North Korea threatens the US with a Nuclear War.

[Vicarious Vangaurd]

Sure we have 1000, but in all this time we don't have a real deterrent or defense to nuclear weaponry.

We actually have 5,113 nuclear warheads. And we do have several missile defense mechanisms and platforms around the world. Especially in Hawaii where we have giant radar and Arrow missile defenses. And we have the Boeing YAL-1 which weapons system is a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) mounted inside a modified Boeing 747-400F. It is primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs), while in boost phase. The YAL-1 with a low-power laser was test-fired in flight, at an airborne target in 2007. A high-energy laser was used to intercept a test target in January 2010, and the following month, successfully destroyed two test missiles.

http://www.mda.mil/system/system.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1

But really NK is all talk no get up and actually try to attack a country which would turn their rectum inside out.

 

[Voration]

North Korea is just a poor country with a nuclear weapons program making everyone (America) scared of them. They just want to be left alone and are very happy in their little isolated world of superiority. For the DPRK, the war never ended and the people are told that any day America could attack them with their South Korean allies.

You wonder why they want to protect themselves? If you just ignore the country with the new weapons and show you aren't threatened by maybe... not doing anything agressive like holding a demonstration of power, North Korea will instead think that maybe they weren't needed in the first place.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

If it escalates to a nuclear war, America will be in a bit of a pickle as they cant nuke North Korea, but North Korea has no problems in nuking America.

I think you've missed a critical point but I'll let you carry on for a moment.

Think about how many allies America has close to North Korea. The resulting fallout of the nuclear warheads may very well spread to South Korea, Japan, maybe China. Its probably the reason why America didn't nuke North Korea yet.

The reason you have not seen the nuclear option executed, even when MacArthur demanded that very thing when defeat seemed all but certain (resulting in his dismissal by Truman) is because American involvement in the war was defensive in nature - designed to hold the "Red Menace" in check. Given that the Cold War was, among other things, a battle for the hearts and minds of the Third World (That is, countries who had not sided with either the US or the USSR), the utter annihilation of a nation would hardly engender trust and cooperation with would be allies. Beyond that, such an act would ensure a wider war with China, which would have inevitably resulted in tremendous casualties on both sides regardless of nuclear weapons.

The weapons have not been employed since simply because their use could easily trigger a catastrophic nuclear war, especially during the cold war era. More recently, such weapons are held in reserve for any number of reasons, the most obvious simply being one of perception of the world community. The strategic value of a nuclear strike without cause is negated by the almost certain ramifications in the form of diplomatic pressure (such as embargoes) or even full scale war.

That said, in the event of a nuclear strike by North Korea, such restrictions would be lifted in short order and the nuclear option would be back on the table. Given the reality of conducting an invasion of North Korea (it wouldn't be pretty by any stretch), which includes the simple fact that North Korea could spill across the DMZ with more than a million and a half men (not to mention the thousands of artillery pieces, which are capable of leveling Seoul without advancing), and the fact that the US has less than 50,000 men on the ground in the country, the use of nuclear armaments would be a strategically sensible move. This does not imply that the country would be "glassed" but the deployment of such weapons to a half dozen to a dozen key locations would be sufficient to destroy their ability to conduct effective warfare.

Of course, one must also realize that the most plausible target(s) for a nuclear deployment by North Korea is not the United States but rather South Korea itself. Such weapons offer an ace in the hole so to speak, ensuring that even in the event of the battle turning south for North Korea that South Korea and the United States pay dearly for their actions. Were I picking the targets for such weapons, they would include the major cities in South Korea, ports of entry, major military assets and the like. The reason for such things is simple enough - there is little strategic or tactical reason to deliver nuclear weapons overseas. The response would easily be overwhelming, not just from the US but from much of the world. A local nuclear attack would be less likely to result in nuclear annihilation for North Korea, and would set the stage for rapid gains on the ground which may allow for a favorable peace where they keep the smoking remains so that the US and the rest of the world are not forced into an obscenely bloody war on the ground.

 

[Darth_Dude]

Okay, let me explain that for you. In North Korea, Kim-Il-Sung (if that's his name), their original leader, is considered a "God-Emperor". I wish i was making this shit up. I've heard their "communist" regime has evolved into a Nazi one (Godwin's Law, i know) over time. And you suggest that anyone sane would side with them? It's not like Iraq, people in NK government are actively malevolent.

