The Student Room Group

North Korea likely to carry out nuclear test

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/18/us-korea-north-us-idUSBRE83H07T20120418
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/17/us-korea-north-us-idUSBRE83G12H20120417
http://www.npr.org/2012/04/11/150438390/n-korea-may-stage-nuclear-test-after-rocket-launch

Much as we all like to laugh at North Korea and their idiotic claims such as perfecting nuclear fusion ect. It appears things are getting serious again. North Korea have threatened retaliation for the response to their rocket launch and many believe this will come in the form of a nuclear weapons test, likely a uranium bomb. North Korea have also abandoned the deal they made with the US to give up enriching Uranium.

No one has really been too sure just how advanced the north's program is but it appears they may well have the capacity to mass produce nuclear weapons. Given the links between North Korea and other nations such Iran and Libya when it comes to this sort of thing this is very concerning. There's not really a lot the international community can do either . Diplomacy does not work and any form of military action is clearly off the table so the options are very limited.

Seems the new Kim will be just like his father. Thoughts?
(edited 11 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Time to write my Last Will and Testament... It was nice while it lasted.
Reply 2
How about an invasion! We have a good record when it comes to invading countries for oil- sorry, I mean for nuclear weapons- sorry, I mean... well wait a second, The only record we have is for invading for no reason att all!
Reply 3
Original post by avig613
How about an invasion! We have a good record when it comes to invading countries for oil- sorry, I mean for nuclear weapons- sorry, I mean... well wait a second, The only record we have is for invading for no reason att all!


Apart from Iraq, Afghanistan Libya and the first gulf war were all legitimate.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 4
They'll probably end up bombing themselves. Do they have the capabilities to hit targets in Europe and beyond yet?

Original post by avig613
How about an invasion! We have a good record when it comes to invading countries for oil- sorry, I mean for nuclear weapons- sorry, I mean... well wait a second, The only record we have is for invading for no reason att all!


Pro Israel

Anti-war

(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by Foo.mp3
I don't think Kim Jung Un will do it, after all, he is the Un :awesome:

Don't know whether to rep you or neg you for that one...
Lol the Western allies stockpile nuclear weapons like it's no man's business and is surprised when 'the East' wants to do the same? Absolute joke.

By no means do I think that nuclear weapons are a good thing for our shared humanity, but hey - what right does the United States have to argue against their claim for nuclear weapons when they themselves have more than every nation except Russia? As far as I'm concerned, North Korea has as valid and legitimate a right to nuclear weapons as the rest of us.

Any disagreement is just a double standard.

"Whaaattt?? They want to have weapons too? Well that's preposterous! Only we are allowed to rape, pillage and invade foreign third world nations! Only we're allowed to stockpile the most deadly weapons on the planet! This is an outrage! Their claim to nuclear technology is an affront to peace and love!!1 What's that? Our weapons? Oh, don't be silly, we only carry nuclear trident missiles of love, we're the good guys, don't worry!"


Pshh..
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by jumpingjesusholycow
Lol the Western allies stockpile nuclear weapons like it's no man's business and is surprised when 'the East' wants to do the same? Absolute joke.

By no means do I think that nuclear weapons are a good thing for our shared humanity, but hey - what right does the United States have to argue against their claim for nuclear weapons when they themselves have more than every nation except Russia? As far as I'm concerned, North Korea has as valid and legitimate a right to nuclear weapons as the rest of us.

Any disagreement is just a double standard.

"Whaaattt?? They want to have weapons too? Well that's preposterous! Only we are allowed to rape, pillage and invade foreign third world nations! Only we're allowed to stockpile the most deadly weapons on the planet! This is an outrage! Their claim to nuclear technology is an affront to peace and love!!1 What's that? Our weapons? Oh, don't be silly, we only carry nuclear trident missiles of love, we're the good guys, don't worry!"


Pshh..


North Korea is a special case though, living near that country must be like having you dad store ammonium nitrate under your bed.
Reply 8
Original post by jumpingjesusholycow
Lol the Western allies stockpile nuclear weapons like it's no man's business and is surprised when 'the East' wants to do the same? Absolute joke.

By no means do I think that nuclear weapons are a good thing for our shared humanity, but hey - what right does the United States have to argue against their claim for nuclear weapons when they themselves have more than every nation except Russia? As far as I'm concerned, North Korea has as valid and legitimate a right to nuclear weapons as the rest of us.

