N Korea says hydrogen bomb test was 'perfect success'

This is UN-believeable!!

So what's China going to say now?

I really do think that KJU will use these weapons once he has made them, how do we stop him? when will the world start to sit up and take notice?

So what's China going to say now?

They'll say it's the fault of Japan, South Korea, the USA, the UK, the EU and Uncle Tom Cobbley and all for 'provoking' behaviour. They won't blame North Korea.

Wouldn't it great if we had a President about now?

Well defiantly upping the end game, how many times do you say no before a slap down.?

might be time for a few "Surgical" strikes not so hard to target the only non slim man in the area.

China has no power over North Korea.

The beginning to the end. Unfortunately this will need a massive military campaign and countless millions will die before the North Korean dictatorship is gone.

a test could come on or around the Sept. 9 anniversary of North Korea’s national founding, something it did last year

So Nth Korea test again & watch how all other countries actually do nothing but verbally denounce it. Nuclear deterrence at work, which only encourages Kim to keep at it.

I am positive the Peoples Republic of China has been supplying the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea with missile tech and perhaps nuclear weapons technology.

NK has had nukes for a while - now seems they have a bigger one.  But we need to keep this in perspective.  NK has nukes because it is paranoid (perhaps not without reason) that the US may attack - which they may well do if NK was not nuclear armed.  It would be good, although unlikely, if Trump said we have no plans to attack you.  Unfortunately he will most likely blunderbuss and tweet himself into an area of no retreat. 

NK is NOT going to attack America, South Korea or Japan.  If they were to launch an attack at breakfast time they would be obliterated by brunch,  And they know this.   It is nothing more than a warning to the US - if you attack us there will be devastating consequences.  And like it or not the US will have to learn to live with this just as they have with the Russians states, previously the USSR for the last 65 years. 

We, in my opinion, are not on the verge of nuclear war.  What we have is just another country saying we will not bow to American might.  And let us bear in mind that America is now a country, or empire, in rapid decline.  They no longer have the military might, let alone the moral right to dictate to other countries how they should behave.  Yes, they may have a big army, more fighter plane and tanks, MOAB's then anyone else, yet they are impotent if they risk a war against a small, insignificant country that could in retaliation take out New York, Chicago or vast swathes of Alaska or Hawaii. 

The nuclear genie cannot be put back in the bottle.  This may seem a little blasé but why not the US say OK, you have nuclear weapons, just don't mess with us.  And then leave them alone to do whatever they do.  Eat leaves and worms while the rich have caviar.  Next time they rattle the US cage why not say " did you hear anything, no me neither".

I wouldnt rely on NK's external propaganda nearly as much as its internal messages to its own.

Give South Korea the technology for Mutually Assured Destruction

(yawn)

Send Dennis Rodman to visit KJU at his palace, bomb the palace and tell China we were targeting Rodman. No problem.

When the US starts advising US citizens to evacuate SK, then it gets serious.

Walk softly and Carry an Armada of Trident submarines.

@Burning Bush

Bingo ! Supplied by a Bankrupt Ukraine which is run by a puppet installed by the US ......Whoopsy....or maybe not

Send Dennis Rodman to visit KJU at his palace, bomb the palace and tell China we were targeting Rodman. No problem.

Antonio Inoki was planning to visit on the 7th. I wonder if he changed his mind.

I do not have particularly a bad feeling about North Korea while I cannot come to like South Korea. North Korea is manly while South Korea is like a snake.

Wouldn't it great if we had a President about now?

We do, but he's taking a wait and see approach. At least he's NOT going to tell the. NK What he will or won't do or make bolstering and empty Red Line threats he won't back up.

The other guys in the picture look so grim is because they know that, if they ever use one of these, they will all be vaporized as their country is turned into a pile of molten glass.

Bush the Idiot is gone long time ago, but results of his stupidity we see today. The NK nuclear problem could be resolved in 90s, but since Bush embarked on his mission of removing leaders of other countries he did not like (and who could not strike back), like Saddam, the Kims family got it loud and clear: never surrender the nukes, ortherwise you'll be next. Obama proved to be no more clever then Bush, with his aggression against Libya - the country which voluntarily scrapped its nuclear program. Now Kim will never stop his nuclear / missile program, because it is his only insurance against the US. The world reaps the fruits of American arrogance and North Korean paranoia.

