North Korea today fired four ballistic missiles in the general direction of Japan, three of them falling into the Sea of Japan inside Japan’s economic zone, and the fourth landing just outside that zone. Such practice launches are a common part of the annual first-quarter rise in tensions between North Korea and the United States, coinciding with US wargames in South Korea.
Such incidents always give way to a lot of hype, but particularly so in this case, with North Korean state media presenting it as “practice” for attacking US military bases inside Japan, suggesting North Korea could fire nuclear missiles at such bases if the US or South Korea “fires even a single flame.”
Whether or not that all is actually true is another matter, as North Korea’s ability to deliver nuclear warheads is still in serious doubt, and their ability to hit anything accurately with their ballistic missiles is also a question, with a lot of their test launches veering wildly off course.
From a rhetoric perspective, any missile test is arguably “practice” for striking enemy forces, though saying as much seems like it intends to raise the tensions between the two sides fast, something which seems likely to continue until North Korea inevitably has to redeploy its troops to plant crops in the next month.
Either way, US officials are responding by deploying pricey missile defense systems to South Korea. Such deployments have been criticized by China, but in practice the missile defense systems have proven of limited use, and of no real threat to large-scale strategic launches.
DPRK won’t last until 2020. More anti-ballistic missile batteries will be sent, South Korea will quietly ready for the takeout, this one is going to happen. If China comes to their aid, it will be annihilated.
Your problem is that you don’t take N.Korea seriously. And you know that’s because of your country’s propaganda campaign to demonize, humiliate, and talk down North Korea. Why would any antiwar person not express wishes that the US should just stop the sabre rattling and leave North Korea alone?
Because the DPRK is an insane dictatorship that threatens its neighbors and the U.S. with nuclear attack. They have to be stopped before they advance further. They are not rational actors.
Somebody has obviously told you that North Korea’s leadership is insane. Who would that be? I can’t say I’ve ever heard that from any reliable source.
On the other hand I’ve heard repeatedly that the US’s leaders are insane in some circumstances and the back it up by relating to examples such as the Iraq war.
I think, no, I know, that the US has to be stopped before they advance further. They are not rational actors.
US gave North Korea 65 years to act like adults. They won’t see 70 in the current form. Kim will be targeted first, his command will go dark, then the people will desert the regime. If they refuse, they will be taken out also. I’m not making an ethical argument, I’m just saying the tipping point has never been this close. They are too dangerous now, and too fanatical. This is consensus not only in US.
You may very well be right. If the US actually decided to throw down, I would expect the DPRK’s military to begin disintegrating within 48-72 hours. Not because they lack weapons or even because they lack resolve, but because they are both too rigid and too vulnerable to disruption in their command/control systems. Lower echelons won’t be willing to act independently, and orders will stop reaching them.
Let’s try to frame the conversation here before it gets too far off track.
The US must stop threatening North Korea. All North Korea is doing is tryiing to protect their interests by building defensive capabilities. China is now going to have to step in and try to calm the situaiton but already China has been threatened by the US’s insistence of it’s military show of strength in cooperation with South Korea.
Did I get that about right Americans? Let’s hear a good argument saying it’s wrong!
On the one hand, I agree with you on policy. The US should STFU with regard to North Korea, and inform South Korea that as of a near future date certain, all US forces will be withdrawn and the South will become responsible for its own defense.
On the other hand, I don’t have to pretend that the North’s constant threats of war against pretty much everyone is “protecting their interests by building defensive capabilities” to justify that position, any more than I have to pretend that Bashir al-Assad is a liberal democrat in order to justify the position that the US should STFU about Syria, get its troops out of there, and stop funding a bunch of jihadi rebels who are certainly no better, and almost certainly worse, than the Ba’athist regime.
Well, I’m convinced of some things that you’re not. I’m convinced that N.Korea’s tough talk is in response to US threats. And I’m also convinced that North Korea’s purpose is TOTALLY defensive. It seems that you, on the other hand think that North Korea is going to attack the US or their interests with nuclear weapons.
And Ill take it one more step with you too. I’m convinced that young leader isn’t insane. And I don’t think any other country’s leader is insane because the US wants them to be.
I think your opinion on all of those issues is going to be hugely favoured over mine, on this site. It’s not fair to challenge me when you know you have a sure winner.
Assad being a liberal democrat or not has nothing to do with my stated position so don’t infer it.