I just wish someone shut that dictator up already, dismantled this petty regime, and let people live in a normal country, as opposed to a pastiche of Stalin's USSR made by nine-year olds from cardboard and duct tape.

Let me remind you that this 'pastiche of Stalin's USSR made by nine-year olds from cardboard and duct tape.' has one of the BIGGEST military's in the world. If the US were to leave the KOrean Peninsula, The north would crush the south in an instant.

 

[Kollega]

Let me remind you that this 'pastiche of Stalin's USSR made by nine-year olds from cardboard and duct tape.' has one of the BIGGEST militaries in the world.

You serious? They don't have the - biggest - or the - most advanced - army in the world, although it might be the most zealous one. The only reason North Korea wasn't invaded yet is because USA do not want to start WWIII with their only ally, China, who do, in fact, possess the biggest army in the world. Do your research, please.

 

[Lucifron]

North Korea might always be seen as either "the enemy" or "the insane ones", but how do you know for sure?

How do we know for sure? This [http://www.vbs.tv/newsroom/vice-guide-to-north-korea-1-of-14] is how we know for sure. Watch all 14 parts, it's a very educational experience.

Tl;dr: Not only is NK the enemy or insane, but the most Orwellian regime to have ever existed in the history of mankind. Big Brother would've crapped his pants with pride.

 

[Darth_Dude]

the Korean People's Army numbers at around 1 million under trained, poorly armed villagers in uniform.

Ok, seriously? No.

"North Korea is the most militarized country in the world today, having the fourth largest standing army in the world, at nearly 1.2 million armed personnel, with about 20% of men ages 17?54 in the regular armed forces.It also has the Worker-Peasant Red Guard, a reserve force comprising 3.5m+ (IISS), 3.8m (USMC) or 4.7m (State Department) militia. It operates an enormous network of military facilities scattered around the country, a large weapons production basis, and a dense air defense system."

Not to mention air supremacy,

"The Korean People's Air and Air Defense Command, better known as the Korean People's Air Force (KPAF), is primarily an air defense force, with limited offensive capability."

"As of 2007 it comprised 110,000 personnel and between 1,600 and 1,700 aircraft. The KPAF also operates a very large air defence network of radar and anti-aircraft gun/missile sites."

would we really even need nukes? Conventional bombs and missiles would do the trick fine. When it all comes down to it, a war with North Korea is highly unlikely, but even if it did happen they wouldn't last very long when faced with modern technology (The US has changed a lot in the past 60 years... North Korea has not)

"The DPRK began to produce a modified version of the 115 mm gunned T-62 tank, which was the Soviet army's main battle tank in the 1960s. Based on general trends and photography of armed forces parades, it is clear that the DPRK has made considerable modifications to the basic Soviet and Chinese designs in its own production.

In the 1980s, in order to make the army more mobile and mechanized, there was a steady influx of new tanks, self propelled artillery, armored personnel carriers (APCs), and trucks. The ground forces seldom retire old models of weapons and tend to maintain a large equipment stock, keeping old models along with upgraded ones in the active force or in reserve. The army remains largely an infantry force, although a decade-long modernization program has significantly improved the mobility and firepower of its active forces.

Between 1980 and 1992, the DPRK reorganized, reequipped, and forward deployed the majority of its ground forces. The army places great emphasis on special operations and has the largest special operations forces in the world ? tailored to meet the distinct requirements of mountainous Korean terrain. Between 1984 and 1992, the army added about 1,000 tanks, over 2,500 APC/IFV, and about 6,000 artillery pieces and rocket launchers. In 1992 North Korea had about twice the advantage in numbers of tanks and artillery, and a 1.5-to-1 advantage in personnel over its potential adversaries, the United States-Republic of Korea defenses to the south. "

Source: [link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People%27s_Army[/link]

 

[SpAc3man]

North Korea isn't dumb enough to try anything. They are a failing nation with half a not quite working nuke. If they piss off the South they will piss of the Americans too and vice versa. Pissing off 2 countries with huge military forces is a stupid idea.

 

[Darth_Dude]

Let me remind you that this 'pastiche of Stalin's USSR made by nine-year olds from cardboard and duct tape.' has one of the BIGGEST militaries in the world.

You serious? They don't have the - biggest - or the - most advanced - army in the world, although it might be the most zealous one. The only reason North Korea wasn't invaded yet is because USA do not want to start WWIII with their only ally, China, who do, in fact, possess the biggest army in the world. Do your research, please.