Piece of advice for KJU: do a Wikipedia search for"Ohio class submarines".

Take Kim and his military out now. There will be consequences but sooner is better than later.

Take Kim and his military out now. There will be consequences but sooner is better than later

Oh, those armchair generals.... Please share your strategic thoughts with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and enlighten them how to "take out" Kim and his army without starting a nuclear war. The US refrains from attacking NK exactly because NK can (unlike Iraq and Libya) more or less effectively defend itself and inflict severe losses of US forces.

I'm starting to think that the consequences of war later will be far greater than the consequences of war now with NK

Funny that the world gets so worked up over a nuclear test when we have this history...to 1998 only, mind you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXYPguFQ-L4

Asakaze, I know. Bur better now than later.

North Korea makes an earthquake in China and the Chinese don't react! Cowards!

When will the media stop printing what is not true. China has no power or influence of NK. A recent TV special clearly shows NK's selling illegal food products in China very recently.  Numerous times NK has told China to stay out of its business and who it manages the country. The only real known strategy like it or not as history has proved is the use of force.

Kestrel, seriously, do you really know how to "take out" Kim and his army? How would you do that? And I hope you understand that any move to "take out" Kim would result in immediate war - first, complete destruction of Seoul and the US garrison there, then the invasion of South Korea, then a barrage of missiles against more distant US targets. If you're ready for that, then I hope you and @dcog9065 are enlisted and would be first to go to the battle zone.

thank you @tamara.

@asakaze. you forgot japan and the west coast of america, and if true, all of america and canada if they can launch 20 hydrogen nukes at the same time. nobody can stop all in war...

There is not much that can be done realizing that any aggressive action to North Korea could potentially result in thousands of American deaths............

bjohnson23Today  07:53 pm JST

When will the media stop printing what is not true. China has no power or influence of NK.

When a single country provides 90% of NK's energy needs, accounts for 90% of NK's trade, and maintains

a Defense Agreement from 1961 obligating it to defend NK from attack....it has the power and influence.

bass4funk: "We do, but he's taking a wait and see approach."

You mean after saying he wanted to meet the "gentleman" (Kim), then the 180 about "fire and fury the likes of which the world has never seen" if Kim continues, which he not only has, but has accelerated what he's doing?

You sure do enjoy defending hypocrisy.

Ghost Rider: "North Korea makes an earthquake in China and the Chinese don't react! Cowards!"

As opposed to what? More rhetoric from Abe and 180s from Trump? China's not going to act at the behest of people like yourself who defend the ultra-right actions of self-proclaimed war hawks like Abe, which include denying history.

The sooner we all accept that NK has nuclear deterrence, the better. They already have the technology years ago, and yes even though it's more advanced now, they won't use it on anyone unless they're attacked. That's a statistic. I say open up their economy, trade, and business, and they'll have even less reasons to use it.

China allows the fat man to push the International community to see how far he can go. From that they can gauge the likely resistance from the West to their plans to exploit the mineral rich South China Sea. This has gone far enough now, The US is the only country with a military big enough to pull it off needs to flatten NK with conventional weapons and tell China that if they interfere the nuclear option is on the table. It is only because NK hides beneath China’s skirt that this has been tolerated. Both NK and China need a lesson to kerb their ambitions.

You mean after saying he wanted to meet the "gentleman" (Kim), then the 180 about "fire and fury the likes of which the world has never seen" if Kim continues, which he not only has, but has accelerated what he's doing? 

It's always nice to hear the opinions of people that have zero idea of how the military works and what is done behind the scenes. Just because you didn't see Trump do or say anything doesn't give you or any of us insight as to the micro geopolitics of how these games are played. Trump is the president, he is NOT the problem that Kim has to worry about, it's Mattis and the other generals that Kim needs to be concerned about. Trump basically handed the reigns to Mattis and the other generals and like Mattis said when he was asked "What keeps you up at night?" He replied, "nothing keeps me up at night, I keep other people up at night." Kim has NO idea with what he is dealing with and when the Russians start telling Kim, you need to be careful, the US will wipe you from existence, he really needs to take their advice seriously.

ThePBotToday  09:41 pm JST

. I say open up their economy, trade, and business, and they'll have even less reasons to use it.

You're welcome to take the next flight via Beijing to Pyongyang and get that going. We are in this situation today because all efforts through negotiation to do just what you suggest have failed over several decades.

