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N Korea cuts ties with South; raises war rhetoric

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39 Comments
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Sabre rattling, and blowin smoke. There won't be a war because the consequences will be too great for both sides. There may be another incident or two before the smoke clears. Remember, like I said before, think of North Korea as a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. They want attention. Only, they have nukes, and a huge army.

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Democratic nations should all embargo Chinese goods until they stop playing this silly game of propping up North Korea and protecting it from UN sanctions. Time to start making China pay for it's policy.

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Ossan, China has far less patience for N.K these days, but they're clearly in favour of the status quo. A war/regime collapse in the North would send potentially millions of refugees from that captive country spilling into China, which would do them huge damage. Unfortunately the Chinese are being played along with everyone else, but they have a little more influence than the others. They can cut off the oil supplies at just the right time and claim a malfunction, but that's about the extent of it right now. The North Korean situation is just one big unsolvable deadlock- Just as it has been for decades.

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OssanAmerica at 08:25 AM JST - 26th May

Agree with you and the way to do it legitimately is to put a total embargo on NK and ANY nation that continues to have dealing with them. It was done with Cuba for no good reason so it can be done to NK with good reason. That would put China between a rock and a hard place. Granted I have my own reasons for wanting Chinas exports to the rest of the world curtailed and if NK helped bring that about I would be more than happy.

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sensei258 at 08:09 AM JST - 26th May

“Sabre rattling, and blowin smoke.”

I hope you are right, but I think you are also being very simplistic about the “spoiled child throwing a tantrum”. There is more going on in NK at the moment than any of us really know, and the “dear leader” is not the only crazy there who could bring about a war. A little war could find NK with a new mad men running the show. The obvious is not always the answer.

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Is this really a proxy war between the US and China? Maybe the Dear Leader thinks that the US has lost its mojo, since after 9 years it hasn't even been able to control the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, much less win. Maybe he thinks the time is right to take over the south.

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Boycotting China over inaction in NK isn't going to work or happen. That's like all the nations trying to boycott the US for supporting Israel, or the US trying to get China to boycott Iran, or oh wait isn't every country trying to get every other country to boycott everyone else? Yeah, that's why these "get your friend to boycott" campaigns just don't work. Sorry.

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I don't see how he could hope to take over the South, unless he takes the worst course of action available and exterminates a significant portion of its population. 20 million in the North versus 50 million in the South- And the Southerners are a fiery lot, often protesting at what we'd consider trivial political issues. Putting it simple: They'd be an extremely tough lot to suppress.

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All these headlines should read "NK threatens war a second time in six months" Usually it isn't even a year between these threats of "total war". Just a few years ago they threatened to nuke the US, so it's not like this recent threat is even them trying very hard.

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Ossan: "Democratic nations should all embargo Chinese goods until they stop playing this silly game of propping up North Korea and protecting it from UN sanctions. Time to start making China pay for it's policy."

I agree with what you say, but unfortunately China owns too much foreign debt (especially the US), and it would never happen for economic reasons. On the same note, at least China is not propping them up QUITE the same as they used to, and are using slightly harsher rhetoric, and including not giving them aid (for which Kim ran back home to NK). We'll see what happens. I think there will be pressure put on China, but no ban of its goods.

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Wasn't it South Korea leader Lee who threatened preemptive strikes against the North 8 months back?

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It's time to csll NK's bluff and ratchet up the pressure. No more "negotiations". Ignore their bluster and continue to isolate them. The best hope is that when Dear Leader croaks, the military will finally put an end to his dynasty.

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Grandfather saw action in World War 2 (North Africa and the Pacific), seeing first-hand atrocities committed by the Axis Powers. At the same time, however, his most horrific experiences were in Korea, defending both against human wave attacks and also seeing what both the North and the South did to civilians. Anyway, if things deteriorate further on the Peninsula and war breaks out, it is not going to be pretty, with both the North and the South potentially showing little respect vis-a-vis the so-called "rules of war." To put this in another way, civilian casualties have the potential to be massive, even before the US and its other allies get involved.

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It's time to call NK's bluff and ratchet up the pressure.

I agree. It's time this bully is dealt with once and for all.

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I'm curious; all the N. Korean generals have their uniforms covered in medals, but they never fought a war. The N. Korean army would probably fold like a cheap suit in about 24 hours of combat. The enlisted men will probably turn on the officers within days...

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UN should just invade NK. They have WMD? Where?

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I'm curious; all the N. Korean generals have their uniforms covered in medals, but they never fought a war. The N. Korean army would probably fold like a cheap suit in about 24 hours of combat. The enlisted men will probably turn on the officers within days...

Most of the senior guys (with all the bling) are about 90 and a day. As such, I would say that they either rose to the top based on Korean War experience, or as a result of being faithful party apparatchiks.

Moreover, the general impression I get of the North Korean Military (based just on what is shown on TV) is of a force in the old Soviet mold, namely lots of armor and artillery. The question is, however, would such a force be an effective weapon against the modern militaries of the West. The Gulf War would seem to indicate that this is not the case.

