Korea heating up

[James48843]

Just when we DON'T need another stretch of our military forces- comes this news today....

U.S., South Korea raise military alert on North



SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea and the United States raised the military alert level for the peninsula on Thursday after the communist North warned the truce ending the Korean War was dead and it was ready to attack.

North Korea ramped up tensions this week with a series of provocations rarely seen since the 1950-53 Korean War, including war threats, missile launches and a nuclear test that puts it closer to having an atomic bomb.
The joint command for the 28,500 U.S. troops that support South Korea's 670,000 soldiers has raised its alert a notch to signify a serious threat from North Korea, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

It is the highest threat level since the North's only other nuclear test in October 2006.

North Korea looks certain to face fresh sanctions for defying a U.N. resolution by exploding a nuclear device for a second time, Western diplomat said, with a vote in the 15-nation Security Council expected next week.

More- http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090528...zZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawN1c3NvdXRoa29yZWE-

 

[JTH]

Yes, the NCs are playing the spoiled brat again. I have a great idea, let's give them more money so we can prop up their failed regime and let their people continue to suffer

Seriously though, we can't go chasing after every country that wants to play with nukes, this is getting really old. Let them be China's problem...

 

[Buster]

Ah heck..don't fret over this..It is China's and Japan's problem and even Russia's..but if we hold out long enough, maybe before the end of the year..the Little smurf dicktater Il will die..he doesn't look like he has many days left..:nuts:

 

[Silverbird]

Well...problem is N.Korea has nuclear material, and we don't want them to hold a garage sale. So looks like it's *interdiction* time.

 

[Birchtree]

Under new leadership perhaps they would follow Libya and become civilized.

 

[DCguy]

Ah heck..don't fret over this..It is China's and Japan's problem and even Russia's..but if we hold out long enough, maybe before the end of the year..the Little smurf dicktater Il will die..he doesn't look like he has many days left..:nuts:

when you know the death is coming, you got nothing to lose and fear... well... he probably wont start the war.. he loves his ppl... (sarcasm) :worried:

 

[Frixxxx]

I've spent the last four years training to destroy N. Korea in an event like the one that is perpetuating itself right now......


Look peeps, KJI is not a stable leader.

However, I think he is trying to go out with one last HOORAH!!!!!

If this passes (like I think it will) then we will get the new leader and start all over with the wonderful political tap dance that occurs with this country. I pray we get one who wants to re-unify!!!!

If this does not pass, then I see the world forcing the Re-Unification effort.

 

[Silverbird]

If you think the German Reunification was messy, Korea will make that look like a nice little stroll. The entire North Korean population, with a very few exceptions, have been taught that everything good was invented in North Korea (often by the Dear Leader personally:notrust, the U.S. causes their electricity to flicker on and off, and they are the most enlightened and tech-savy people in the world. News from the outside is nearly impossible to get - possesion of a cell phone is illeagal.

South Korea doesn't want re-unification. North Korea thinks Korea should re-unite under it.

An entire population of ignorant Brave New World'ers scare me more than the nastiest genius. Add to that the fact that the Military is the elite, and you've got a real volitile mess.

 

[Viva_La_Migra]

Under new leadership perhaps they would follow Libya and become civilized.

Libya only became civilized after President Reagan bombed Qaddafi's home, killing his daughter.

I don't think BHO will authorize similar action.

 

[Buster]

to be exact..

It was claimed that the air strike killed at least 40 people in Libya. Forewarned by a telephone call from Malta's Prime Minister, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, that unauthorized aircraft were flying over Maltese airspace heading south towards Tripoli, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his family rushed out of their residence in the Bab al Aziziya compound moments before the bombs dropped. Gaddafi escaped injury but his 15-month-old adopted daughter Hanna was killed, and two of his sons were injured.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_El_Dorado_Canyon#cite_note-2

 

[alevin]

Libya only became civilized after President Reagan bombed Qaddafi's home.

One of the few military actions I unqualifiedly supported, it finally got Q. to behave himself, as sad as it was about the little girl-that was on him. My brother's ship came back home from the Med a week before Q shelled our ships. It coulda been my brother. I'm everlastingly grateful it wasn't. He spent 23 years in service, ship always in port away from the action whenever action happened-totally a fluke.

 

[Buster]

Strange enough..

My old squadron was VA-176, A6E Intruders on the USS America...They were in on the Bombing of Libya.

No, I left the Navy in 1975.

 

[James48843]

Breaking news tonight.....


Army chief: US able to fight N Korea if necessary

By ANNE GEARAN, Associated Press Writer Anne Gearan, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – The United States could fight an old-fashioned war against North Korea if necessary, even while newer forms of conflict against terrorists and extremists continue, the Army's top officer said Thursday.

Asked whether the United States would be prepared to fight if war broke out between South Korea and North Korea, Gen. George Casey replied, "The short answer is yes," then added that "it would probably take us a little bit longer to shift gears" away from the type of counterinsurgency fighting that now occupies the Army.

Casey said his usual rubric for how long it would take the Army to gear up for a new "conventional" war is about 90 days. That doesn't mean it would take 90 days for the U.S. to effectively fight the North's million-man army, he said.

