Posted on 10/12/2017 7:19:47 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Trump calls for ‘tip-top shape’ nukes, NK claims ‘balance of power’ with US
By Choi He-suk
Published : Oct 12, 2017 - 16:23 Updated : Oct 12, 2017 - 16:23
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he is “stronger and tougher” on North Korea than others, while Pyongyang’s top diplomat claimed that the regime was nearing a “balance of power” with the US.
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the White House, Trump said that he would have the US nuclear arsenal in “tip-top shape” and denied reports that he wanted to secure 10 times more nuclear warheads
“I want modernization and total rehabilitation,” Trump said, calling an increase in the stockpile “totally unnecessary.”
A US media outlet had reported that Trump had suggested increasing the country’s nuclear arsenal tenfold to numbers seen in the 1960s. At the time, the US’ nuclear arsenal amounted to over 30,000 nuclear weapons. The number has been gradually reduced to about 4,000.
Trump claimed that the related reports were false, accusing the media of citing nonexistent sources. Trump’s denial was backed by Secretary of Defense James Mattis who said the reports were false, and “irresponsible.”
Regarding the views he and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have on North Korea, Trump said that they may have some differences and that he has “a little bit different attitude on North Korea than other people might have.”
“I think perhaps I feel stronger and tougher on that subject than other people,” Trump said, adding that he does however listen to the views of others.
“And ultimately, I will do what’s right for the United States and, really, what’s right for the world. Because that’s really a world problem; that’s beyond just the United States.”
Trump’s statements -- more measured than his previous comments regarding Pyongyang -- came on the same day that Russian media reported North Korea has no intention of negotiating its nuclear program.
In an interview with a Russian media outlet, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho rejected any possibility of negotiations concerning his country’s nuclear weapons program.
“We are nearing the end on the path to the ultimate goal of achieving balance of power with the US,” Ri was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency TASS.
“Unless the US policy of crushing North Korea is fundamentally removed, our nuclear weapons cannot become a subject of negotiation.”
According to the report, Ri reiterated Pyongyang’s position several times and said lifting sanctions on the regime is the only way to begin dialogue. Ri also claimed that the US was attempting to fracture North Korea-Russia relations, while rejecting plans for addressing the North Korean nuclear issue proposed by Moscow.
Although Ri’s claims of achieving a balance of power with the US is typical of Pyongyang’s exaggerated statements, the country’s missile and nuclear programs have developed rapidly under Kim Jong-un.
North Korea appears to be inches away from the “red line,” which President Moon Jae-in defined as being capable of developing nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Following its sixth nuclear test in September, Pyongyang claimed that it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. In addition, Pyongyang’s missile tests have shown that its ICBM development program has made significant advancements, with the missile fired on Sept. 15 covering some 3,700 kilometers.
Here, in video, are some fascinating, first hand insights into real living for many in North Korea.
North Korea’s Darkest Secrets Documentary 2017 | Inside North Korea Documentary 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9NolWrP4gk
You’ll see that most Americans are unaware of the extents of the most important weakness of North Korea’s leadership: its cruelty.
“I understand what you are saying, but, dependency on humans is a dicey proposition too.”
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That’s actually what I was getting at there - humans are also a variable that can work either way, for and against ya.
About NK launch capability, that’s where Murphy would really factor in. The intelligence would have to be so good and current to hit them all. This would also have to include their nuke-caapable submarines, mobile launchers and nukes tucked under some of it’s mountainous terrain (before it can be fetched and set up).
From what I understand, NK also has a pretty good sized supply of chem-bio weapons. I think in case US-NK hostilities should occur that quite a few South Koreans and/or Japanese are going to have to be written off. I think Seoul, at least, is close enough for SCUDs or some other smaller missile.
And then there’s the agents they most certainly have in SK, and I would suspect in the US - they could wreak a lot of havoc. Moreso, if equipped with chem weapons or a small-size or suitcase-size nuke.
Of course, it wouldn’t be all that hard to get a nuke on a boat or ship and sail it into a harbor.
At any rate, all the i’s and t’s that need to be dotted and crossed boggles my mind.
Here’s something else that most Americans and South Koreans are unaware of: the extents of suffering and determination of the U.S. Marines and Army soldiers who were at Chosin Reservoir. Also fascinating!
Chosin Reservoir - Epic of Endurance | KOREAN WAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH-xJxBNuVM
and followed by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf8Db5cPVCI
gosh i love that old sci-fi flick. I still think its rates as #1
The “Chosin Few” I believe is the handle.
“gosh i love that old sci-fi flick.”
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Sorry, but no. Now, THIS is an old sci-fi flick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXgTFBIwDCc
Yup. My Dad was in Korea. Signal Corps, right on the front lines at times. Rough stuff.
I met some of the Frozen Chosin on occasions during the 1990s and before. They were men. I also met some World War 2 infantry soldiers and tankers before they died. They were also courageous, sane, sober, happy, stable, solid men who loved family and moral tradition. There were also real Vietnam veterans with prior service in combat specialties who trained with me in the National Guard as motor pool mechanics and medics (rather old for our combat platoons but still fearless). They were great men of good humor and concrete stability.
The veterans of World War 2 and Korea were trained long before 1970, and I was trained after 1988. I was in the National Guard and never mobilized, but they honored me only for being willing to go through 13 weeks of initial training without any threat of being drafted. They were humble. They were a generous dose of fatherly strength. We were all smiles and talk. I miss them very much.
And although he died of natural causes here in the United States over ten years ago, my father has Korea on his military headstone.
My Dad didn’t talk much about it except for how cold the weather was sometimes in training, heating one of the greasier canned rations on Jeep manifolds, once being present at a nuke test in the States, going hungry for three days once (bad NCO), starting smoking and playing poker for lack of anything else to do at times, and about how he bought a car and drove too fast to get home after being discharged.
He didn’t seem bothered about his time in the service at all, though he never advised me to join the service. He wore a flat top haircut most of his life. My Mom was against me joining.
The only things that I remember seeing from his service were a small binder of photos from his training in southern U.S. states, his good conduct medal, his tattered field jacket and his blue fourragere (cord that hangs over the shoulder on an infantry uniform).
My mother knew that he was honorably discharged just before she met him, but other than that, she didn’t know much, either. Same from relatives on his side of the family.
After being discharged, he worked as a mechanic (hot rodder from an early age), went to a night school for mechanics, married my Mom and started racing a super modified on several tracks in the Midwest. After he died in 2002, I found out that he was born a year younger than what I had been told. His burial was accompanied by an Army salute and a flag.
He was a good father, old fashioned, always much in favor of a strong defense and was really proud after my graduation at Ft. Leonard Wood. Might check with records to see what’s there.
I can’t add anything to all your great observations on those amazing men (and women, too) who have served in some dire situations and accomplished so much.
I also agree on what a privilege it is to have been/is to meet such great people and great Americans. We owe them so much.
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