North Korea 2nd Nuke Test

[Seraph]

For the military buffs out there - is this deployment of aircraft likely a scare tactic, or the beginning of military action?

Almost always both.

[Francisco]

FWIW, the article that was linked on page 5 is dated Feb. 2007... is there another article? A quick scan of CNN.com shows nothing about aircraft being deployed.

[Araelus]

FWIW, the article that was linked on page 5 is dated Feb. 2007... is there another article? A quick scan of CNN.com shows nothing about aircraft being deployed.

His point seemed to be that they are already stationed in Japan.

CNN.com is displaying

• NEW: Satellite spies "vehicle activity" at a ballistic missile site, U.S. officials say
• NEW: North Korean Foreign Ministry blasts U.N. Security Council as "hypocrites"

when reading this story:
Sixth NK Missile Test - CNN.com

North Korea agreed in 2008 to scrap its nuclear weapons program -- which it said had produced enough plutonium for about seven bombs -- in exchange for economic aid. But the deal foundered over verification and disclosure issues.

So I'm wondering where are the remaining five or more bombs?

Noting that it's not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or the Missile Technology Control Regime, North Korea said it "has a right to conduct as many nuclear tests or missile launches as it wants in the event that the supreme interests of the state are infringed upon."

Clinton slams N. Korea's rhetoric, 'belligerent' actions - CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had strong words Wednesday for North Korea's nuclear activities and saber-rattling, saying the secretive communist nation "has ignored the international community" and "continues to act in a provocative and belligerent manner toward its neighbors."

"There are consequences to such actions," Clinton said.

The "consequences" seem to be:

...senior Obama administration officials said a high-level U.S. delegation is going to Asia for a series of "intensive consultations" on what North Korea's increasingly alarming behavior means for American security alliances in the region.

The goal, they said, is to persuade Pyongyang that going back to the negotiating table is the only option. North Korea has been negotiating over its nuclear program with the United States, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea in six-party talks.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | N Korea 'planning more missiles'

As global concern over Pyongyang's actions mounted, Chinese fishing boats were reported to be leaving the tense inter-Korean border in the Yellow Sea amid fears of military action.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted defence sources as saying the South's military authorities are trying to find out if Chinese ships were told to go.

[Francisco]

So I'm wondering where are the remaining five or more bombs?

I don't think they've fired anything nuclear... they've just been testing rockets designed to carry nuclear warheads - as is my understanding...

[Araelus]

They haven't launched a nuclear warhead, but they've detonated two.

Swiss condemn second North Korea nuclear test - swissinfo
AOL News: North Korea Second Nuclear Test
Korean Blast Draws Outrage - WSJ.com
The Associated Press: Blast shows North Korean nuclear threat growing
Defying world powers, N. Korea conducts nuke test - Yahoo! News
U.N. council condemns North Korea nuclear test | Reuters

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | N Korea 'planning more missiles'

US satellite photos had revealed vehicle activity at a site in North Korea used to fire long-range missiles.

The vehicle movements resembled activity before North Korea fired a long-range rocket last month, the officials said.

However, a Pentagon official told the BBC that the US had noticed this type of activity on previous occasions which did not always lead to a missile being fired.

The official said activity at this site had been going on for more than a couple of days, but did not know for how long exactly.

The hardline communist state, under President Kim Jong-il, has also threatened military action against the South after Seoul's decision to join a US-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) under which North Korean ships could be stopped and searched.

Pyongyang says this decision is tantamount to an act of war and that it is no longer bound by the Armistice which in 1953 brought an end to the Korean War.

[Denkou]

FWIW, the article that was linked on page 5 is dated Feb. 2007... is there another article? A quick scan of CNN.com shows nothing about aircraft being deployed.

Opps...Good catch linked the wrong article.
this is the right one: Raptors' new nest -- dailypress.com
It is the third time f-22s have been sent to Japan but the first official overseas deployment of the 94th fighter squadron.

[*Shinzon*]

I don't think they've fired anything nuclear... they've just been testing rockets designed to carry nuclear warheads - as is my understanding...

Yeah, they tested the launch platforms, the missile, and probably their radar. I don't think they've detonated any actual nuclear material but they have some for sure.

[Gulkeeva]

I hear N. Korea wants to blow up japan now if they even touch the missle and destroy the "major cities" of japan with a counter attack.. O_o

http://blog.livedoor.jp/dqnplus/archives/1268358.html

[*Shinzon*]

I hear N. Korea wants to blow up japan now if they even touch the missle and destroy the "major cities" of japan with a counter attack.. O_o

Yeah they've threatened to declare war on Japan and Japan has threatened to declare war on the North if the missile travels over Japan. N. Korea is fucked if they ever really decide to launch anything.

[Melchiah]

Yeah, they tested the launch platforms, the missile, and probably their radar. I don't think they've detonated any actual nuclear material but they have some for sure.

You are misinformed. North Korea has detonated TWO thermonuclear weapons as tests. The one detonated May 25, 2009 was estimated to have a yield similar to the devices detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

[*Shinzon*]

You are misinformed. North Korea has detonated TWO thermonuclear weapons as tests. The one detonated May 25, 2009 was estimated to have a yield similar to the devices detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Ah my fault, was watching an ABC News broadcast today and probably just misheard the segment. At any rate it doesn't change the circumstances of the situation at least not politically.

[Plow]

Ah my fault, was watching an ABC News broadcast today and probably just misheard the segment. At any rate it doesn't change the circumstances of the situation at least not politically.

er... yeah, it really, really does.