"We'd move forces as rapidly as we could get them prepared," Casey said during an appearance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

North Korea has threatened war following condemnation of its underground nuclear test this week, and the United States has a long-term commitment to South Korea's defense.

"This is a combat-seasoned force" that can pivot quickly, Casey said.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking to reporters as he traveled to the Far East for a conference with defense ministers, said North Korea's actions have not reached a crisis level that would warrant additional U.S. troops in the region.

"What we do have, though, are two new developments that are very provocative, that are aggressive, accompanied by very aggressive rhetoric," Gates said. "And I think it brings home the reality of the challenge that North Korea poses to the region and to the international community."

Casey, the Army's chief of staff, suggested that war with the nuclear-armed North might not be the old-style land war that U.S. forces stationed in South Korea were envisioned to fight. He did not elaborate, but he was presumably referring to the possibility that the North might use or threaten to use its proven nuclear capability.

Casey focused on his plans to rearrange the Army around the "reality scenario" of sustained counterterrorism conflict. The reality of permanent war means the United States should have 10 Army brigades and Marine Corps regiments available for overseas conflict worldwide, he said.

"It's not just Iraq and Afghanistan," Casey said. Including Iraq in his contingency planning is not to say that the United States won't honor its agreement with Iraq to pull forces from the country by 2012, he said.
"We will execute the draw down plan that has been executed between our governments," he said.

"I don't know that anyone knows what the security relationship and force level will be, if there are any, in Iraq," after the scheduled withdrawal of combat forces," he added. "That's very much to be determined."

 

[James48843]

Dang. Just when I was about to toss out my old boots and canteen, and this comes up. Still got my cold-weather gear for those frosty Korean nights in December....

If this clicks- they are going to need old geezers like me. I'm still fresh enough -retirement, but still current-- that I expect I would end up getting sucked up if N K kicks off and crosses the line.

got to brush up on my Korean.....

Dang.

 

[alevin]

Buster, I was on the docks with my family when the first carrier group came home from Gulf 1, (don't recall which carrier it was tho, long time ago now). Coincidental, I was there to see my in-service sister get married that day, but the wedding didn't happen and we saw the group come into port instead. It was an awesome proud experience shared with a lot of other people. For James' and Frixxx' and any other MB members who could get roped into another Korea, I truly hope it doesn't come to that and at the same time, if it does, I know how critical that situation is, being a West Coaster, and am grateful we have the resources including people, to respond appropriately. We don't have the same kind of China relations we did back when my dad served, so I hope China will step on Il and help back him down.

 

[Frixxxx]

...
If this clicks- they are going to need old geezers like me. I'm still fresh enough -retirement, but still current-- that I expect I would end up getting sucked up if N K kicks off and crosses the line.
got to brush up on my Korean.....
Dang.

No worries James, You just sit tight and let me and the new recruits take care of business.

....For James' and Frixxx' and any other MB members who could get roped into another Korea, I truly hope it doesn't come to that and at the same time, if it does, I know how critical that situation is, being a West Coaster, and am grateful we have the resources including people, to respond appropriately. We don't have the same kind of China relations we did back when my dad served, so I hope China will step on Il and help back him down.

Thanks Alevin, I really don't think this will really come about and I'm going to do everything to keep James retired.


They have VERY LIMITED resources to support and sustain a war.:notrust:

Last time I checked, NO defections were made to NORTH in the last 25 years.

South Korea has nicely trained forces and with the Support of the U.S. the battle wouldn't last more than 100 days. And that my friends is just a "liberal estimate".

Pray to the Almighty, it never comes to it!

 

[turbo23dog]

I think it would be a dirty, nasty fight, but I agree with frixxx that I don't think its going to get to that. The NKs want some attention, and they have a strange way of asking for it.

 

[DCguy]

No worries James, You just sit tight and let me and the new recruits take care of business.
Thanks Alevin, I really don't think this will really come about and I'm going to do everything to keep James retired.


They have VERY LIMITED resources to support and sustain a war.:notrust:

Last time I checked, NO defections were made to NORTH in the last 25 years.

South Korea has nicely trained forces and with the Support of the U.S. the battle wouldn't last more than 100 days. And that my friends is just a "liberal estimate".

Pray to the Almighty, it never comes to it!

I hear the war wouldnt last a week w/o any help from China and Russia, but South Korea, Japan, HK, China, Russia, and even Washington DC are in their nuke range

 

[alevin]

I agree with frixxx that I don't think its going to get to that. The NKs want some attention, and they have a strange way of asking for it.

Y'know, that's what I thought the last time Il started sabre rattling-wants to cut a deal for additional econ support. :nuts: I just wonder if he thinks nobody has energy to pay attention right now so he has to go over the top act out to get what he wants. It might backfire.

 

[Frixxxx]

I hear the war wouldnt last a week w/o any help from China and Russia, but South Korea, Japan, HK, China, Russia, and even Washington DC are in their nuke range

I wish I could say that, but the terrain of NK is pretty much mountainous and treacherous north of the DMZ.

I used a ""liberal estimate" though