**The "North Korea Watch 2013" Update Thread**
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Original post by hamijack
Tbf he does seem to dedicate a lot of time to watching this situation.
he sits there 24/7 refreshing the news page on north korea
Original post by Drewski
Lasers aren't that far away...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/apr/09/us-navy-laser-cannon-planes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22076705
Because you're the only one capable of keeping up to date with it? Behave.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/apr/09/us-navy-laser-cannon-planes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22076705
Because you're the only one capable of keeping up to date with it? Behave.
that article was posted today? that means laser weaponary technology was unveiled today? crap these are signs of war...humanity is developing more ugly weapons
I've just relaised its already the 10th April in Korea.
Original post by study beats
that article was posted today? that means laser weaponary technology was unveiled today? crap these are signs of war...humanity is developing more ugly weapons
No, laser weaponry has been around for a while, it's just getting better and more 'useful'. Whereas previously it's been more of a distraction/nuisance system (see the ZM-87 linked earlier) these have actual kinetic results. A bit more development on them to get round the all-weather issues - at the moment they can't be used in fog, rain, etc - and they'll be a viable weapons system.
The US had planned to fit much larger versions to modified B-747 aircraft as an airborne anti-ballistic missile defence, but cancelled the project because they didn't think there'd be a need for it (nb, not because it didn't work... it does).
http://rt.com/politics/g8-rejects-north-korea-579/
Looks like someone gave them their money back.
Looks like someone gave them their money back.
US confident it can intercept North Korean missiles, says top admiral
Head of US Pacific Command says US military is 'ready' to stop a strike as North Korea warns foreigners to leave South Korea
The United States could intercept a ballistic missile launched by North Korea, the top US military commander in the Pacific said Tuesday, as the relationship between the West and the communist government hit its lowest ebb since the end of the Korean War.
Admiral Samuel Locklear, commander of US Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles represented a clear threat to the United States and its allies in the region.
But he said that the US was "ready" if North Korea attempted a strike and that it had the capability to thwart a North Korean missile.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pyonyang warning foreigners living in South Koreato make evacuation plans because the peninsula is on the brink of war.
"We do not wish harm on foreigners in South Korea should there be a war," the official KCNA news agency quoted an official from a North Korean organisation calling itself Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee as saying.
I do hope that when the admiral was making his statements, that he had nearby regions in mind and not mainland USA - unless of course he knows something we don't? But no, I'm sure it's accurate to say that North Korea does not yet have the capability to strike mainland USA - so he must have meant nearby regions to NK?
Head of US Pacific Command says US military is 'ready' to stop a strike as North Korea warns foreigners to leave South Korea
The United States could intercept a ballistic missile launched by North Korea, the top US military commander in the Pacific said Tuesday, as the relationship between the West and the communist government hit its lowest ebb since the end of the Korean War.
Admiral Samuel Locklear, commander of US Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles represented a clear threat to the United States and its allies in the region.
But he said that the US was "ready" if North Korea attempted a strike and that it had the capability to thwart a North Korean missile.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pyonyang warning foreigners living in South Koreato make evacuation plans because the peninsula is on the brink of war.
"We do not wish harm on foreigners in South Korea should there be a war," the official KCNA news agency quoted an official from a North Korean organisation calling itself Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee as saying.
I do hope that when the admiral was making his statements, that he had nearby regions in mind and not mainland USA - unless of course he knows something we don't? But no, I'm sure it's accurate to say that North Korea does not yet have the capability to strike mainland USA - so he must have meant nearby regions to NK?
(edited 11 years ago)
Is this really wise of the United States:
Sequester: US Air Force grounds combat planes
The US Air Force has begun grounding about a third of its combat aircraft in response to deep budget cuts that began to take effect in March.
The move will affect units in the US, Europe and the Pacific.
Air Force Gen Mike Hostage said aircraft would be grounded on a "rotating basis" to focus on "fulfilling critical missions".
Separately, the US Navy said the cuts will force it to ground its Blue Angels air show team for the rest of the year.
The Air Force's budget for the fiscal year ending in October is being reduced by $591m (£386m).
