The North Korean Situation II

[Kelly]

Well, we may not be taking NK seriously.....but apparently the WH is....

The Pentagon has beefed up US presence in SK.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I have to say I'm skeptical about what his jealous, exiled brother has to say. I believe Kim Jong-un has to share power with the senior leadership (even his dad and grandfather had to do that for a while), but there's no indication that he's just a figurehead.

 

[Destructus86]

The whole "We're not taking it seriously" stance that the US and South Korea are putting up is...I believe...just a show. Something to control panic in the population and not let NK see any worry. Kind of like how you deal with a dog. Don't show fear and hope it backs down.

 

[Marvolo]

Of course they are taking it seriously like any possible threat. The fact the tv media isn't making a big deal out of this or even reporting it is more telling that anything the government is saying. I still am confidant in our ability to stop a missle. We don't spend $700 billion on defense for nothing.

Lol anyone catch Archer last night? They were trying to stop the North Koreans from buying uranium. It was a slaughter and Archer was tearing into them about their BS.

 

[Kelly]

Of course they are taking it seriously like any possible threat. The fact the tv media isn't making a big deal out of this or even reporting it is more telling that anything the government is saying. I still am confidant in our ability to stop a missle. We don't spend $700 billion on defense for nothing.

Lol anyone catch Archer last night? They were trying to stop the North Koreans from buying uranium. It was a slaughter and Archer was tearing into them about their BS.

Well, what I find quite amusing is.....if they were a pro-active administration and built up 4 years ago....the equipment would have been MUCH LOWER IN COST...

But, they aren't...they are a re-active administration and they are now paying a much bigger portion of tax payer dollars to build up on the West Coast.

tsk....tsk.....tsk.

 

[Marvolo]

Hagel just announced that we are moving 14 missile interceptors to the west coast missile defense shield. I don't know how many are already on the west coast but with these 14 added I would say probability is on our side that we could stop a single missile.

 

[Thundercrack85]

An odd move, since North Korea supposedly doesn't have the ability to target the American West Coast.

Either it's just for show, or they're reevaluating their estimates.

 

[Sparta*]

yeah I figured they'd be more worried about the east coast, unless the east coast already is as fortified as it can get

 

[Thundercrack85]

yeah I figured they'd be more worried about the east coast, unless the east coast already is as fortified as it can get

North Korea can't hit the East Coast. It probably can't hit the West Coast either. At least, based on current assessments. The main worry is South Korea and Japan.

People have way too much confidence in the current defenses. They are deeply flawed, and only work properly under certain circumstances (and even then they aren't guaranteed to work).

It's little more than security theatre at this point.

 

[Kelly]

North Korea can't hit the East Coast. It probably can't hit the West Coast either. At least, based on current assessments. The main worry is South Korea and Japan.

People have way too much confidence in the current defenses. They are deeply flawed, and only work properly under certain circumstances (and even then they aren't guaranteed to work).

It's little more than security theatre at this point.

The US is building up on the East Coast because of Iran, not NK. They (US) is building up on both coasts and Japan.

Fox is reporting on this, but the mainstream outlets are pretty slow.....probably because their big wig liberals that run their networks disagree with the build up. And, it kind of screws up the whole premise of pulling money from the DOD. IMO, you can still cut down on the inefficient areas of spending in the DOD and still build up as needed.

It is just another example of the President having to back pedal on his rhetoric. I think he just needs to shut up and lead....he gets in trouble when he speaks. Bush did as well...not necessarily for the exact same reason, but still less talk would be a good thing.

 

[craigdbfan]

It's all over the news right now.

 

[Kelly]

It's all over the news right now.

It wasn't last week when they began the build up....you could find a mention of it on Fox and that was it....

But, now that Hagel has had a press conference, they have to cover it.

I swear hearing him speak about this, scared the hell outta me that he is our Secretary of Defense.....He looks like he has been on a 3 week drinking binge.

 

[Thought Crime]

***

 

[Thundercrack85]

The US is building up on the East Coast because of Iran, not NK. They (US) is building up on both coasts and Japan.

Fox is reporting on this, but the mainstream outlets are pretty slow.....probably because their big wig liberals that run their networks disagree with the build up. And, it kind of screws up the whole premise of pulling money from the DOD. IMO, you can still cut down on the inefficient areas of spending in the DOD and still build up as needed.

It is just another example of the President having to back pedal on his rhetoric. I think he just needs to shut up and lead....he gets in trouble when he speaks. Bush did as well...not necessarily for the exact same reason, but still less talk would be a good thing.

Why would they need missile defenses on the East Coast? Iran doesn't even have nukes. And the missiles they have can barely hit Western Europe according to most estimates.