Any disagreement is just a double standard.

"Whaaattt?? They want to have weapons too? Well that's preposterous! Only we are allowed to rape, pillage and invade foreign third world nations! Only we're allowed to stockpile the most deadly weapons on the planet! This is an outrage! Their claim to nuclear technology is an affront to peace and love!!1 What's that? Our weapons? Oh, don't be silly, we only carry nuclear trident missiles of love, we're the good guys, don't worry!"


Pshh..


I'd much rather live in a world where a select few countries have nuclear weapons and can be accused of double standards than one where every single nation no matter what they want the weapons for can freely develop with no fear of consequence. The less nations with nuclear weapons the better and if that leads to accusations of double standards then hey I can live with that.
Original post by Aj12
I'd much rather live in a world where a select few countries have nuclear weapons and can be accused of double standards than one where every single nation no matter what they want the weapons for can freely develop with no fear of consequence. The less nations with nuclear weapons the better and if that leads to accusations of double standards then hey I can live with that.


I'll go one step further than I already have. Foreign nations acquiring nuclear weapons is the only fail-safe against the United States, a power that exists already and for too long, with no military opposition. With the US's military record, I'd prefer the US to be challenged. I support North Korea's right to nuclear technology. I will join you in your anti-Nuclear campaign the minute you decide that US citizens are equal to that of everyone else and must too, drop their weapons if they insist on others doing so.


Original post by TheHansa
North Korea is a special case though, living near that country must be like having you dad store ammonium nitrate under your bed.


I agree, but the same logic applies elsewhere. Living alongside the United States is like knowing there are tactically placed ready-to-detonate bombs surrounding you everywhere you go, in the event that your dad disapproves of what you're doing.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 10
Original post by jumpingjesusholycow
I'll go one step further than I already have. Foreign nations acquiring nuclear weapons is the only fail-safe against the United States, a power that exists already and for too long, with no military opposition. With the US's military record, I'd prefer the US to be challenged. I support North Korea's right to nuclear technology. I will join you in your anti-Nuclear campaign the minute you decide that US citizens are equal to that of everyone else and must too, drop their weapons if they insist on others doing so.


Its not at all. Were that the case Iran would have been crushed quite awhile ago as would North Korea. Whilst in an all out war any nation would lose against the US thats not how it works. Iran and North Korea have both succeeded in making sure that their militarises could do enough damage to the US and its allies to make any invasion almost unthinkable due to the sheer cost of a war. In most cases its due to their pursuit of nuclear weapons that a nation would come against the US. Even if you want to argue that the US will invade nations to gain things like oil or other resources a strong enough military can easily deter them.

I don't see why you think it will be such a great day when a nation like say China can challenge the US. The only reason they would challenge them is to do something like invade Taiwan or bully its neighbour nations over the South China Sea. I imagine you think another super power on the stage would constrain the US but look at what happened the last time there was a challenger? We saw massive nuclear stockpiling as well as proxy wars fought throughout the globe.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Aj12
Its not at all. Were that the case Iran would have been crushed quite awhile ago as would North Korea. Whilst in an all out war any nation would lose against the US thats not how it works. Iran and North Korea have both succeeded in making sure that their militarises could do enough damage to the US and its allies to make any invasion almost unthinkable due to the sheer cost of a war. In most cases its due to their pursuit of nuclear weapons that a nation would come against the US. Even if you want to argue that the US will invade nations to gain things like oil or other resources a strong enough military can easily deter them.


I suppose we're in agreement then. The only hope for a nation to protect itself against US hegemony is through the acquisition of nuclear weapons.

I don't see why you think it will be such a great day when a nation like say China can challenge the US. The only reason they would challenge them is to do something like invade Taiwan or bully its neighbour nations over the South China Sea. I imagine you think another super power on the stage would constrain the US but look at what happened the last time there was a challenger? We saw massive nuclear stockpiling as well as proxy wars fought throughout the globe.


Open your eyes and look around you. What difference is there between that of the supposed future of China that you've described and the current US regime? Bullying Latin-American nations and installing 'friendly governments' in its favour? What responsibility to I have to be favourable to the US having a free stage to bully the planet with a free pass? With nations that have absolutely no military chance against the United States, at least a Nuclear missile aimed at every major US city has the chance of keeping it in check.
I am totally against any form of nuclear weapon and am all for diplomatic reasoning.