'Risk' to airpower
The cuts are part of the series of deficit reduction measures that began to take effect on 1 March.
About $85bn in across-the-board cuts for this year are divided roughly in half between military and domestic programmes.
The cuts took effect after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree to another plan to cut spending and reduce the US budget deficit.
The Pentagon had previously announced layoffs of 46,000 temporary employees in response to the budget pressures.
The Air Force says the aircraft stand-down is the result of cuts to the Air Combat Command's operations and maintenance account. The budget cuts have forced the service to reduce its flying by about 45,000 training hours.
Some affected units will stand down after current deployments, but the first units will be grounded on Tuesday 9 April.
Let's just hope that this doesn't come back to haunt them - it's always slightly worrying when the World Police (
) cuts its military which has helped cemented its neocolonial hegemony.
Sequester: US Air Force grounds combat planes
The US Air Force has begun grounding about a third of its combat aircraft in response to deep budget cuts that began to take effect in March.
The move will affect units in the US, Europe and the Pacific.
Air Force Gen Mike Hostage said aircraft would be grounded on a "rotating basis" to focus on "fulfilling critical missions".
Separately, the US Navy said the cuts will force it to ground its Blue Angels air show team for the rest of the year.
The Air Force's budget for the fiscal year ending in October is being reduced by $591m (£386m).
'Risk' to airpower
The cuts are part of the series of deficit reduction measures that began to take effect on 1 March.
About $85bn in across-the-board cuts for this year are divided roughly in half between military and domestic programmes.
The cuts took effect after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree to another plan to cut spending and reduce the US budget deficit.
The Pentagon had previously announced layoffs of 46,000 temporary employees in response to the budget pressures.
The Air Force says the aircraft stand-down is the result of cuts to the Air Combat Command's operations and maintenance account. The budget cuts have forced the service to reduce its flying by about 45,000 training hours.
Some affected units will stand down after current deployments, but the first units will be grounded on Tuesday 9 April.
Let's just hope that this doesn't come back to haunt them - it's always slightly worrying when the World Police (
) cuts its military which has helped cemented its neocolonial hegemony.Original post by HumanSupremacist
Is this really wise of the United States:
Let's just hope that this doesn't come back to haunt them - it's always slightly worrying when the World Police () cuts its military which has helped cemented its neocolonial hegemony.
Let's just hope that this doesn't come back to haunt them - it's always slightly worrying when the World Police (
) cuts its military which has helped cemented its neocolonial hegemony.Stand down =/= Cut. No unit is being removed, no unit is unable to perform it's duty of defence. In the event of an attack, they will forgo the flight ban and do what they need to.
Original post by Drewski
Stand down =/= Cut. No unit is being removed, no unit is unable to perform it's duty of defence. In the event of an attack, they will forgo the flight ban and do what they need to.
Oh yes, I'm well aware that cutting numbers is not a stand down, but it will put a bit of a stretch on the US military, especially if several "incidents" occur on several fronts - this is one of the fears (apocalyptic, if you will) US analysts constantly bang on about; namely, the fear that there will come a time when the the US army is so stretched on so many different fronts that some enemy or other will capitalise on this "weakness". But I'm sure it won't come to that.
Should I be worried about this situation? How do you think it will effect us here in england?
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Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by charcharchar
Should I be worried about this situation? How do you think it will effect us here in england?
Not. Even. Slightly.
To both questions.
Original post by Drewski
Not. Even. Slightly.
To both questions.
To both questions.
Isn't it slightly risky to say it wont affect us at all? I know very little about it, but then again we know very little about n Korea
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Drewski
Not. Even. Slightly.
To both questions.
To both questions.
Whilst the world shouldn't be worried, sure - we should be increasingly alert.
For example, a possible turn of events could come when North Korea conducts a "missile test" in the next few days. When the trajectory of the missile is calculated and it is seen that it will pass over a target, say, for hypothesis' sake, Japan, then Japan or the United States will shoot it down, just to be on the safe side - especially as Japan has said on previous occasions that it will not hesitate to shoot down an NK rocket that nears it territory.