I say open up their economy, trade, and business, and they'll have even less reasons to use it.

____

There have been limited efforts to experiment with the capitalist economy and still allow Kim to remain in power but the nuclear negotiations entered into under the Clinton administration provided incentives for the North to shut down reactors and halt construction on nuclear facilities. They weren't designed to open up the economy.

Asakaze, the problem is that it looks increasingly like Kim will, when hes made and stockpiled plenty of nuclear missiles , lauch them at his perceived enemies. You want to wait until he has 20, 50, 100 nuclear missiles?

Just because you didn't see Trump do or say anything doesn't give you or any of us insight as to the micro geopolitics of how these games are played.

I really don't understand people's thinking as if the President of the United States is going to say, "Yeah, tomorrow at 08:00 we are going to head over to North Korea and bombard Pyongyang". Did Obama announce to the World that the Navy Seals were heading over to take out Bin Laden?

I thought perhaps now Trump would send in special forces into the palace at night and arrest kju (probably end up killing him).

I mean he has got to be pissed now.

The danger or risk is not necessarily the Pyongyang dictatorship imminent deployment and use of  intercontinental ballistic missile technology attached to a hydrogen bomb.

It's the realisation that its purpose, as leverage to effect sweeping political change and tip the balance of  power to influence the removal of United States Pacific Fleet presence in the region is doomed to failure and the consequences that possession will ultimately hasten first use.  

The belief or theory of an American culture in decline is the propaganda of the Soviet Union's great patriotic war, stale cold war rhetoric.

Tamarama: Funny that the world gets so worked up over a nuclear test when we have this history...to 1998 only, mind you.

This is a test of a device that supposedly fits onto their new ICBM. Before they were testing without the ability to make it fit and without a missile to put it on.

I could be wrong, but someone will be along shortly to correct me if I am.

And things continue to progress. As much as I dislike Trump this is not of his creation. Something will have to be done before the ability to attach the bomb to the delivery mechanism is perfected (which will not be too long). This is the result of previous administrations kicking the can down the road for decades.

Saying both Kim and Trump are crazy is an apples and oranges comparison. Kim had his 1/2 brother assassinated at an international airport. The past regimes engaged in kidnapping Japanese citizens (actually from Japan). Trump is not fit for President and has his own issues but I do not think they approach Kim. Furthermore the U.S. has many more checks and balances to prevent action (no, the President cannot unilaterally just launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike).

North Korea has been steadily improving their weapons technology. I have no doubt they would continue testing their developments regardless of who is in power.

I think this is one case where the world (not just Japan, South Korea, and the U.S.) need to get involved as if nuclear action does occur it will impact the entire world (economically at a minimum). France and the U.K. have spoken out strongly against Kim. Would like to hear this from more of the European nations.

Like Trump or not he has been dealt a bad hand with this situation.

Hopefully NK's next launch accidentally flies over China. Maybe then, they will take the NK threat more seriously.

sooner or later we will have to deal with the Hermit country, and many will die.

The sooner we all accept that NK has nuclear deterrence, the better. They already have the technology years ago, and yes even though it's more advanced now, they won't use it on anyone unless they're attacked. That's a statistic. I say open up their economy, trade, and business, and they'll have even less reasons to use it.

That would be rewarding bad behavior. It would also start a precedent for rouge states obtaining nuclear weapons as a bargaining tool in international negotiations.

BluewaterToday  04:16 am JST

sooner or later we will have to deal with the Hermit country, and many will die.

Only if you attack them first.

It is up to USA to decide which is more important: the American pride or millions of SK civilian's lives, and perhaps their own ones as well provided NK's ICBMs aren't a propaganda hoax

Seth. USA has the capability of sending 2,000 tomahaws, 20 F-22 with radiation seekers and a full range of bombs from the lancer and spirit in a mere of 3 hours.

its not about American pride we talk about, its about a guy that killed his own brother and uncle just because they disagree with him.

The “long game” with North Korea is playable. The “long game “ meaning pressure until the regime collapses. Trade is impossible under current conditions since, for one thing, they don' t offer anything to sell that the rest of the world wants to buy. The danger point will be right before the moment of collapse.

Another poster in another thread stated that there are two choices now: surrender or talk peace.

Peace talk negotiations under what terms?

