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North Korea Conducts Fifth Nuclear Test -- The Largest One Yet (cnn.com)
TMB writes: As reported by CNN, North Korea has conducted its 5th nuclear test, the largest yet at 10 kilotons.
Before the test was reported, Slashdot reader hcs_$reboot reported: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake has been detected in North Korea, amid reports the country had been preparing for its fifth nuclear test. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said it had been an "artificial quake." The U.S. Geological Survey said the tremor had been detected in the north-east of North Korea, close to a known nuclear test site. The earthquake occurred close to the surface, the USGS said. The shallow depth and precise timing of the quake suggests it was man-made. North Korea says it has tested a nuclear warhead and that the test showed the warhead "has been standardized to be able to be mounted on strategic ballistic rockets."
Can we assume that one day North Korea will attack something? I've always thought that they're just posturing, but this most recent "test" makes me hesitate...
I am much less worried about them than Muslim countries with the bomb. North Korean rulers are ruthless and power hungry but rational to the degree that they don't want to be wiped out in a counter-strike. Many Muslims would see a counter-strike as an advantage, with millions of people becoming martyrs and getting their millions * 27 virgins.
Nah, this sorta thing is pretty much SOP for NK, they'll be all like "Raaaah look at us we are like SUPER dangerous! Give us oil and food or we use our spooky new powers!"
Then we give them oil and food and they step back down, when that stuff runs out - they go "Raaaaaah!" again.
They've done it before.
Besides there's a long way from a functional nuclear device to a missile deliverable one.
Admit nothing. Deny Everything. Make Counter-accusations.
Can we assume that one day North Korea will attack something? I've always thought that they're just posturing, but this most recent "test" makes me hesitate...
Can we assume one day the US will attack something ? Strike that, the US is already attacking half the world with drones for the last couple of years, and bombed the shit out of southeast asia for over a decade 40 something years ago. Whom did North Korea attack in the last 50 years ?
If you're worried about North Korea, you should be much more worried about Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal. Since they are extremely willing to use them against the Indians. And vice versa. And what about Israel ? Why does it have a nuclear arsenal that's bigger than that of the UK and France combined ? Why does Israel have boomers ? Are they preparing to attack Cina ?
Stop reading US propaganda. NK is many things, one it is not is that of being a belligerent state considering there is no peace treaty between it, South Korea and the US.
While the North does have a huge army, its main value (note I said "value", not "intention") is in its defensive ability - its artillery, bunkers, sheer weight of numbers etc. By and large, the NK military is still stuck in the 1960s, and would be decimated should it choose to cross the DMZ - it lacks serious armour, air support and mobility, and the NK supply chain is pathetic.
The nuclear option adds a certain ... flavour to the mix, but NK only have a few bombs, and those are questionable. Seoul may get nuked, it may not - for any chance of a nuke hitting Seoul, it would need to be either mounted on a rocket, or fired as an artillery shell, and both of those options require some serious technical ability which the NK's lack. Airborne delivery is out of the question, as any NK aircraft wouldnt get far into the South before being shot down. Hand delivery is a distinct possibility, but nuking Seoul doesn't win the North the war, and it would have no effect on the US troops in the South.