped out.
Where are you going with that?
I am so glad we have a great Commander In Chief who knows how to handle with threats rationally unlike our last president who would be looking to start a war.
Don't you mean the coward that would take his family and hide in a cave rather than protect our country from valid threats. Did you forget 9-11 you corn-for-brains?
What did 9-11 have to do with Iraq? Clarification please.
Speaking of cowards – how does one go AWOL from the Texas Air National Guard and still receive an 'honorable' discharge?
Want to go fishing for Bin Laden???? Oh yeah Bush did a great job getting him.
Will S, I continue to find it flabbergasting that people don't seem to understand something so simple. The key to stability in the Middle East was the removal of Saddam Hussein from power. No, ****OBVIOUSLY**** it wasn't a sure thing, but it was the MOST-LIKELY to work. On the morning of September 11th, 2001, the "threshold of tolerance" changed and it become necessary to try to create stability in the Middle East. Don't forget he was in violation of 10 out of 10 U.N. Resolutions he had agreed to in order to end the first Gulf War, and had been given ten years worth of diplomacy from some of the best diplomats in the business. It's not just what they (al qaeda) did, it's that it showed what they're WILLING TO DO. You KNOW you would feel differently about this if al qaeda, due to continuing instability in the Middle East, had nuked all of New York City, killing millions. Well, please try to get it into your head that if they had been given the opportunity, they WOULD have done that. They HATE us and they HAD some capabilities. That threat HAD to be removed; one way to do that of the several that had to be tried was to force stability in the Middle East by removing Saddam from power.
Buddy I like Obama better than Bush, but fella you're an idiot if you don't see a problem here. N. Korea wants to start a war. Do you understand? Where are you from anyways? You know if you pull a weapon out and point it at somebody and say " I'm going to hurt you" well something needs to be done fast about that situation , o.k.???
its not like they haven't done empty threats for last 60yrs. sorry for ppl of s korea, gotta live with that for 60yrs
Sure, Lostinspace. Great to have a community organizer at the wheel in this situation...and a senile clod for v.p. to boot.
One day this loser will join his daddy in the Lake of Fire.
Where he'll get to meet Lincoln, Sherman. Wilson, FDR, Truman, LBJ.............
You need toilet paper with that? ... du bm fk
What is worrisome is that the comments about repudiating the cease -fire came from the military – not Un (see GlobalSecurity website). This still makes me wonder – who is running the show over there – Un or the military? Un may be acting like a puppet right now since he doesn't have the connections to keep someone from plugging him in a coup....
What are you talking about? Of course they know what is being said!!!
This guy is such a putz.
Why shouldn't Kim Jong Un tell his troops to "Throw all enemies into the caldron, break their waists and crack their windpipes." After all, he's not going to be doing any of the fighting himself. He won't be putting his life on the line. Talk is cheap and North Korea is bankrupt of everything.
This guy reminds me of Bush/Cheney. Warmongering nutcases.
Is it me? Did I not see where it said "CNN Beginner's Thread"? I mean, almost this entire thread...
And yet Obama has started downsizing all military services, grounding planes, telling services to save all their bullets, taking away benefits and really discouraging many of our service members to the point they can't wait to get out once re-enlistment or retirement creep closer. Our govenement doesn't take any words from another country serious, but one day I'm sur it'll bit them in the butt for being so trusting
It's the Repigs who want to downsize the military with their sequester.
Try reading the actual relevant government literature and not just blindly absorbing what CNN tells you before making these types of comments. Your obviously misguided...
Turn off the Fox Noise propaganda and clear your head.
Not quite what happened. The Teapublicans demaned the sequester and now they have it. This cuts funds from the military and embassies. Thank the part of tea not the president.
Dave, have you ever read anything but your own comments? If so, how can you be so dumb?
Are you sure you understand the material?
You mean the "wonderful leader" wants to shoot Dennis Rodman? I thought they were BFFs. Stupid swagger. That's what happens to people when you arm them and they start feeling "power". All poised to start something and not prepared to back down from NObody. Really becomes a pathetic looking sight. Now, back to Kim Jong Un, Dear Leader, Part II.