If that fails then the dispute should be settled by a good old fashioned war, not a ****ing mushroom cloud.
Original post by Aj12
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/18/us-korea-north-us-idUSBRE83H07T20120418
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/17/us-korea-north-us-idUSBRE83G12H20120417
http://www.npr.org/2012/04/11/150438390/n-korea-may-stage-nuclear-test-after-rocket-launch

Much as we all like to laugh at North Korea and their idiotic claims such as perfecting nuclear fusion ect. It appears things are getting serious again. North Korea have threatened retaliation for the response to their rocket launch and many believe this will come in the form of a nuclear weapons test, likely a uranium bomb. North Korea have also abandoned the deal they made with the US to give up enriching Uranium.

No one has really been too sure just how advanced the north's program is but it appears they may well have the capacity to mass produce nuclear weapons. Given the links between North Korea and other nations such Iran and Libya when it comes to this sort of thing this is very concerning. There's not really a lot the international community can do either . Diplomacy does not work and any form of military action is clearly off the table so the options are very limited.

Seems the new Kim will be just like his father. Thoughts?
Why do we have to do anything? Why can't we just ignore them.

The problem is not North Korea, its North Korea with the support of China. Which tells who is really running the show. The idea of nuclear proliferation would only happen if China wished it, if that is the case there isn't much you can do without challenging China anyway.
Reply 14
Original post by doggyfizzel
Why do we have to do anything? Why can't we just ignore them.

The problem is not North Korea, its North Korea with the support of China. Which tells who is really running the show. The idea of nuclear proliferation would only happen if China wished it, if that is the case there isn't much you can do without challenging China anyway.


Have a read of this. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/world/asia/24beijing.html I think we all over estimate just how much control China has over North Korea.
Bomb the main palace and kill all the crazy officials in North Korea asap. America has the bombers and like hell Korea has even half decent radar. Letting this problem just boil away is incredibly risky and is killing thousands of people in North Korea every day.
Reply 16
Original post by jumpingjesusholycow
I suppose we're in agreement then. The only hope for a nation to protect itself against US hegemony is through the acquisition of nuclear weapons.



Open your eyes and look around you. What difference is there between that of the supposed future of China that you've described and the current US regime? Bullying Latin-American nations and installing 'friendly governments' in its favour? What responsibility to I have to be favourable to the US having a free stage to bully the planet with a free pass? With nations that have absolutely no military chance against the United States, at least a Nuclear missile aimed at every major US city has the chance of keeping it in check.



Where did I say that? I argued that a nation does not need nuclear weapons to defend itself but by pursing them it will bring itself against the US as well as China Russia US the UK and France.

Simply put it will end up much worse. You seem to think a challenger to the US will stop this? I disagree I think it will make it far far worse. You make it sound simply to pursue nuclear weapons. It costs billions and will lead to a nation being alienated by the International community. If a nation wants to avoid invasion by the US then they can easily build up their military conventionally rather than going with the far more difficult option of nuclear weapons.
Original post by Aj12
I'd much rather live in a world where a select few countries have nuclear weapons and can be accused of double standards than one where every single nation no matter what they want the weapons for can freely develop with no fear of consequence. The less nations with nuclear weapons the better and if that leads to accusations of double standards then hey I can live with that.


The bottom line is those select few go around the world bullying countries politically and economically using the said weapons and the might they bring. If nuclear weapons are indeed a deterrent, why do you not expect every nation on earth to pursue them in order to safeguard their future?
Interesting, their step-back in there ballistic programme shows that China has perhaps stop consulting and supplying North Korea. It'll be interesting to see the payload in this nuclear device as that will draw greater evidence to China's involvement (or lack of) in the North Korean regime.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 19
Original post by silent ninja
The bottom line is those select few go around the world bullying countries politically and economically using the said weapons and the might they bring. If nuclear weapons are indeed a deterrent, why do you not expect every nation on earth to pursue them in order to safeguard their future?


I'd disagree with that. Yes they go round bullying countries but not using nuclear weapons. America could easily go round the world bullying most nations regardless of their nuclear arsenal.

Quick Reply