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North Korea Threatens US With Preemptive Nuclear Strike
jppiiroinen writes "North Korea threatened the United States on Thursday with a preemptive nuclear strike, raising the level of rhetoric while the U.N. Security Council considers new sanctions against the reclusive country."
They said that if the US is about to start a nuclear war they reserve the right to make a pre-emptive strike, just like all nuclear armed countries do. There is no threat of action, merely a warning to the US that NK will defend itself.
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SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
...is if they're truly feeling suicidal or not.
If you think that they could get through anything like that alive you're smoking something.
It's not only the US or NATO that would strike either, it would be Russia and their buddies in China as well. There would be nothing left.
Go read Dune. When one family uses "atomics" then everyone else combines and destroys them.
Actually, if you look at the behavior, it's pretty rational. Their behavior has been pretty standard in the last few years. Before a big conference: ratchet up rhetoric -> During conference: ratchet down rhetoric in exchange for food and other random guarantees -> rinse, repeat. There are two ways out of this: ignore NK rhetoric, which only works to a point. Once they put their missiles on ships for exports, their doing more than just talking big. The other way is to take NK at their word, which also only works to a point - are we really going to nuke NK? NK knows both limits pretty well, because they've been playing them quite astutely.
Now, could NK actually be crazy and do something stupid? No one really knows - another beauty of the NK foreign relationship game. Personally, I would ignore NK completely, cut them off from the world, and make it clear to China that they're risking their harmonious society because one of their buffer zones is the equivalent of a schoolyard bully with a gun. The only way we're going to "solve" NK is by making it China's problem. And then that brings up the question of how SK will look at NK essentially becoming a Chinese territory.
The only foreign policy problem that's worse than the NK question is the Palestinian question. And not by a huge amount.
Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
Their missiles can maybe, possibly reach San Francisco with a bit of luck and almost certainly Honolulu. Of course, that means praying the US doesn't have any sort of missile defense or the missile gets through by freak chance... not a good bet when you only have a few nukes.
The Chinese have been itching to get back Japan. Specifically those aged 50 and older (whom have politically climbed to the top within the rank and file). Many younger Chinese don't "hate" the Japanese. But they are very nationalistic due to a boost in confidence from growing economic conditions. Of course, that generation has yet to feel the real impact war on the home front. Then again, same could be said of the US or Japan. Also worth mentioning is that the younger Japanese generation are also becoming nationalistic too. It's a giant recipe for a disaster that ought never happen. I believe war will breakout between China and Japan and we will get politically sucked into it if not out-right militarily.
Two things need to happen.
1. Japan needs to grow a pair and acknowledge their past unjust aggressions toward China, the invasion and make amends to the raping of nanking.
2. China needs to just drop the pride thing and move on.
I have a feeling none of that will occur.
Life is not for the lazy.
I'm pretty sure China would step in and make sure NK behaves going forward, and reprimand and remove the current power structure.
Retaliation would then mean war with China, as they claim NK as a new semi autonomous region within their borders.
China would love the excuse to outright take NK.
Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
Official US position is that use of weapons of Mass Destruction against the US homeland, US troops or allies protected by the "nuclear umbrella" will result in nuclear retaliation.
MADD can only work if you are willing to retaliate in kind. It would be foolish of the US NOT to retaliate with nukes as it would empower enemies with the idea that we won't attack. Al Queda sprang from that very idea after the bombing in Lebannon and the lack of US retaliation along with half a dozen other instances where the US did essentially the same thing when confronted with attacks.