North Korea considers strike on Guam

[bizfreeq]

At least the Mirror refers to their correct name 'Rivet Joint' rather than Airseeker!

[welshandy]

This morning on the BBC.
"North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reviewed plans to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam but will hold off, state media said.
Although prepared for "the enveloping fire at Guam", the North said it would watch what "the foolish Yankees" do before taking a decision"

Full Story:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40931775

[jem60]

Well, as predicted, they can both 'talk the talk' but can't 'walk the walk!'[Full Metal Jacket]. It will never happen, thank goodness!.

[Dan D'Air]

I wonder what Hawkeye and BJ would say about it all?
Suggestions welcomed.

[Knife 04]

I wonder what Hawkeye and BJ would say about it all?
Suggestions welcomed.

Another Gin??

[welshandy]

North Korea fires missile over Japan, Sirens sounded & Residents told to take shelter. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-41078187

[Andy_99]

Mmm that's not going to help calm the situation down.

[quid21]

Can't help but think that the Airborne Laser 747 program shouldn't have been shelved - but I guess the technology developed has or will make it into other products.

[Bucky P]

It seems to me that Kim Jong-un is looking for a punch on the nose, I just hope Trump can keep his finger off the button and let the UN deal with this for the foreseeable future without the need of force! If Trump bulldozes in it can only turn into a massive bar brawl dragging everyone else into it!

[Blackcat1]

Who are the UN? ;-)

[C24]

Who are the UN? ;-)

They are the CAPILTALIST side of the North Korean leader's extended family. ?? ??

[filmman]

The problem is that things have a nasty habit of going wrong, Murphey's Law.m It use to be expected, in the early days of liquid fuelled ballistic missile development that it took about 10 launches to get a fairly reliable missile and they took several hours to fuel. Once Russia and the USA could destroy each other (MAD) they sort of agreed a nuclear code of behaviour. The problem is the North Korean leader indulges in repetitive grandstanding, no one wants to argue with the Boss and though solid fuel rockets are now inherently more reliable they still can go wrong. Repeated launching of missiles over or very near other countries is not risk free. How would the USA, China or Russia react if a Korea missile hits them or an ally? If not nuclear, they might retaliate non nuclear but in a big way and the other two might support the reaction. If the Koreans launch a nuclear weapon, into a designated remote Pacific area, that's still illegal atmospheric testing. What would the reaction be to that. I am sure you all know that A korean missile can now reach us, have a nice day.
Filmman

[Bernie]

The UN?
Are currently showing how pointless they are, they had a chat, and unanimously decided and resolved...................To do rock all new.

So that's that then. Short Fat One will continue development of warheads and at some point will mate missiles to them. At which point its all a bit late.

Is this midnight? No, whatever happens NK won't have anywhere near enough warheads for that (interesting point about Nuclear winter. 2000 plus nucs have been detonated on earth and oh, I see no snow!). Russian and China wont launch at the US over any strike on NK, so all the talk about the end of the world are a lot premature.

If the US ends the problem by conventional means what will happen? Who knows, if done by decapitation strike, probably not much. The thing with Communism especially NK Style, is that only one person makes decisions. Kill that, no one has the bottle or ability to think about what to do. Obviously that's not guaranteed, but common sense says its unlikely a dictator in Short Far Ones position would ever trust anyone with the ability to initiate military action.

If however that does wrong and the head isn't separated from the body, then house prices in Soul will go down rapidly. But technology has improved since the first Korean war, in the same was as GW1, lots of Soldiers just means lots of targets.

[Sparts99]

"....... whatever happens NK won't have anywhere near enough warheads for that (interesting point about Nuclear winter. 2000 plus nucs have been detonated on earth and oh, I see no snow!)."

No snow because none of the detonations have caused massive fires in cities and so on which is what will cause the nuclear winter, all the smoke and soot in the upper atmosphere. All tests are on small islands, deserts, or underground. You only have to look at the satellite pics of the smoke from the oil wells Saddam ignited to get an idea of the potential scale of the problem.

[welshandy]

I am sure you all know that A korean missile can now reach us, have a nice day.
Filmman

Trouble is the UK decommissioned the majority of the Siren system in 1993. So we won't know one is coming

[Alfie]

It doesn't help with South Korea and the USA holding large scale manoeuvres on the boarder. it just antagonizes the situation.

[Bernie]

Sparts99

No, fallout is sucked up dust dirt & debris from the area of blast. It's dependent on the weapon being exploded low enough that debris to be sucked up into the low pressure areas caused by the blast wave. So small island, or indeed water, doesn't matter fall out is the result. But not all weapons were exploded over either of those, and certainly not all underground. A good example being the soviet 50+megaton which made a nice big crater in an island off the north coast of Russia. I don't see NK having 50 Meg, ever!

However, that's irrelevant to North Korea, which as I said does not have anywhere near the material to construct more than a few smallish weapons, so no, there is NO danger of a a nuclear winter as a result of them chucking around weapons that may or may not actually go off, and even if they do aren't that 'big'.

That's not to say that the impact won't be a tad unpleasant, just not anywhere close to terminal to mankind as we know it.

US reaction does not have to be, and is unlikely to be massive either. Remember, if they yanks hit back, then they will have to sort out the resulting carnage later on, and do most of the recovery for NK. So the expression minimum force required to effect purpose nicked from UK law would hold true.

[page_verify]

A worrying but true comment in this week's Economist says that despite all of NK's actions, Japan and South Korea's governments are still more scared of the unpredictable Trump!

[TankBuster]

Waking up to news that NK have detonated yet another bomb in an underground testing facility, it appears that this is the largest one yet! Its as if Kim Jong is trying to provoke a reaction from the outside world and push the threat of military action even closer .

TankBuster

[Blackcat1]

This bloke is getting on my ******* nerves now!!