[Amelia]

That said, the situation in NK seems to warrant an Israeli-like air strike to take out the operable nuclear sites and not an all-out military action. Iraq didn't respond in 1981 and I doubt NK will today.

NK has an insane leader, and Seoul is within artillery distance of NK.

Do you know how many people live in Seoul? Do you know how many U.S. military people (and their families) live in Seoul?

[Amelia]

Wondering if our government will start sending the military and diplomatic families home from Seoul.....

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I understand the geography and population distribution of the region. Any military action against NK demands excellent INTELLIGENCE including locations of missile silos, command and control, etc. -- otherwise Seoul is in the eye of the tiger.

I'm not proposing military action against NK, just commenting on possible scenarios ...

[Dirk McQuickly]

There's really no "good" outcome except the survival of civilization. We hope that this could be quick and clean, but the fact is, if N. Korea is willing to throw open the doors to the Atomic Emporium and provide some terrorist with the gift that never stops taking, the whole world is in peril. Now, all the Iraq naysayers are going to have a tough time explaining how Iraq with a nuclear weapon is any less dangerous to America than N. Korea with a nuclear weapon. Ironically, Pyongyang made our case to the world for the war on Iraq... Now all the half-wits will continue to bend over backwards to villify the U.S.... Sigh.

[Quix]

NK WOULD RESPOND.

They stay coiled and cocked. Responding would be a "fun" relief to them..

They would respond in a flash.

They would do it if it meant total suicide.

That is an unreal place.

CNN IS NOW EMPHASIZING FROM NAVY that these ships are still not planning to leave before the first of the year. . . that the 96 hours was a READINESS criteria.