It's a well-known fact by now - North Korea has (a) nuclear weapon(s) and the rocket technology to fire their nuke(s) as far as Alaska. No matter how many warheads Kim Jong Il has under his control, it's blatantly obvious that he wants more nukes. This, and the latest military escalation by North Korea, seem to be pointing in only one direction - a Second Korean War. No matter how far off another armed conflict is, the stage is set for the war of the century.
Complicating things is China. Their close economic ties to the US, coupled with their "disowning" the Communist son that they "gave birth" to, means that North Korea would probably not get backing from the most populous country on earth, as they did last time.
As I type this, the destroyer USS John McCain is on an intercept course with a North Korean shipping vessel believed to contain nuclear warhead making supplies. The destroyer has a directive, given by the UN, to board the vessel if it makes a break for North Korea. If the ship indeed contains supplies for making nuclear warheads, that will be a direct violation to UN sanctions, only escalating the prospect of an armed conflict.
Before World War 1, many pundits were warning the world of the "owder keg" that was Europe. When the "spark" of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife started the flame, the whole continent fell into one of the bloodiest wars known to man.
Almost a century later, there is a new "owder keg" for the 21st century, and it's not Iraq or Afghanistan or even Iran. In fact, it's thousands of miles away from the middle east. It's North Korea. One more spark, and we'll have a Second Korean War.
(Opinions section) (When the Second Korean War does begin, I fear that the regular US armed forces, which will surely make up the lion's share of the UN troops, will not suffice. There is a good chance that whoever the president is at that time will reinstate the draft - and I'm sure to be on that list.)
Technically, it would be completely legitimate for NK to attack SK. And there's nothing we can do in terms of nuclear support, as the korean war is still in a cease fire. So, in essence, The Korean War is still going on, and unless they launch nukes, we can't. You can thank the UN for that, we got 30,000 nukes and we can't even use them. In my opinion, a preemptive strike is necessary to put NK in it's place, but that's of course my opinion, and now it's going to get shot down.
You can thank the UN for that, we got 30,000 nukes and we can't even use them.
Agreed. Peace through strength doesn't work if everyone knows you're a coward.
a preemptive strike is necessary to put NK in it's place
That's an option - and I think a South Korean invasion of North Korea is just as possible as a North Korean invasion of South Korea. The biggest reason South Korea doesn't do that is because they know that they, by themselves, wont' be able to fully defeat North Korea, and if they attack first, the UN won't back them.
No, but we will. Because America is so fond of sticking our noses where they don't belong, NK will have 300,000 US soldiers knocking at there front door. And because we're still at war with them, the UN won't be able to stop us under current international law, which NK never signed. Even if they did attack, the UN wouldn't help NK either because they do not fall under their umbrella of protection.
And they will have just as many planes, tanks, and artillery on their side.
Of much lower quality. An Abrams tank could easily destroy a Type-80 or a T55. Russia ain't going to supply them with better planes and China ain't either. As far as militaristic strength goes, NK is simply to outgunned for there numbers to even make a difference.
I actually don't think we'd need to "bribe" the rest of the world into fighting.
You got me there, but I used it as an example of last resort. NK is outnumbered if our allies decide to fight. Probably 5:1.
the draft has been going around as a rumor but if it does come back it will not be like the world war 2 one where nearly every man is force to join... no... it will not be as bad but i don't even think they will bring back the draft just higher the paywage, glorify and propagandize the military for more recuits...
and not to mention that it won't just be america in the possible second korean wer it will be a lot of other nations as well so the need of a draft won't be as heavy...
Anti-missle technology does exist, but if North Korea wanted to fire a nuclear tipped missle into South Korea or japan, they'd be lucky to shoot it down, it takes time to prepare those things and even when anti-missle technology is used, it might not work. North Korea does have a million man army, but it's a million hungry men with dated equipment. If given the chance, South Korea and Japan would be more then willing to cut down the odds, and it is true that our tanks and aircraft are superiour to theirs, we could expect air superiority within a few days, weeks at most. However, a million man army, even a million hungry men with old weapons, is still highly dangerous, so casulties would be high. If North Korea decided to launch an attack tonight, they would most likely fire a missle into either South Korea or Japan and hoped that it worked, then send infantry. US and South Korean bases would be quickly overran, with every airman and soldier running for the first C-130 getting the hell out. The South Korean troops would most likely stand and fight, but wouldn't last long. This would lead to all military aircraft in the area being deployed, which would lead to highly advanced US fighter jets such as the F-22 and F-16 engaging old Soviet Migs in the hands of fairly inexperienced pilots. Bombers would enter the area and bomb the DMZ, cutting the north off from the south, infantry and airbourne troops would be deployed, and the North Koreans would be sent running, again. Without China to aid them, the war would be over in a matter of months, and the Korean penninsula re-unified, just not as North Korea wants it. However, this is what's more likely. Kim Jong Ill will continue to hold the world at nuclear gunpoint, threatoning war for any little thing he can thing of and starving his people to fund his nuclear program while telling them North Korea is a great nation. He will die, and his son will take power, and do the same. The South Korean/US and North Korean troops will continue to sit at the border, daring each other to do something, and every so many years, something like this will happen.
ACtually NK nukes are the epitimy of fail. They said they would target hawaii. The closet Island is about 45,000 miles away. Their Nuke only goes 4000.
Do the math. Short Insane Korean Dictators aren't math scholars.
The earth is 23,000 miles around. There's no way any point on earth could be 45,000 miles from another point.
Hawaii is 4,500 miles away.
[sarcasm]Right... And Iran isn't developing nukes to destroy Israel, which the Ayatollah (supreme leader) of Iran reiterated yesterday in a speech he gave against the protesters. They just want us to like them.[/sarcasm]
I never said anything about Iran. Iran is a threat. NK is a wannabe.
