North korea

[betsy]

North Korea is back in the news. 

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/28/politics/north-korea-launch-unidentified-projectile/index.html

 

This is scary for Japan.

 

 

[kactus]

The escalating situation in North Korea is quite concerning and puts China yet again on spot light....

Whilst Norrh Korea regime is corrupt it doesn't help the situation to have a sabre rattling wacko as POTUS.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/sep/03/north-korea-nuclear-test-south-korea-yohap-kim-jong-un-live

[eyeball]

Concerning like Saddam Hussein?

Where's David Frum when we really need him?

Axis of Evil my concerned ass 

[Argus]

So North Korea has allegedly exploded a big hydrogen bomb now, one that can allegedly fit onto an ICBC, and is threatening to use it on the US in an EMP attack. For those who aren't aware of it, an EMP is an electromagnetic pulse, which is something nukes give off. The theory, based on what happened when the US exploded a test bomb high up decades ago, is that if you set off a bomb up high, the electromagnetic pulse will basically destroy all sensitive electronics, most especially including power transformers, thus wiping out the electricity grid. This would not cause a day or a week of power loss, but potentially many months since the transformers would have to be rebuilt. And, of course, Canada would be hit by the same pulse. While some military equipment is hardened against EMPs, no civilian infrastructure has been hardened. Some estimate 90% of the population would die within a year or so of an EMP since we can't support our present population without electricity.

Nothing much is being done about this. I doubt Canadian authorities even know what an EMP is. Some American authorities have been calling on the government to harden their public power grid for years, but the cost is estimated at $20 billion so no one has shown a lot of interest. On the other hand, the US has spent an estimated $400 billion in Afghanistan so...

http://futurescience.com/emp.html

[jbg]

3 hours ago, Argus said:

So North Korea has allegedly exploded a big hydrogen bomb now, one that can allegedly fit onto an ICBC, and is threatening to use it on the US in an EMP attack. For those who aren't aware of it, an EMP is an electromagnetic pulse, which is something nukes give off. The theory, based on what happened when the US exploded a test bomb high up decades ago, is that if you set off a bomb up high, the electromagnetic pulse will basically destroy all sensitive electronics, most especially including power transformers, thus wiping out the electricity grid. This would not cause a day or a week of power loss, but potentially many months since the transformers would have to be rebuilt. And, of course, Canada would be hit by the same pulse. While some military equipment is hardened against EMPs, no civilian infrastructure has been hardened. Some estimate 90% of the population would die within a year or so of an EMP since we can't support our present population without electricity.

Nothing much is being done about this. I doubt Canadian authorities even know what an EMP is. Some American authorities have been calling on the government to harden their public power grid for years, but the cost is estimated at $20 billion so no one has shown a lot of interest. On the other hand, the US has spent an estimated $400 billion in Afghanistan so...

http://futurescience.com/emp.html

I frankly think it's time to stop the daintiness and excuses and knock NK off line before this parade of horribles even starts.

[Michael Hardner]

1 minute ago, jbg said:

I frankly think it's time to stop the daintiness and excuses and knock NK off line before this parade of horribles even starts.

Read this:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/07/the-worst-problem-on-earth/528717/

South Korea, our allies, are hugely at risk with pre-emptive military action.

[Altai]

Dont worry guys, NK is just bluffing. They wont do anything against US but I cant guarantee that they wont shot a Muslim country or anti-American European country with nukes. Anything can be justified by an atheist  There is one rule and its "there is no rule". 

[jbg]

15 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

Read this:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/07/the-worst-problem-on-earth/528717/

South Korea, our allies, are hugely at risk with pre-emptive military action.

Not if we move hard and fast enough. The model is Israel's preemptive strike in the Six Day War.

[Michael Hardner]

36 minutes ago, jbg said:

Not if we move hard and fast enough. The model is Israel's preemptive strike in the Six Day War.

I'm not a military historian, but I don't think those are analogous situations.  NK is expecting an attack, and the author of the article seems to assess that as high risk.

[jbg]

4 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

I'm not a military historian, but I don't think those are analogous situations.  NK is expecting an attack, and the author of the article seems to assess that as high risk.

I would assume that Egypt expected an attack. They blockaded the Straits of Tiran and thus Israel's port city of Eilat. I don't care how many North Koreans have to die. I care first about the U.S, then about South Korea and Japan.

[DogOnPorch]

40 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

I'm not a military historian, but I don't think those are analogous situations.  NK is expecting an attack, and the author of the article seems to assess that as high risk.

 

Any idea as to who started the Korean War?

