NORTH KOREA’S MISSILE SHOT OVER JAPAN CALLS TRUMP’S BLUFF

[Crabtownboy]

Trump would be a terrible poker player.


It was just a few weeks ago, after all, that Trump declared that further threats from North Korea would prompt "fire, fury, and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before." While the rhetoric seemed intended to cow North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, repeated threats against US territory Guam and Monday's missile scare suggest that Trump’s words, along with recent military exercises conducted by the US and South Korea, had the exact opposite impact.

"It’s nothing out of the ordinary to do what North Korea did in terms of the frequency of the launches, but there may be an added motive in terms of responding to what they perceive as hostile actions, whether it’s US–South Korea military exercises this month or US–Japan exercises that are going on in the Hokkaido area as well," says Frank Aum, a former Department of Defense senior adviser on North Korea. "Or it just may be a message to President Trump and the international community that they are undeterred."

North Korea’s Missile Shot Over Japan Calls Trump’s Bluff

 

[Reynolds]

Trump would be a terrible poker player.


It was just a few weeks ago, after all, that Trump declared that further threats from North Korea would prompt "fire, fury, and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before." While the rhetoric seemed intended to cow North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, repeated threats against US territory Guam and Monday's missile scare suggest that Trump’s words, along with recent military exercises conducted by the US and South Korea, had the exact opposite impact.

"It’s nothing out of the ordinary to do what North Korea did in terms of the frequency of the launches, but there may be an added motive in terms of responding to what they perceive as hostile actions, whether it’s US–South Korea military exercises this month or US–Japan exercises that are going on in the Hokkaido area as well," says Frank Aum, a former Department of Defense senior adviser on North Korea. "Or it just may be a message to President Trump and the international community that they are undeterred."

North Korea’s Missile Shot Over Japan Calls Trump’s Bluff

Fire and fury is coming. Then you can complain about it.

 

[Crabtownboy]

Fire and fury is coming. Then you can complain about it.

Time will tell.

 

[Reynolds]

Time will tell.

Unless Un blinks, fire and fury is a coming.

 

[Bro. James]

It is long past time to make a real line in the rice patties--with a big stick to back it up. We still seem to be getting rhetoric from "The Apprentice" and presidential campaign rallies. Mr. Trump acted like he was at a campaign rally in Texas today. Strange.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

[Rolfe]

I guess that this is a bit outdated now...

 

[Rolfe]

But this is not...

 

[Adonia]

It's not over yet Bucko!

 

[John of Japan]

What is new about the most recent launch is that it went directly over the main Japanese island of Hokkaido, where I used to live. (There are four main islands.) This was very scary to the inhabitants, and the Japanese are extremely bothered about it, because it is a huge escalation and provocation. I predict they will shoot down the next such missile. I know that Japan can do this. An SDF missile specialist went to my church.

Here is an article from the Japanese perspective: N Korean missile launch calls into question Japan's defense ability

 

[Crabtownboy]

Unless Un blinks, fire and fury is a coming.

Are you willing to put 10 million South Korean lives at risk?

 

[John of Japan]

Are you willing to put 10 million South Korean lives at risk?

I'm certainly not for war on the Korean peninsula, but I'm pretty sure, due to treaties and such, that it would be a joint US/S. Korea effort, with a fairly quick victory. The PRK military in general is incompetent (the generals are toadies to Kim) and the equipment and weapons are Chinese knockoffs of Russian Cold War equipment.

The Chinese were shocked out of their minds at the ease their type of equipment was defeated in the first Gulf War. The gap between S. Korea's American equipment and N. Korea's obsolete stuff is even greater than the Gulf War gap was.

As for the PRK missile force, while I lived in Hokkaido, over and over the PRK missiles failed in their tests. This latest one probably failed in a number of ways, too, but it looked like a success simply because it went a long way. But the PRK missiles are notoriously inaccurate.

