N. Korea fires artillery towards S. Korean island, official says (houses destroyed, fire broke out)

Yonhap News ^ | 11/23/10

[TigerLikesRooster]

N. Korea fires artillery towards S. Korean island, official says

SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Tuesday fired several rounds of artillery towards South Korean waters and an island near the tense west sea border, the South's military said.

The North's artillery shells fell at 2:34 p.m. in the South's waters off the island of Yeonpyeong, some of them landing directly on the island, said Col. Lee Bung-woo, spokesman at the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The South's military responded with its artillery firing.

[jhpigott]

I was just going to post this, but I see I’ve been beaten to the punch -

President Lee Myung-bak is quoted as saying “I think enormous retaliation is going to be necessary to make North Korea incapable of provoking us again.”

[link to english.yonhapnews.co.kr]

It does appear that the rhetoric coming out of Lee’s office the past couple hours is getting more, not less bellicose. If he doesn’t watch out, he is going to back himself into a corner.

Obumbum and Hu can pontificate all they want. Escalation in that corner of the world can/will be hard to contain once the ball starts rolling in the wrong direction.

[Pan_Yan]

The big ‘IF’ seems to be, as always, what will China do if South Korea actually retaliates? China is South Korea’s largest trading partner by a huge margin.

[R0CK3T]

0bama’s not looking all that successful with his famous effort to make the world “support and love America again” is he?

This NK issue is the stuff that requires Leadership with a steeled determination to release a living hell on any any aggressor who would threaten one of America’s closest allies.

Apparently NK already knows 0bama won’t/can’t do a damn thing.

That vacuum of power has emboldened this evil enterprise and now 2 Marines are dead.

Pacifism and coddling/bowing gets your azz kicked by every bully in town, and you had best also understand that the rest of the worlds bullies are watching and licking their chops to be next.

0bama is the greatest threat to this country - period.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Once hell breaks loose(SK going for real reprisal,) China will get powerless. Sure they can impose economic sanction on S. Korea and turn it into a toast. So what? It will only make S. Korea angrier. It will naturally lead to loud call for S. Korea's own nuclear bombs. By then, it is likely that S. Korea would be led by a military strongman again.

[Thunder90]

Thing is that it took over two hours for Obama to be notified, and he passed the buck to Biden.

[maquiladora]

I knew it had to be some kind of misquote.

South Korea (AP) - SKorean president says South will unleash 'enormous retaliation' should NKorea attack again.

So it is still just another threat if they attack again, according to AP.

[Infidel Heather]

Wouldn’t be surprised if the ChiComms gave their okay on this-—

I’d love to see that pygmy blowhard bully NK dictator blown to Kingdom Come.

[dfwgator]

“If they attack us again, we will make an ever bigger threat.”

[TigerLikesRooster]

I hear that his sleep was interrupted at 4 am because of this NK attack. There goes his bio-rhythm of the day. Must be a b*tch.:-)

[penelopesire]

Bambi about to give a statement. Stand by for empty headed, meaningless drivel from Totus. His main concern needs to be for our 28,000 troops over there imho.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Picture from SK's weather satellite Chollian before and after the attack:

Before

After: color shade is different but you can definitely see black cloud(smoke) over and around the island

[eastforker]

You know there has got to be a bunch of pissed off GI’s up at Camp Casey who were looking forward to a four day weekend down in Soul or Chejido. I am sure they are all headed out to the field where mamasan is waiting with her field whores, Crown beer and candy bars.

[jhpigott]

According to the Yonhap quote, it looks like it may be the AP who has got it wrong - “Given that North Korea maintains an offensive posture, I think the Army, the Navy and the Air Force should unite and retaliate against (the North’s) provocation with multiple-fold firepower,” Lee said. “I think enormous retaliation is going to be necessary to make North Korea incapable of provoking us again.”

So who is right - Yonhap or the AP?

[metmom]

An act of war.

Now what?

What’s our country’s reaction going to be?

Time to stock up.

[BenLurkin]

[Vermont Lt]

I don’t want to over simplify, but is the maintenance of their crap as energy intensive as our stuff (or the ROK stuff?)

I am clearly no expert on this, but trucks and mortars are not exactly high maintenance are they?

[kara37]

“What’s our country’s reaction going to be?”

Simple, Obama will make a speech stating that he is looking at all our options and will be making a decision in the next 30 days.

[Eye of Unk]

If you decide not to make any reply thats OK, but what if I will ask anyway could have been of a strategic target there? A SK SOSUS command or station?

[Karliner]

당신이 satan에서 죽은 건조한 젖꼭지 그 자신에 빠는 김 Jung iL. 당신은 징계 10천개의 죽음의 당신 당나귀의 구멍 죽을 것이다

It's time to initiate Gen. Mac's plan and piss in the Yalu again. This time hold and reunite the people. This plan would bode well and take the burden off the Chinese, maybe even drop out debt we owe them by a million or two.

[Vermont Lt]

Time for a break. Get the golf clubs and call Jay-Zee. We be off to the Kountry Klub....