At the same time, however, you have to consider the issue of North Korean artillery, which is supposedly dug-in on masse just over the DMZ. The big question, however, is how quickly could it be neutralized. The South Koreans might not be so keen for war if it meant massive civilian casualties in urban areas (which has always been a North Korean threat).

With regard to the North Korean military, periodically there are articles in the press that highlight such issues as malnutrition and equipment shortages. At the same time, however, it is generally accepted that the level of brainwashing in North Korean makes the old Soviet Union seem as an attractive alternative. Also, you have to realize that the officer corps in North Korea will have no future if the regime in Pyongyang falls. As such, they might come out swinging.

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The big question, however, is how quickly could it be neutralized.

Depends on who SK brings to the fight.

Also, you have to realize that the officer corps in North Korea will have no future if the regime in Pyongyang falls. As such, they might come out swinging.

If it came down to it I can easily see them bum rushing the DMZ with artillery support, the losses would be horrendous but they would make it though. I can't imagine after all the years in service to that kind of regime that NK soldiers have much regard for their own lives.

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I'm curious; all the N. Korean generals have their uniforms covered in medals,

They're honor badges. Knot tying, fire-making, tent pitching...

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Supposedly, their economy is in shambles, worse than in the past. The U.S. and S. Korea might sense that this is an opportune time to turn up the heat.

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Why the media hysteria? It's all a show directed by China.

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It's time to call NK's bluff and ratchet up the pressure.

I agree. It's time this bully is dealt with once and for all.

I agree too. I'm tired of N Korea talking so much trash. It's time to shut Dear Leader up.

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caffeinebuzz at 08:34 AM JST - 26th May Ossan, China has far less patience for N.K these days, but they're >clearly in favour of the status quo

Yes yes we all know WHY China keeps protecting North Korea. The question is how to get them to stop playing this game so the problem can actually be resolved.

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It's time to call NK's bluff and ratchet up the pressure.

I don't know how much of a bluff it is this time. It seems they just sank a S. Korean ship with a torpedo. It could be that the NK Dear Leader is just lonely and wants the US Dear Leader to visit for some tea. Or maybe he thinks the US Dear Leader doesn't have the stones to intervene and he's free to attack SK all he wants. All the US Dear Leader will do is talk tough. If NK sinks another SK ship, he'll talk even tougher.

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timorborder at 11:11 AM JST - 26th May,

That was a very nice post. Interesting thoughts.

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Must be they don't need the money.

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All I got to say is, if the ROK has the goods on the DPRK role in the sinking, and the proof of their ability to sink a Po Hang class ASW corvette, we'll see it at the UN.

To avoid a major conflict, and major casualties on both sides, the ROK should send in commandos to take out all or most of the subs that can penetrate PHS 32 sonar - "even, steven". That would mean they would have to have a James Bond-type commandos that can do things.

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I do wish to make a comment on what I have been reading on other forums. The DPRK has obsolete Soviet era equipment, a dead economy, an one million man army starving, ill equipped, and dietary problems. The only thing they have is fortified artillery w/ ammo and a nuke. How they acquired a modern sub needs to be explained.

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What if all this is another Sept. 11th? and the a covert team of Navy seals has sunk the SK ship with a recovered NK torpedo, Destabilization is the most common tactic in modern warfare.

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NATO, joined with Japan and south Korean Army should make a surprise total offensive... to destroy its artillery, nuclear facilities, and everything else. A couple of Nukes on Kim Jong Il's ass would help a lot.... problem resolved.

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The main problem is that NK has lots of conventional artillery pointing Seoul, and it is only 200km away, If they decide to fire, they can kill hundreds of thousands of civilians in Seoul within 1 or 2 hours, and there is no defense shield to stop the artillery, basically the can easily destroy Seoul....Americans could do basically nothing to stop them, unless they use nuclear weapons against Pyonnag, but Obama has restricted it's use. If NK attacks afterwards NK will be totally erased from the map... but thousands of casualties in Seoul.

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NK should just say we did it by mistake and have punished the sub commander. Finished easy done.

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Calling little kim's bluff is a dumb idea. A short, but devastating artillery barrage on Seoul, would kill hundreds of thousands. Some, posting here, are waaaaay too willing to sacrifice civilian lives.

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I live in Seoul now, so let's leave the little guy alone at least for now, until I move out....

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twinring

What if all this is another Sept. 11th?

I really hope you're kidding. 9/11 was not an inside job.

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On the other hand, remember that South Korea beat the dickens out of a North Korean patrol boat about 2 months ago. This is just tit-for-tat. But who is getting more tit for the other's tat?

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Well there goes S. Koreas supply of malnourished and starving human beings.

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It is almost time again, the little leader is dying. He wants to be able to reunite Korea before he dies. Problem his military is just not up to the job. It is on the verge of malnourishment as well as the rest of the population. They are either going to die of starvation or in battle. He is not concerned with the life's of his people. I say it is going to be time again and soon unless Obama is willing to give in and allow the North to take over the South. Do not see this happening so we are just waiting for a spark to light the mound of dry tinder.

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so we are just waiting for a spark to light the mound of dry tinder.

There won't be a war, I repeat there won't be an all-out war

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-05/30/c_13323335.htm

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