What do you mean by do your research? Nothing I said was wrong.

And thanks for pointing out my spelling mistake. damned grammar nazi

 

[Googooguru]

Kim Jong-il is like 4 foot 2 no wonder hes always in a bad mood and looking to pick a fight, America should buy the little guy some platform shoes and tell him what a big dictator he is and that everyone looks up to him , literally, and that should sort everything out

 

[The Hairminator]

I think the way to reach NK is through China, who are basically their only "allies", and it's a loose alliance at that. Get China to realize NKs bitching can't go on, and get them to help stop them.

 

[tkioz]

Isn't it cute when the kid with the 9mm threatens the guy in the battle tank? Okay as most of you know I'm not a huge fan of the US government, the current or previous administrations (though I liked Clinton) but honestly at most North Korea has what? a dozen? maybe two dozen nukes that might be able to make a mess of Asia (speaking a dude pretty close to Asia this is not a good thing), the yanks have enough nukes stored away even after 3 decades of disarmament to reduce to the planet to a glassed wasteland several times over...

Not to mention hitting the continental US with nukes isn't easy, and the fact China doesn't want a war anymore then we do... NK might start something but they'll be squashed flat in record time. The fact they have a massive army doesn't mean jack squat if they start throwing nukes around, however reaches for the WMD first will have the entire wall lining up to shit down on them

 

[SNIPERFOX ft. Harry P.Ness]

what are those guys thinking? pfft, no one will DARE fire the first shot(well america will probably will)because the world will end becasue technology is being held buy IDIOTS

Well, you see, it's like this. There's a trick to attacking first. You gotta provoke your enemy. Taunt them with stereotypical insults and whatnot. Then if they don't retaliate, you set up a situation, something like a civilian cruise ship in or around their naval territory. When they sink your "battleship", stop the presses! Announce the tragedy on the news and boom! You've got an incentive.

thank you for explaining this to me

 

[AWDMANOUT]

I doubt the prospect of nuclear fallout, in all honesty.

Think about it. Making the conscious decision to press a button and kill endless amounts of innocent people, and making the world darker in general. Takes a lot for anybody to decide to do that.

 

[Brad Shepard]

Well, i dont like nukes, but i know we need them, so this is screwed up all the same.

 

[Kenko]

To say that the US Gov should stay away from this is basicly the same thing as saying "Fuck you South Korea". SK dont want to be rabid raving communist psychopaths brainwashed into thinking that everyone else are evil imperialist monsters who eat babies. NK thats run by a dictator psycho who's brainfucked his popolous needs to be stopped, otherwise he'll just overrun SK and get more power. And that'd be bad for everyone. Because he's probably stupid enough to press the fucking button.

 

[Silver Patriot]

If it escalates to a nuclear war, America will be in a bit of a pickle as they cant nuke North Korea, but North Korea has no problems in nuking America.

EDIT: Seeing as a whole lot of people keep quoting me over how "OMG America CAN nuke N.Korea!", let me explain.

Think about how many allies America has close to North Korea. The resulting fallout of the nuclear warheads may very well spread to South Korea, Japan, maybe China. Its probably the reason why America didn't nuke North Korea yet.

The U.S. Doesn't need to Nuke North Korea. They have Bombs with enough power to cripple North Korea with much less Fallout. I guess it doesn't have the scaring potential a Nuke has, but other options do exist.

North Korea has been threatening war with the U.S. and its "puppet government" in South Korea for as long as I can remember. However the fact remains that they just don't have the ability to fight that battle and win. Especially if they strike first. If I remember correctly, the only reason they stalemated in the Korean War was because the U.S. didn't take China's threat to stop advancing seriously and was overwhelmed. I doubt China is going to bail them out if they launch a NUCLEAR strike against the U.S. or South Korea. If anything he is looking for a way to provoke the U.S. into a strike to give him support.

Finally, even if they did launch a Nuclear strike I doubt it would reach it's intended destination. We are looking at one missile (I doubt that North Korea has the capacity to launch more.), and this is not Modern Warfare 2. I believe (though maybe I overestimate the defenses in place) it would be shot down. Also unlike in a terrorist attack, the U.S. has a clear idea of who launched it at them and will retaliate.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

America- Please stay the f*ck out of this and don't be responsible for the entire world's decimation.
Thanks. xx

 

[Phoenixlight]

Let's just hope that no one launches any nuclear weapons.