Posted on 02/06/2003 5:32:29 AM PST by kattracks
I wonder what make him think that we don't already have enough hardware in place to glass everything north of the DMZ within 8 minutes of his attack ?
If we “nuked just one country”...They’d strengthen the UN...
One more time:
They'd strengthen the UN
I think it has been obviously demonstrated that this is the LAST thing we want. Who cares about the French? History will judge them; we don't need to bother.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry deputy director, Ri Pyong-gap, has told the BBC Today programme's Mike Thompson that any decision by the United States to send more troops to the region could lead the North to launch a pre-emptive attack on US forces. Mr Ri: "The situation is very tense. A very dangerous situation has been created, where the sovereignty and security of our state have been severely endangered by the hostile policies of the United States towards North Korea. If the United States steps their boots over the borderline, we'll take strong countermeasures The Bush administration called our country one of the axis of evils and they adopted their national policy that they will not recognise our system. BBC: On the way to your office this morning I got caught up in what was apparently a full-scale air raid we heard from the streets of Pyongyang. Do you really believe that America would bomb the city now? Mr Ri: The United States have taken the aircraft carrier and the ship on the east coast of our country. They said also that they would bring another carrier which is moving around this area. They brought 24 fighter planes. A B-52 was [flown] through South Korea - they've deployed them. The real meaning is, they're going to invade our country by force. BBC: What would you do if this build-up continues? Mr Ri: The responses for this are very clear. If the United States steps their boots over the borderlinewe'll take strong countermeasures. A pre-emptive attack is not something only the United States can do. We can also do that, when it is a matter of life or death. BBC: You would even consider launching a pre-emptive strike against American forces? Mr Ri: "We are fully ready to have a conversation with the United States - at the same time, we are fully ready to have war with the United States. BBC: But the Americans are acting in the way they are because they say you've broken an agreement to cease your nuclear programme and in fact there now seems some evidence that you're busy reprocessing plutonium that could be used for some type of nuclear design. Mr Ri: We have no intention of making nuclear weapons. But our nuclear activities from the present situation are only for generating electricity for a peaceful purpose. BBC: Why not simply let the inspectors back in and then they can confirm whether or not your country is or is not developing nuclear weapons? Mr Ri: If they have no intention of a war on the Korean Peninsula, they should accept our proposition to sign the non-aggression treaty and they do not want to sign it. In the United States, they published the fact that after Iraq, North Korea will be their next target... After Iraq they will make war with North Korea Your country has a good relationship with the Americans and also you have good relations with our people. So maybe you can tell your government to persuade the United States to sign this treaty. BBC: Do you fear that US forces may turn their full attention to your country once their current confrontation with Iraq is over? Mr Ri: I already know that. In the United States, they published the fact that after Iraq, North Korea will be their next target. After Iraq they will make war with North Korea.
It reminds me of Chie Nakane's Japanese Society, which I have long thought the best introduction to the Japanese. Do you know of anything similar on Korea? My study of Korea is limited to modern times, from Fehrenbach's This Kind of War, which I read 30 years ago or so, to some privately done stuff a decade or so ago about the Chaebol and Korean business practice.
His death is going to be attended by a lot of noise too. Like maybe A-10's.
They simply launched out at Pearl against us in justifiable, sincere self-protection. (Don't flame! I am only telling you what was going on in their brain!)
North Korea essentially feels we have issued a Declaration of War due to our actions and troop movements. We on the other hand, have no idea we are actually at War. If they attack us, it is simply in response to our aggressive "War" which they feel (sincerely, in their own hearts, subjectively). In that case, isn't it true that if in the mind of one of the parties they are now at war, that in reality, that does make it a State of War? We damned well better be on full alert.
Should something provocative happen, this would be the third time I can think of in recent American History where our enemies declared war in their minds and attacked us, cleaning our clocks and leaving us naively wondering what hit us and 'why?'. Shame on us.
a) Japan-Pearl Harbor / b) al-Qaida-NYC/Pentagon/Pennsylvania
These people are not very bright. They would do well in the democrat party here in the states.
For Korea, I recommend the "Culture Shock" series of books on various cultures, Korean Ethics and Etiquette in Business" by De Mente, and another intriguing book called "How Koreans Talk" (filled with proverbs and slang that only Koreans use, that gives great insight into the little things of the culture and mindset).
My favorite saying which kind of relates to the North's current incredible brinksmanship right now, bordering on psychotic recklessness, 'you die-I die', in the sense that an adversary may know his goose is cooked, but by golly he is going to try to bring down as many people with him in the crescendo.
The Samson Option, in terms that we can relate to.
If this is what is in their mind,...I see no good outcome at all.
Actually, this is as bad as it gets, especially in South Korea or Japan.
Is that so? The very fact that they're saying this in such precise terms is unusual.
Air raid drills and blackouts are becoming twice-daily rituals and huge posters calling for courage in the fight ahead cover billboards and walls.
The way that they are doing this is unusual, as well. I wouldn't be suprised if they are shifting people out of Pyongyang and out to rural areas and bunkers, as they have done in the past. Propaganda is nothing new with the NKs, but the way they are going about this is fairly egrigious.
North Korea will regard such actions as an invasion or attack against it, he said, adding that Pyongyang would not just sit and wait and could decide to strike first if necessary.
Tough talk, and very clear. You can bet that the ROK military and USFK are spun up and ready. Why they would telegraph their move like this could be for only two reasons; they're bluffing, or they're going to try and pin us with the blame for the Second Korean War.
If they are bluffing, they've pulled out all the stops to make it look realistic. Their military, diplomatic, civil, and internal sectors are all in full wartime mobilization. They are not unknown for doing this to bluff. Perhaps they think that they've cried wolf so many times in the past, they won't be taken seriously (especially by the ROKs)
If they're trying to blame us for inciting hostilities, that may play well with South Korean lefties, but no one will buy it internationally. Perhaps Kim is taliloring his message specifically to his sympathizers in the South.
Funny thing, is that the North Koreans are in possession of a large number of South Korean and some U.S. military uniforms, and have contingincies to literally stage an attack on themselves, and use that as a pretext for war. Keep an eye out for 'South Korean / USFK commando raids', coming soon to a propaganda film near you.
These guys are isolated, cornered, starving, deranged, paranoid and extremely dangerous. They have pulled this sort of brinkmanship before but for some reason this time seems more "real". Against Clinton their puffery and threats worked, naturally. They may well have miscalculated this time around by expecting similar results with a very different President.
"Face" may indeed be what starts this war and they might well be too long down this path to turn it around. But, their lurking realization they are on our short Sh!tList in our War on Terror and our preoccupation in Iraq may well be the key to their taking their last, best chance to strike when we can't bring our full power to bear.
If they are going to preempt, I would guess we'll know within 24 hours of the time our first missiles hit Bagdhad whether this is another of their psychotic bluffs or not. My guess is it isn't, and I certainly hope I'm wrong.
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