North Korea, with its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities is now in a position to intimidate and blackmail the U.S., South Korea, Japan and UN Security Council to either (A) agree to peace treaty under terms that would mandate U.S. military withdraw from SK, surrender SK to a Unified Korea under Kim's regime (or government favourably tilted toward China), or (B) face continued nuclear destruction intimidations.

The only non-military solution UN Security Council, U.S., Japan can impose is continued sanctions against NK, extending sanctions to countries that does business with NK. But how effective will that be? NK is resourceful to finding ways around those sanctions.  Russia and China will ignore those sanctions. 

Very doubtful the so-called pre-emptive strikes against NK will happen. The "voice" of the U.S. and Japanese people will not allow Trump and Abe to attack. (The next election will see to that).  And the UN Security Council does not have the political will to take military actions.

SK, under President Moon, has stated to U.S. “Only the Republic of Korea can make the decision for military action on the Korean Peninsula.” He will not take or allow any military actions to take place, unless he wants to risk devastating destruction from the massive NK forces along the border.

The UN, US and Japan is, unfortunately, impotent to do anything but agree to "peace talks" under NK's terms.  If Trump (under pressure from the leftwing and pacifists to avoid war) goes to Pyongyang, the U.S. will have lost any negotiating power it has. It may as well surrender to NK terms. 

Very unfortunate it has comes to this, but we had the chance 60 years ago to "nip the NK (and PRC) problem in the bud", but didn't.  At that time, the U.S. had the military power and the political will to do so.

If unification talks do happen, it will be difficult to negotiate a unified "democratic" government that is neutral to U.S. and China.

The other danger is that they start selling their technology to the highest bidder(s), whether it be a country or a group.

Keep an eye on the earthquake map in that area. There is a dormant (?) volcano about 100KM Northeast of the test site.

BluewaterToday  05:29 am JST

Seth. USA has the capability of sending 2,000 tomahaws, 20 F-22 with radiation seekers and a full range of bombs from the lancer and spirit in a mere of 3 hours.

What a funny, childish post. Do you think NK is alone? Remember what happened last time 70 years ago when America made a bold claim like yours?

might be time for a few "Surgical" strikes not so hard to target the only non slim man in the area.

Unfortunately this will need a massive military campaign

Send Dennis Rodman to visit KJU at his palace, bomb the palace and tell China we were targeting Rodman

Walk softly and Carry an Armada of Trident submarines.

they will all be vaporized as their country is turned into a pile of molten glass

Take Kim and his military out now. There will be consequences but sooner is better than later.

The US is the only country with a military big enough to pull it off needs to flatten NK with conventional weapons and tell China that if they interfere the nuclear option is on the table.

the US will wipe you from existence

USA has the capability of sending 2,000 tomahaws, 20 F-22 with radiation seekers and a full range of bombs from the lancer and spirit in a mere of 3 hours.

Very unfortunate it has comes to this, but we had the chance 60 years ago to "nip the NK (and PRC) problem in the bud", but didn't. At that time, the U.S. had the military power and the political will to do so.

Gee, I wonder why North Korea feels like it needs a deterrent to USA agression.

What's happening: NK is attempting to join "The Nuclear Boys Club".

Why it's happening: NK wants to get recognized as a world power. (I don't say it would happen, just that they want to be recognized.)

How: You got me, babe. Atomic is one thing, Hydrogen is totally another.

Is it a result of Bush Jr.? Nah.

Is it a result of Trump: Really? Are you kidding me?

Will it result in NK becoming a nuclear wasteland: Depends on their "Beloved Leader", doesn't it? For all intents a purposes, he seems like nothing more than a puppet controlled by their military elite.

But hey, banana republics are fun to watch and burn with magnifying glasses, aren't they?

Seth, nor China or russia can destroy tomahawks or F22s or spirit bombers. And they wouldn't dare attack an american airplane or ship, the backslash would be too great and China would lose the American market forever.

just remember that USA is a very big country. They dont need China like China need USA

Trump and his team are playing this the right way. Agree with Bass4funk.

Well then you're both wrong.

Putin says sanctions are useless.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41158281

Mr Putin said Russia's trade with North Korea was negligible and did not violate current international sanctions.

Wonder what Joffrey will say to Tywin about still doing business with the DPRK?

Is he going to stop trading with Russia?

Why have these "North Korean yes Men" always have their "Note Books open" when the Bird Brain is with them?