South Korea readies for war

Herald Sun ^ | 11 October 2006 | Gerard McManus

[redgolum]

Considering that there are some 10,000 artillery pieces aimed at Seoul, I wouldn't want to be in their shows either.

[George W. Bush]

South Korea should openly ask the United States for nukes to counter North Koreas. The US should say yes and also offer Japan, Taiwan and maybe Poland nuclear capability.

Weren't the last of our nukes removed from South Korea back in 1991?

Our stockpiles on Guam, Okinawa, Japan, the Phillipines were removed decades back. From the late Seventies to the early Nineties, South Korea was our only admitted Asian nuke depot, our deterrent relying increasingly on ships, subs and aircraft since we started drawing down all the Asian stockpiles.

Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists: Where they were | thebulletin.org (historical overseas deployment info)

[George W. Bush]

Their Military issued a statement today that they will NEVER go Nuke.

Their military conducted a secret weapons program for decades. They have done all the basic work needed to make bombs including some enrichment experiments. The last time they got caught at it was in 2004 when they farmed out some of the research to Lawrence Livermore and to a research institute in Russia on laser enrichment. When they realized they'd be caught, they 'fessed it up to the IAEA, swearing they had no interest in nukes. Again.

What they say about nukes has been at odds with what they're doing a number of times.

CNS - South Korea's Nuclear Experiments - November 9, 2004 - Research Story

[91B]

If the North Koreans are going to go, Fall is the most logical time. The harvest is in and they might be hoping to make gains and then hold them through the winter when, they probably presume, we would not be able to manuver as easily as other times.

But that just shows that they have no understanding of modern warfare and air power.

They'd get squished.

[struwwelpeter]

South Korean appeasement got them in this mess. They fear 23 million North Korean refugees more than the North Korean army. Heck, they'd probably keep sending food and fuel north while the bombs were falling.

China doesn't have anything to gain from a resurgent Japan. Someone's playing the spoiler here, and I think it's Russia. They've lost almost all influence in the Far East, and may be getting nostalgic.

[LibLieSlayer]

I am delighted to hear this!!!

LLS

[George W. Bush]

Glad to cheer you up.

I think Japan will go nuclear. And given that they've had a year to work on it since Kimmie shot those missiles over them, I suspect Kim will be in for a nasty surprise if he lobs anything in their direction, a missile-interceptor or high-energy anti-missile weapon perhaps.

Besides that, we have our own new anti-missile weapon to test as well. Fortunately, relations between America and Japan have seldom been warmer and more cooperative, rivalling even the famous Anglosphere relations with Britain and Australia. It's all Good Stuff in my book.

[RightWhale]

Must be some edgy people in Japan. They had a 6.0 just east of Japan, but some think it was another N Kor test.

[mad_as_he$$]

I travel to SK on occasion for business. Many of the younger crowd view the US as the problem. They believe that if we left, reunification would happen on SK terms. Stupid idea. Stalinist states do things on their own terms.

[snowrip]

US troops in SK are essentially cannon fodder, and should have been pulled out long ago. With no nuclear deterrent, minimal air power, no blue-water navy, and no backbone, the South Korean bleating about sunshiney dialogue and such will end as soon as the first NK artillery barrage begins to fall.

[katyusha]

Acutally, the ROK armed forces don't look so bad on paper.
See http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rok/index.html

The North Koreans have a good deal more on paper, but alot of it is obsolete, such as Mig-17 and Mig-19 fighter-bombers which really belong in a museum. MiG-21s aren't much better, and they only have a few dozen MiG-29s. Armor is similar with T-54/55 (1950s vintage) T-62s (the same but with a somewhat bigger gun); even T-34s (yikes!) were mentioned in the NKPA order of battle. One also wonders how much of the million-man NKPA is really battle-worthy, and how much of it is there for "internal security" and just to keep young men off the streets with something to do?

[mad_as_he$$]

Exactly!

[GOP_1900AD]

Certainly, our naive belief in pie crust treaties (or at least, our PR to that effect) has not helped us. While we have been by the book, first the Russians, then the Chinese and then the Pakistanis proliferated away. Net disadvantage in terms of arms is now the Western allies.

[GOP_1900AD]

Personally, I think we ought to rely on that to back up our own production capability, just in case. I am 100% serious. Strategically, it would be awesome. At some point, this charade we've been in around disarmament, since the 1980s is going to crash and burn. When the SHTF there will be a need to produce many nuclear warheads quickly under extremely trying circumstances.

[tcrlaf]

North Korea's REAL (and pretty much ONLY) threat is the 10,000 artillery tubes pointed at Seoul...

They can kill MILLIONS in short order that way, and it will take DAYS to root them all out..

Imagine 30-40 THOUSAND shells per minute falling on Los Angeles, for HOURS....

[RWB Patriot]

Didn't the ROK army gain a reputation for ruthlessness in Vietnam? I heard that the VC were scared to death of being taken prisoner by them and that all the sectors that the ROK army were in were some of the most secure areas in Vietnam.