Changes... absolutely everything.

[kuronosan]

Ah my fault, was watching an ABC News broadcast today and probably just misheard the segment. At any rate it doesn't change the circumstances of the situation at least not politically.

The fact that they have detonated two thermonuclear devices changes a shitload of circumstances - especially politically.

[Gulkeeva]

Everyone vs N Korea if N Korean fires at japan go go!? Although supposedly japan has anti missile ships station all around... I would think? (haven't read every detail)

[Plow]

Japan has a missile defense similar (possibly superior) to what Bush wanted for the U.S., yes.

It was a tad bit cheaper to cover the area, lol.

[Indalecia]

Everyone vs N Korea if N Korean fires at japan go go!? Although supposedly japan has anti missile ships station all around... I would think? (haven't read every detail)

Aegis Destroyers

GL getting anything bigger than a grain of sand passed that

[Kiro]

This should be fun. Japan & S.Korea v N.Korea.

Poor S.Korea.

[Zilong]

Aegis Destroyers

GL getting anything bigger than a grain of sand passed that

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66...onis/aegis.jpg

[ClarkSammich]

I believe the Aegis is meant to be a carrier defense ship, and not something that floats there and shoots down missiles aimed at land targets? Not really sure though.

[Beckwin]

Really? This is so naive, first do you believe seriously, that any world power would allow another country to land a first strike knowing that it was coming? You must be out of your mind. There's no way the U.S or any advanced world power would allow it, its always us against them and it's not like we suddenly decided this. Whenever there is a threat to the U.S or another country whether you hear about it or not the countries take proactive steps to ensure that the threat is quelled. Mossad(sp?), and all the U.S covert operation teams are constantly being deployed to deal with potential terrorist threats. You think that N. Korea wont soon be considered a terrorist by the government and just be dealt with? Just because you don't hear about it doesn't mean shit isn't being done already. When you have and are allies with some of most well trained specialized military units in the world trust me, there's a lot you don't hear about.

Why don't all you bleeding hearts take a trip to N. Korea so that if the shit hits the fan you'll go down with the rest of em. Tired of hearing all this shit about diplomacy after YEARS of N. Korea taking a shit on the UN. Enough is seriously enough.

Some people say that I'm a dreamer, but I know I'm not the only one....

We don't "just deal with" N Korea by calling them terrorists and sending in the Green Berets. There are all kinds of "threats" present against the US in all corners of the globe, but we don't bulldoze every country (just some, when it's deemed economically/opportunistically advantageous to). And you call me naive? lol. I guess we should be all about bulldozing Iran, Pakistan, several African countries, Venezuela, etc RIGHT NOW because they don't listen to us or the UN....

Now don't misconstrue that last paragraph as a defense of the KJI regime; it's an absolutely terrible regime and I honestly would like to see it go away. However, a physical conflict is a very very messy way to make it go away. Aside from the artillery, biochem, and now nuclear dangers that the North possesses, please consider this:

North Korea could opt for devastating land assault

U.S. and South Korean forces have had nearly six decades to anticipate how a renewed attack might unfold and how they would respond. The expectation is that the North would slip commandos, commonly called special operating forces, across the Demilitarized Zone that divides the North and South or into southern waters aboard small submarines to carry out sabotage and assassination.
In congressional testimony in March, the commander of U.S. forces in Korea, Gen. Walter L. Sharp, estimated that the North has more than 80,000 such commandos. He said it is the largest special operating force in the world, with "tough, well-trained and profoundly loyal troops" who are capable of clandestine missions such as sabotaging critical civilian infrastructure as well as attacking military targets.
The South has had glimpses of the commando capabilities. Until recent years the North would routinely infiltrate agents across the DMZ. One of its submarines ran aground in South Korea during a failed spying mission in 1996.
Sharp said North Korea's army is the world's fourth largest with 1.2 million troops on active duty, backed by as many as 7 million reserves, with an estimated 1,700 military aircraft, 800 naval vessels and more than 13,000 artillery pieces. The numbers do not tell the entire story, though. Much of the North's equipment is old and decrepit, and it lacks the high-tech reconnaissance capabilities of the South.
Sharp did not mention chemical weapons, but it is widely believed the North has a chemical capability that it could unleash in the early stages of a land war to demoralize defending forces and deny the use of mobilization centers, storage areas and military bases.
Complicating the defensive calculations of the South and its American allies is the immutable fact that Seoul, with a population of about 10 million, lies about 35 miles south of the DMZ—within easy range of much of the North's artillery.
"It's a very, very direct route. That's always been the problem, right from the early days," said Kerry Brown, an Asia analyst at London's Chatham House think tank. "It's very vulnerable to a sudden, savage all-out military attack."

The article goes on to say how DPRKs air and naval forces are basically jokes and that there's no conceivable way for them to actually win a conflict; however if there is a conflict they certainly will fight and it will not be pretty, and that's what we should focus on avoiding by all means available.

I will also point out that the article jives with Noblemountain's sentiments on the subject of DPRK troops (noble is a Ranger who worked/trained with SK forces).

Inspect ships. Work with China to apply economic/logistic pressures. Foment rebellion. Work with Japan and SK to broaden missile defense systems. These are still options we have that don't involve an initiation of civilian bloodshed.

And your comment about taking my bleeding heart to NK is reaaaaal cute. On this particular subject, when it comes to putting up or shutting up, I'm miles ahead of an alarmist armchair neocon who wants to point some missles halfway around the globe and call it a day.