 

[Kelly]

Why would they need missile defenses on the East Coast? Iran doesn't even have nukes. And the missiles they have can barely hit Western Europe according to most estimates.

I don't know....that is just what is being reported from Hagel's Press Conference....

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well that's one way to throw away money.

 

[Kelly]

Maybe they know something we don't...

 

[Marvolo]

Why would they need missile defenses on the East Coast? Iran doesn't even have nukes. And the missiles they have can barely hit Western Europe according to most estimates.

Latest reports are that Iran will have a viable nuclear weapon in one year. They could obtain an ICBM to put it on.

If I had to make a guess, we are building up our missile shield because we are going to pull back our troops from the middle east. Building up the shield doesn't point to an increased perceived threat so much as it points to our country getting smart. A good defense shield is practical and proactive in a good way. We don't need to be on the ground worrying about every single one of the thousands of threats we receive daily. Invest in a good defense shield and line the east and west coast with them and pull our troops back to the States. Our current missile defense system is built on very effective tech. Its nice to see it getting some spotlight.

 

[Kelly]

Latest reports are that Iran will have a viable nuclear weapon in one year. They could obtain an ICBM to put it on.

If I had to make a guess, we are building up our missile shield because we are going to pull back our troops from the middle east. Building up the shield doesn't point to an increased perceived threat so much as it points to our country getting smart. A good defense shield is practical and proactive in a good way. We don't need to be on the ground worrying about every single one of the thousands of threats we receive daily. Invest in a good defense shield and line the east and west coast with them and pull our troops back to the States. Our current missile defense system is built on very effective tech. Its nice to see it getting some spotlight.

OMG Marvolo you sound like Reagan.....

 

[Destructus86]

yeah I figured they'd be more worried about the east coast, unless the east coast already is as fortified as it can get

They are worried...we don't know certain what NK's full potential is. They could have technology we are not aware of. Better to be cautious than dead I guess.

 

[Destructus86]

Why would they need missile defenses on the East Coast? Iran doesn't even have nukes. And the missiles they have can barely hit Western Europe according to most estimates.

What we know of them anyway. Do you really think every country always just puts all their cards out on the table?

 

[NickNitro]

An odd move, since North Korea supposedly doesn't have the ability to target the American West Coast.

Either it's just for show, or they're reevaluating their estimates.

Or they haven't told the General Public everything to keep Mass hysteria low. If the public knew that a hostile country with an unstable leader had the capability of Nuking the West coast...I think we'd be pretty uneasy at the moment.


Edit: Just stumbled upon this....ohhhh Archer...you get me everytime

 

[Thundercrack85]

What we know of them anyway. Do you really think every country always just puts all their cards out on the table?

You would know if Iran had developed a nuclear warhead.

 

[Marvolo]

Or they haven't told the General Public everything to keep Mass hysteria low. If the public knew that a hostile country with an unstable leader had the capability of Nuking the West coast...I think we'd be pretty uneasy at the moment.


Edit: Just stumbled upon this....ohhhh Archer...you get me everytime

40% of the US imports come through the California coast and it has been public knowledge since 2001 that if a dirty bomb or nuke was brought into the country it would likely be there. The idea or vulnerability of the west coast is nothing new and a nuclear missile is much easier to stop than a hidden suitcase bomb coming in via cargo ship. Honestly this NJorea situation is about as troubling as the flu. It shouldn't be ignored but with prudence and precaution you can get through it no worse for ware. Upping the West coast missile shield is prudence not fear. If god forbid a nuke is launched and it got through the shield their would be an investigation to see that every precaution had been taken. If it was found out that they had ignored the threat and not strengthened the shield it would be a cluster**** and a slaughterhouse for the administration. So of course they are strengthening the missile shield. Whether they think NKorea can hit us or not is irrelevant. Even if they couldnt hit us you don't set with your thumb up your ass and do absolutely nothing. It looks bad and it is tempting fate.

Something I had thought about, if there was more than a 50% (just a random percentage) that the NKoreans could nuke the west coast I would expect to see a shift of some kind in military personnel and military equipment and assets. They would be shifting east. Our defense budget just got slashed and they wouldn't let valuable assets get vaporized. As it stands I've seen nothing to indicate the military in california is making any kind of movement.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Why would North Korea waste, what would probably be only one of a handful of missiles / nukes to attack the American West Coast? An act which at best would fail miserably (probably land in the Sea of Japan). And at worst (it actually reaching its target) would result in a mandatory nuclear retaliatory strike. Assuming they could even do that. Which every expert will tell you they can't.

Nuking South Korea is one thing (still not very likely, but more plausible). Nuking America is another.