US has 'significant' deterrent capability against North Korea: Rice

AFP ^ | 05/02/05

[TigerLikesRooster]

1. Bush blasted Kim Jong-il,
2. so did his Chief of Staff, Andy Card.
3. DIA says N. Korea can mount warhead on missiles
4. N. Korea test-fired its missile again(probably a cruise missile.)
5. U.S. plan for preemptive nuclear strike to rogue states or terrorists was leaked to the press.
6. Every permanent member in U.N. Security Council except China is on board for talking sanction against N. Korea
7. 12 F-15 move to Guam with support crews, including  refueling tankers.
8. Probable N. Korean nuclear test site identified: Work is in progress in Kil-ju, N. Korea for apparent underground nuclear test.
9. Rice warns that U.S. can handle anything N. Korea can dish out.
   

U.S. is digging in. Barring the last-minute change of heart by N. Korea to return to 6-party talks, things will only escalate. Palpable tension in the air.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Experiment 6-2-6]

I suspect the dark night of North Korea might have a glowing green auro soon....

[Williams]

We can deter N Korean aggression. I don't think we are planning any military action to disarm the N Korean nuke capability.

[Restorer]

The US cannot deter NK, which implies that we can keep them from doing certain things.

We can destroy them, of course, but deterrence out of fear of being destroyed only works with a rational deterree. NK's recent history provides little evidence of rationality.

[SevenofNine]

I got question Tiger how long before Kim Jong going send invitae to Condi Rice would she accept like Maddy not Too Bright LOL! OR NOTTTT

[Judith Anne]

Your reply #1, excellent summary. Thanks.

[SmithL]

Same deterrence that beat the Soviet Union:

[ken21]

23,000,000 starving people with nuclear weapons.

[Tai_Chung]

Bush always says he supports a "nuclear free Korean penisula". Doesn't this imply that if North Korea doesn't give up their nukes, the US may places nukes in South Korea?

[AZHua87]

A photo of Condi with that angry "I'm going to make you pay for that" look would be appropriate here I think.

[shaggy eel]

,,, Condi can't come to your screen right now, but here's something to smile about.

[Kozak]

We can destroy them, of course, but deterrence out of fear of being destroyed only works with a rational deterree. NK's recent history provides little evidence of rationality.

Not necessarily. Not EVERYONE in NK leadership or military is suicidal. We are doing everything but buying air time on their radio to depose the nut cases. Lil Kim may wake up dead one morning.

[zipper]

"We can destroy them, of course, but deterrence out of fear of being destroyed only works with a rational deterree. NK's recent history provides little evidence of rationality."

Exactly. Put another way, we had a policy of MAD with the Soviets during the cold war, but that won't work with the N. Koreans, because they already are.

[ServesURight]

There wouldn't be a NK had Truman not pulled the plug on MacArthur.

Truman is the most overrated President in history.

[AZHua87]

You got that right!

Have you read the book "Iron Coffins?" It's top notch even if it is about WWII German U-Boats.

[12 Gauge Mossberg]

Totally agree. The only option is to bomb that country to smithereens. A traditional war with NK would cost thousands of American lives.

The terrain of NK is very hilly with unpredictable, extreme weather. Plus nobody hasn't been inside the country for decades. I'm pretty sure Chia Pet has massive underground tunnel bunkers.

[shaggy eel]

,,, no, I haven't read that one.

[festus]

I don't think we are planning any preemption either.

But if that flathead Kim uncorks a portobella then I'd like to think there would be a swift and unambigous response.