[Michael Hardner]

12 minutes ago, DogOnPorch said:

Any idea as to who started the Korean War?

http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war

Quote

On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began when some 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean People’s Army poured across the 38th parallel, the boundary between the Soviet-backed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the north and the pro-Western Republic of Korea to the south. This invasion was the first military action of the Cold War.

I guess you think my name is Michael Googlner ?

[Michael Hardner]

48 minutes ago, jbg said:

I would assume that Egypt expected an attack. They blockaded the Straits of Tiran and thus Israel's port city of Eilat. I don't care how many North Koreans have to die. I care first about the U.S, then about South Korea and Japan.

Well, Japan and South Korea would be hugely at risk, maybe Guam.  But ok.  The article lays out the risks pretty clearly, I thought.

[DogOnPorch]

2 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war

I guess you think my name is Michael Googlner ?

 

I do...Google is a powerful helper.

Did you have a clue before you looked?

No, huh?

[Michael Hardner]

Just now, DogOnPorch said:

No, huh?

Did you see where I wrote this: "I'm not a military historian"

Would you like me to provide a list of subjects I'm unfamiliar with ?  That way you can ask me questions on them and I can tell you I don't know and you can feel really good.

 

[DogOnPorch]

Just now, Michael Hardner said:

Did you see where I wrote this: "I'm not a military historian"

Would you like me to provide a list of subjects I'm unfamiliar with ?  That way you can ask me questions on them and I can tell you I don't know and you can feel really good.

 

 

Your natural assumption was to assume "the USA did it".

Guess what? The Arabs started the Arab Israeli War.

 

[Michael Hardner]

Just now, DogOnPorch said:

 

1. Your natural assumption was to assume "the USA did it".

2. Guess what? The Arabs started the Arab Israeli War.

 

1. Wait.  Didn't you accuse me of Googling it ?  Guess what ?  I googled it.  I had no idea, nor did I make any assumption.

2. Yes, they were going to attack Israel and Israel pre-emptively attacked and defeated them.  I did know that.

Why are you trying to start an argument where there is none ?

[DogOnPorch]

13 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

1. Wait.  Didn't you accuse me of Googling it ?  Guess what ?  I googled it.  I had no idea, nor did I make any assumption.

2. Yes, they were going to attack Israel and Israel pre-emptively attacked and defeated them.  I did know that.

Why are you trying to start an argument where there is none ?

 

Oh please...do continue. If not for non-historians blurting out supposed facts, I'd be rather bored. 

[eyeball]

3 hours ago, DogOnPorch said:

Any idea as to who started the Korean War?

Koreans?

C'mon people...stop falling for such dumb questions...I can't believe how easily DOP gets away with this nonsense.

Its easy to see how we sucked ourselves into the Korean War.

[kactus]

It is absurd for the West to even contemplate an attack on NK...

South Korea and Japan are within close vicinity. It is an absolute suicide.

[kactus]

13 hours ago, eyeball said:

Concerning like Saddam Hussein?

Where's David Frum when we really need him?

Axis of Evil my concerned ass 

Don't get me started on Frum. That idiot must be feeling really pompous preparing Bush's union speech....

[Altai]

8 hours ago, jbg said:

I would assume that Egypt expected an attack. They blockaded the Straits of Tiran and thus Israel's port city of Eilat. I don't care how many North Koreans have to die. I care first about the U.S, then about South Korea and Japan.

This is horrible, so you dont care about innocent people in NK. This is just inhuman. 

[Michael Hardner]

10 hours ago, DogOnPorch said:

 

Oh please...do continue. If not for non-historians blurting out supposed facts, I'd be rather bored. 

Here are the facts I put out.

- I don't think Israel 1967/NK are analogous situations.  

-NK is expecting an attack,   

-the author of the article seems to assess that as high risk.

I hardly went out on a limb, or overstepped my limited knowledge.  Which one of these assertions was so far off that it perks up your boredom ?

[betsy]

6 hours ago, Altai said:

This is horrible, so you dont care about innocent people in NK. This is just inhuman. 

If the USA didn't bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki - how many more millions would've died in WW2?

That's the ugly and very sad reality of war.  Innocents are killed.

Edited September 4, 2017 by betsy

[betsy]

8 hours ago, kactus said:

It is absurd for the West to even contemplate an attack on NK...

South Korea and Japan are within close vicinity. It is an absolute suicide.

I bet Japan and SK have had bunkers or air shelters built for the population long time ago  After all, they're next door to a looney.

I don't think Japan and SK would be unprepared in any way.