 

[Crabtownboy]

I'm certainly not for war on the Korean peninsula, but I'm pretty sure, due to treaties and such, that it would be a joint US/S. Korea effort, with a fairly quick victory. The PRK military in general is incompetent (the generals are toadies to Kim) and the equipment and weapons are Chinese knockoffs of Russian Cold War equipment.

The Chinese were shocked out of their minds at the ease their type of equipment was defeated in the first Gulf War. The gap between S. Korea's American equipment and N. Korea's obsolete stuff is even greater than the Gulf War gap was.

As for the PRK missile force, while I lived in Hokkaido, over and over the PRK missiles failed in their tests. This latest one probably failed in a number of ways, too, but it looked like a success simply because it went a long way. But the PRK missiles are notoriously inaccurate.

Are you willing to put 10 million South Korean lives at risk assuming the PRK is incompetent? I have read that would be the number of deaths in the Soul area within a few hours of the initiation of war.

You do not have to be very accurate with a nuclear weapon.

I do not know what the answer is, especially without China's cooperation in putting pressure on North Korea. Going into a rash war is fraught with extreme danger and unknown bad consequences.

 

[John of Japan]

Are you willing to put 10 million South Korean lives at risk assuming the PRK is incompetent? I have read that would be the number of deaths in the Soul area within a few hours of the initiation of war.

You do not have to be very accurate with a nuclear weapon.

I do not know what the answer is, especially without China's cooperation in putting pressure on North Korea. Going into a rash war is fraught with extreme danger and unknown bad consequences.

Please pay attention and don't accuse me of war-mongering. I said very plainly that I was not for war. And besides, there is no way possible for me to put S. Korea at risk. I'm not in charge of anything! Even if I wanted war I couldn't start it.

My post was merely to point out that if war occurs, N. Korea will lose quickly. That is based on living right across the Sea of Japan from N. Korea and reading news often about Kim's antics and failed launches.

Do they actually have nukes? They say they do. But then Kim lies a lot. A nuclear weapon is extremely difficult to make, and the launch vehicle is also extremely difficult to build. If N. Korea actually has these, it would be a 3rd world country producing a 1st world weapon from Internet instructions. Ever been in a 3rd world country? I have. The folk there are just happy to get enough to eat occasionally.

 

[John of Japan]

Remember, folks, "an army marches on its stomach." N. Korea can't even feed their own folks, much less provide food and fuel for their huge army in the event of war. Communism is the most incompetent doctrine on the planet!

 

[John of Japan]

Here's an informative and authoritative article on N. Korea's artillery, the basis for the "10,000 dead in Soeul" estimate: How North Korea Would Retaliate

Note that: very little of that artillery can reach Seoul; 25% of their shells don't detonate; their crews are poorly trained (meaning a low rate of fire).

Add to this the fact that N. Korea would be fools to attack the S. Korean populace with the US and S. Korean forces right there ready to retaliate--and of course those forces are prepared for attack. (I've been to Seoul and know somewhat of their paranoia about an attack.) Anyone with a grade school military brain knows that N. Korea would attack military targets, not civilians. That's what they've done in various incidents down through the years.

 

[Reynolds]

Are you willing to put 10 million South Korean lives at risk?

CLinton was. He made the stupid deal that allowed N Korea to get Nukes. Obama stood by and watched them build them.

 

[Crabtownboy]

CLinton was. He made the stupid deal that allowed N Korea to get Nukes. Obama stood by and watched them build them.

And what about the president between them, Bush?

 

[Reynolds]

And what about the president between them, Bush?

He did not let them develop medium range, long range, or miniturized warheads. The stupid treaty is on Clinton. The development is on Obama.

 

[Rippon]

(I've been to Seoul and know somewhat of their paranoia about an attack.)

Yeah, right. I am currently in Seoul on vacation. There is no panic in the streets --no paranoia whatsoever.

I lived in S.K. for 12 years. I know. You, on the other hand, don't know what you're talking about.