"North Korea will not achieve security, economic prosperity and integration into the international community while it pursues nuclear weapons, while it threatens its neighbors, while it tramples on international norms, abuses its own people and refuses to fulfill its long-standing obligations and commitments,"
I'm no diplomatic genius but from what I've seen over the years from North Korea, I don't think those issues are their top priority. No wonder we're clueless as to how to deal with it.
Cheapseats you nailed it.
Further China can shut down N. Korea anytime it wants to. China supplies almost every ounce of fuel N. Korea has. I believe if push came to shove the Chinese have a much greater economic interest in the US as compared to N. Korea.
But China also doesnt want a US aligned nation along its border (Unified Korea) or to deal with a mass refugee problem from North Korea. too hard to predict what China does
Sure the guy is acting like a 6yr old, but we do not need another foe of America to place a real armament in the hands of this guy.
United States of America = FEARLESS = North Korea. America + North Korea = World Peace. Peaceall.
Kim Jong Un could crack everyone's windpipe by sitting on it
We know that North Korea has a submarine. If they park the submarine right off the coast of California, is it possible for them to launch a nuke from there and hit us with little warning? I am not sure how well protected we can keep our coast land waters from a submarine/nuke attack.
Based upon the fact that a few years ago while sailing to Cuba, a Russian submarine made a very close pass along the East Coast without anyone knowing about it until well after the event...I wouldn't bet on it.
What would be the purpose of their conducting an act that would result in the swift obliteration of North Korea?
North Korea is a far cay from being able to shot a nuke from a sub. maybe another 7 years for that.
Seven? Okay, thanks, Ken.
Attack us now... we have the weakest CIC ever... you'll never get a better chance.
So you're willing to try to egg them on, hoping for another war, for hundreds of thousands of people to die horribly, so long as you could lay the blame as Obama's feet.
Very professional of you there. I won't say a professional what though.
During 9/11 Boy George was reading "The Pet Goat" to children, while Dead-Man-Walking Cheney was at the scene of the crime (in the White House bunker) conducting scheduled, simulated war-games to fool NORAD and the FAA into standing down. Isn't it time we put these neocons on trial for treason and mass murder?
I guess all those drone strikes and the invasion of Pakistan to get Bin Laden are signs of weakness? I wouldn't push Obama too far. A first strike against N. Korea is NOT a good option – those people WILL fight, they have been indoctornated from an early age to do so – they have no outside source of information – and the S, Koreans will be the ones to suffer.
Sounds like you're more of a traitor than anything.
Words
This kid is a nut job. He's trying to get attention like a 6 yr old, and failing miserably. He just wants to show off and throw a tantrum. Daddy's little boy is just that. A little boy. Take away his toys and send him to bed without dinner.
Isn't that a bit harsh against Obama?
Wow, you Obama haters and your cutting-edge humor. Bet it took you a few days to come up with THAT one! LOL
I thought he was talking about draft-dodger Cheney.
This cannon unquestionably looks from my firsthand experience of such weapons to be something that could hurl a nuclear tipped shell on a long range distance of some two hundred miles. Enough to lob a shell into Alaska from the vantage point of N. Korea. We had better act fast on this debacle lest we get hit first by them....9-11 No. TWO one might say!
The distance from North Korea to Alaska is over 1000 miles. Seems like those artillery pieces wouldn't quite be able to manage that.
That small bore cannon could launch a nuclear weapon? you idiot, they have only exploded 3 – possibly nuclear weapons. You think they have learned how to reduce the size of a nuclear weapon to the bore of a cannon? idiots, like you, should not be allowed on the internet at any time.
Naval guns with as much as a 16 in. bore can "only" get out 20 miles , this thing might get 5.
Your first handf experinece – in what, Warhammer???????
This total idiot does not know they have rifles for this type of stuff. DUH, my name is Kim Dung Idiot!
Throw all enemies into the caldron, break their waists and crack their windpipes.
Kim is an idiot. Nothing he says should surprise anyone
Who translates your Korean? Heo-ri may mean "waist" if you look it up in a dictionary, but in most contexts is means "back." He said, "Break their backs" not "break their waists." Kim Jong Un is still a looney self-serving tyrant, but his rhetoric is not quite as bizarre as it sounds. Most everything else about NK is more bizarre than it sounds.
Dictators and kings tend to do that to people make them bizarre.
We tried that in the 1950s...remember? MASH? We got our clocks cleaned, remember?
You armed the Iranians and you call the Koreans bizarre?