North Korea: What happens if Kim Jong-un acts on his threats?

Yahoo! News / The Christian Science Monitor ^ | March 29, 2013 | Anna Mulrine

[2ndDivisionVet]

In the event that the 'bellicose rhetoric' of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un turns into something more serious, the opening hours of conflict could be 'pretty ugly,' defense analysts warn.

Veteran North Korea watchers, citing what they see as increasingly troubling signs coming from the dictatorial regime, are voicing concerns that its new young leader, Kim Jong-un, could do something ill-advised, even start a war.

On Friday North Korea renewed what the U.S. has condemned as its “bellicose rhetoric,” saying Kim had ordered the nation’s missile forces to prepare to strike the United States and South Korea.

In response to the prospect of North Korea following through on this and other marginally less dire threats, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday that the US military “will unequivocally defend, and [is] unequivocally committed to the alliance with, South Korea.”

But if hostilities were in fact to erupt, how might they play out?

Some former US Special Operations Forces and longtime Korea defense analysts have their own thoughts on what an “unequivocal” US military response could look like, including how US troops would be deployed in the event of a lethal first strike on US and allied military forces by North Korea – precisely the sort of move Mr. Kim has been threatening to make.

What would such a first North Korean move resemble? It might involve small-scale infiltrations using mini-submarines, assassination attempts.....

[swamprebel]

Obama has demonstrated he will let people die, if it interfere’s with DNC fund raising with Jay-Z. The Azz Kissing Career Generals left after his purge can only be counted on to praise the “won”.
I think DC is underestimating, and I see Russia, Iran, and China backing the tantrum throwing lil’ Kim. This feel’s very different from past provacations.

[COBOL2Java]

Isn’t this their usual MO when they want a refill on their humongous EBT card?

[eyedigress]

Pull out his shotgun and kill the neighbors chimney.

[dangerdoc]

The only person that has ever used a nuke as an act of war was a democrat president.

[Olog-hai]

Russia, Iran and of course Red China are indeed backing the House of Kim. The old Second World is coming back, thanks to its agents being entrenched here.

[Ramius]

He’s a drunk with a double barreled shotgun and Tourette Syndrome. Irritating and ignoreable except he’s gonna kill someone and get killed immediately after. A true NK attack will turn Seoul to rubble, promptly followed by Pyongyang and the southern NK border. Total combat period about 4 hours.

He's a drunk with a double barreled shotgun, Tourette's syndrome, and the biggest chemical stockpile in the hemisphere. In that 4 hours how much VX do you suppose he could unleash on the south? See... The problem with crazy people is that some of them really are dangerous.

[GenXteacher]

I predict the Norks fire a missile aimed at California, which immediately strikes somewhere in Australia. We fire one nuke cruise missile into Pyongyang, ending the war.

[Cyber Liberty]

...Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday that the US military “will unequivocally defend, and [is] unequivocally committed to the alliance with, South Korea.”

OMG, we have Slo Joe Biden as Secretary of Defense.

[Old Yeller]

If he attacks, we no longer have a North Korea, just Korea.

Are you forgetting? One of America's worst enemies occupies the White House. North Korea is safe.

[Yardstick]

Those who prepped have a chance of waiting out the panic buying, the shortages, and the violence.

Those who laughed at us are raped and killed.

This is why I say prepperism has no place here. It's nothing but a sicko revenge fantasy posing as practical "advice".

[eyedigress]

Send Rodman’s ass back over there with a basketball signed by Madeleine Allbright.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Just find out where lil Kim is, drone him and get this over with.

No one will mind and it would scare the piss out of China.

[GenXteacher]

It occurs to me that maybe Rodman said something to offend them and precipitate all this.....

[BobL]

What’s your definition of “prepperism”?

[Farmer Dean]

If it comes to that,expect plenty of bullets coming back at them.

[Chode]

the few lights that ARE in NK, go out...

[eyedigress]

Probably. Kim Jung Un or whatever is completely unhinged. Rodman is an idiot and the epitome of “low information voter”.

[Old Yeller]

The only person that has ever used a nuke as an act of war was a democrat president.

And he didn't hate the U.S.A. like the current POS.

[gop4lyf]

Great book!

[Fred Hayek]

Obama gives a high-five to Kim Jong Un, and purges our military.