In the event of that happening, NK can then make a lot of noise about being "attacked" and that it was only a test and if any external powers decide to retaliate militarily, NK will then think confidently that China will back it, as it will indeed look like NK is being attacked (as indeed, it was only a "missile test").
The above is of course an entirely possible and probably scenario - not unrealistic at all. A missile test during this period of escalated tensions will surely reek havoc. The only question is whether there will be military retaliation on the part of the US and its allies and also whether China would intervene.
So, whilst we shouldn't be worried, we should pay attention. Having said that, we are safe here in the UK and Europe in fact. The target of NK's ire is the US and its Pacific allies.
Original post by charcharchar
Isn't it slightly risky to say it wont affect us at all? I know very little about it, but then again we know very little about n Korea
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Sure, if things escalate dangerously, economic effects will be felt around the world. Of course, if it really takes a turn for the worse, we'll have worse things to be worried about than little ol' UK.
If it turns out to be NK's cyclical rhetoric and threats, then we don't have anything to be worried about (just like the last times).
Even in the event of a conflict, we wouldn't be attacked (unless crazy unforeseen occurrences happen) - but economic implications will abound.
P.S
What's more is that at least NK have an embassy in the UK - they don't in the US; so whilst we aren't exactly best mates with NK, we're not their worst enemies either. Even so, they can't fire nukes at us - although opinions differ and are largely uncertain about NK's capabilities; but they really couldn't reach us anyone, let alone the US!
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Drewski
Not. Even. Slightly.
To both questions.
To both questions.
In the presumably unlikely situation that North Korea's 'bellicose rhetoric' isn't all bluster and they do attack, would that not be a cause for concern? Does not past history imply that we will be dragged into any conflict that the U.S. becomes involved in?
Original post by KingMessi
In the presumably unlikely situation that North Korea's 'bellicose rhetoric' isn't all bluster and they do attack, would that not be a cause for concern? Does not past history imply that we will be dragged into any conflict that the U.S. becomes involved in?
Yes and no.
We in the UK are still not in any direct threat, they don't possess the ability to hit us and even if they did, they wouldn't waste their time hitting us, going instead for the US.
And it's precisely because recent history points that way that we probably wouldn't get involved beyond a token RAF component anyway.
An interesting comment from a news site:
If you were a british pilot stationed at the dover cliffs during WW2, would you continue to sip tea, read the dailies when War HQ Intelligence tells you that a german V2 had just lifted off and on its way across the French Coast, or would you scramble and take flight, search the skies with the intention of locating that V2 to shoot it down before it bombs more of London, more so when Germany had declared war on England?
The brit pilots did the latter, as ANYTHING that flies out of german controlled land is considered an ACT OF WAR.
Not only did they try to shoot down those missiles, they and the american bomber units even flew into german occupied terrorities and even into Germany itself to bomb the crap out the aggressors.
America had never been interested in conquest. S.Kore desires reunification, but knows it cannot do so alone, nor is there a need to. Our world's peace and evolution is dependent on mutual economic cooperation for progress. China knows that too, and they share the world's concern over nuclear proliferation.
S.Korea is not desirous of nukes, nor is Japan, for they know that if they live by the nuke, they may one day die by the nuke. They are fine with the status quo, as economic progress is what they rather want, unless pushed into nukes such as what Fatboy is doing to them right now. And thus China's anger at NK, for China have no wish to have mass produced nukes from asia pointing at them.
So long as Asian states do not seek for nukes, but focus on economic progress as it had done for decades, China will stand aside, and may even weld its hand against any that seeks to want nukes, inclulding even its own allies - NK and Cambodia. China too needs economic progress to stay in power, or its hungry masses will rise up. The past 3 decades had successfully shown what China can and will be if it pursues economic strengths sharing our world in peace instead of following the failed Maoist of domination and stupid military might.
In any case, the moment red lines had been crossed, Fatboy kim will be in deep sh*t, and no law or victim card can save him, for 7 billion of humans are not fools, and do know the mitigating factors for nations to defend themselves against agreessors that Fatboy Kim's regime of decades had proven themself to be.
