Posted on 10/09/2004 1:12:21 PM PDT by demlosers
SOURCE: Yonhap news agency, Seoul, in English 1046 gmt 5 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific - Political October 05, 2004
Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap
Seoul, 5 October: The US military is capable of surgically striking more than 900 crucial targets in North Korea, including its main nuclear complex, a South Korean lawmaker said Tuesday 5 October . The US capability is key to an operation plan by Washington, code-named OPLAN 5026, which specifies such an air strike on North Korea in the event of a war on the peninsula, said Park Jin of the main opposition Grand National Party.
"An argument that the United States can achieve its goal of neutralizing the North's nuclear programme with surgical strikes using state-of-the-art weapons at the expense of few US troops, is gaining strength within the Pentagon," Park said during a parliamentary audit of the Defence Ministry. The lawmaker based his claim on an article posted on www.globalsecurity.org, an Internet-based world security institute.
According to the article, more than 50 US F-15Es, B-1Bs, B-52Hs and F-117s were temporarily deployed to US air bases in South Korea and Guam in 2003 for exercises. The report said the US planes are capable of delivering about 750 precision guided munitions, specifically the Joint Direct Attack Munitions, on 612-756 aim points in North Korea, the report said.
The inclusion of US war planes in South Korea and missiles being launched by cruisers, destroyers and submarines will enable the US forces to strike 800-944 aim points, it said. The targets include North Korea's main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, weapons of mass destruction facilities, surface-to-air missile batteries, air defence radars and command and control locations, the article said.
"One scenario for dealing with North Korea's nuclear programme would consist of surgical strikes against facilities believed to be involved with the production, storage, or deployment of nuclear weapons," the article said. OPLAN 5026 was to compensate for a 1974 plan called OPLAN 5027 that called for the reinforcement of 690,000 US troops in case of a war breaking out on the peninsula.
The South Korean Defence Ministry, meanwhile, said the OPLAN 5026 is just one military option which is defence-oriented. "Our position is that we will not allow for pre-emptive US attacks on North Korea without the prior consent of South Korea under any circumstance," Defence Minister Yoon Kwang-ung said during the audit session. About 34,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea to augment 690,000 South Korean soldiers. North Korea has a 1.1-million-member army, the world's fifth largest.
Kinda reminds me of Billy Jack, "I'm going to take my left foot and put it upside your head and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it". LOL
"Our position is that we will not allow for pre-emptive US attacks on North Korea without the prior consent of South Korea under any circumstance,"
I'm sure president Kerry would wait for their Ok.
He said he would! (If elected.)
Someone needs to take this loudmouth to the woodshed.
What the hell was he thinking blabbing this around!!!???
Congressman Billybob
Latest column, "America Fails the 'Global Test' "
If you haven't already joined the anti-CFR effort, please click here.
That's right---give the opposing team your playbook..What a dumba$$. Somebody heeds to give that butthead a good talking too.
Hmm, that was my reaction, too. Why is this guy blabbing all over the place? But maybe North Korea needs to know the bare bones of what we can do if aroused to action.
Besides, surely this isn't the whole playbook. Just the first two minutes.
You are 100% correct.
yeah just great publicize the plans and capabilities so that Kim Jong can read them!
"yeah just great publicize the plans and capabilities so that Kim Jong can read them!"
Relax. NK intelligence has enough infiltration of the South that they know all this already. This is for domestic consumption, I would guess.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.