Mankind will not be bullied, no matter how many ganster friends Fatboy Kim has, because the day we cower in fear of them, is the day that proves our cowardice to protect our own fellow citizens against bullies, and have no right to even be a sovereign state.
If you were a british pilot stationed at the dover cliffs during WW2, would you continue to sip tea, read the dailies when War HQ Intelligence tells you that a german V2 had just lifted off and on its way across the French Coast, or would you scramble and take flight, search the skies with the intention of locating that V2 to shoot it down before it bombs more of London, more so when Germany had declared war on England?
The brit pilots did the latter, as ANYTHING that flies out of german controlled land is considered an ACT OF WAR.
Not only did they try to shoot down those missiles, they and the american bomber units even flew into german occupied terrorities and even into Germany itself to bomb the crap out the aggressors.
America had never been interested in conquest. S.Kore desires reunification, but knows it cannot do so alone, nor is there a need to. Our world's peace and evolution is dependent on mutual economic cooperation for progress. China knows that too, and they share the world's concern over nuclear proliferation.
S.Korea is not desirous of nukes, nor is Japan, for they know that if they live by the nuke, they may one day die by the nuke. They are fine with the status quo, as economic progress is what they rather want, unless pushed into nukes such as what Fatboy is doing to them right now. And thus China's anger at NK, for China have no wish to have mass produced nukes from asia pointing at them.
So long as Asian states do not seek for nukes, but focus on economic progress as it had done for decades, China will stand aside, and may even weld its hand against any that seeks to want nukes, inclulding even its own allies - NK and Cambodia. China too needs economic progress to stay in power, or its hungry masses will rise up. The past 3 decades had successfully shown what China can and will be if it pursues economic strengths sharing our world in peace instead of following the failed Maoist of domination and stupid military might.
In any case, the moment red lines had been crossed, Fatboy kim will be in deep sh*t, and no law or victim card can save him, for 7 billion of humans are not fools, and do know the mitigating factors for nations to defend themselves against agreessors that Fatboy Kim's regime of decades had proven themself to be.
Mankind will not be bullied, no matter how many ganster friends Fatboy Kim has, because the day we cower in fear of them, is the day that proves our cowardice to protect our own fellow citizens against bullies, and have no right to even be a sovereign state.
Original post by Drewski
Yes and no.
We in the UK are still not in any direct threat, they don't possess the ability to hit us and even if they did, they wouldn't waste their time hitting us, going instead for the US.
And it's precisely because recent history points that way that we probably wouldn't get involved beyond a token RAF component anyway.
We in the UK are still not in any direct threat, they don't possess the ability to hit us and even if they did, they wouldn't waste their time hitting us, going instead for the US.
And it's precisely because recent history points that way that we probably wouldn't get involved beyond a token RAF component anyway.
Oh, I never believed that we were under any direct threat. I more thought that if North Korea attacked the U.S., they would call upon us - as their allies - to join the retributive attack on North Korea. However, if you believe that wouldn't extend beyond minimal, 'token' help, then that's very reassuring.
Original post by KingMessi
Oh, I never believed that we were under any direct threat. I more thought that if North Korea attacked the U.S., they would call upon us - as their allies - to join the retributive attack on North Korea. However, if you believe that wouldn't extend beyond minimal, 'token' help, then that's very reassuring.
Simply because we physically don't have the ability to do much else... They might well call upon us, but it would be more of a "we have enlisted NATO support" for the sake of it 'looking right' to the world, rather than them actually needing help. And besides, they've got SK and Japanese forces (as well as potentially Australian...) far closer who would be just as effective.
Original post by Drewski
Simply because we physically don't have the ability to do much else... They might well call upon us, but it would be more of a "we have enlisted NATO support" for the sake of it 'looking right' to the world, rather than them actually needing help. And besides, they've got SK and Japanese forces (as well as potentially Australian...) far closer who would be just as effective.
I see. I agree with the bolded section - from what I can glean America could essentially destroy North Korea without any assistance - though I suppose one would have said the same before Vietnam and Afghanistan. Anyway, I'd be quite content with us remaining only superficially 'involved'.
(Aware, of course, this is all a hypothetical situation).Quick Reply
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