Posted on 11/24/2010 1:41:47 AM PST by AmericanInTokyo
Click on white triangle on the Japanese text page, after going to the link, to stream (on most systems, up for another day or so). Approximately one minute long clip, from Japanese evening news a few hours ago here in Tokyo.
a) Footage of Pyongyang, North Korean TV female announcer spitting bile and filth towards innocent South Korea saying that they deserved the attacks because they started it and more would be on the way.
b) Japanese and South Korean reporters today apparantly caught and cornered the envoy of North Korea (DPRK) to the United Nations on a sidewalk in NYC, Mr. Pak, and asked him about this attack by North Korea. He of course turned the tables, and listen to his VERY provocative reply in English to the reporters (another bold North Korean unapologetic threat to make additioanl war moves).
Calm down Edgar,
Yes, the NK’s have nukes. Sort of. Which means they have put together something that will explode under very special conditions. There is no data on the size of the thing, it’s probably as temperamental as hell, and it probably weighs a solid ton. In other words, I doubt very seriously they have anything that can be married to a missile for delivery and if they do, it’s probably not going to work reliably.
Aircraft delivery is not an option. They’d never make it across the DMZ, let alone across the Sea of Japan.
The missiles are indeed spooky — I am in the footprint, and know it — but the JASDF Patriot batteries are up and running and the JMSDF has PAC-3 Standards aboard the JDS Kongo and Kirishima.
Japan itself is not in danger. Save your worries for our uniformed brothers and sisters in Korea.
Death to Evil Kim’s!!
I wonder just what kind of a target they would go after.
My gut feeling says it would be a carrier. You know here in the states Obama is just about to get the proverbial stage hook, meaning that if anything were to happen to US Forces and Obama does nothing I believe he will be removed from office.
Whats actually the crux of the problem is who will step forward, obviously it should be the VP Biden, but then again the issues of Obama even being a legitimate President are crashing upon the shore like a wave at high tide right now.
Ronin, I agree the Norks have some form of a fission device, and I would argue that for the time right now the only way they can deliver such a device other than going through a lot of diversions and roundabout shipping and having it sitting in a container at a port would be for them to encase it in a mine.
And by some means try to get it in the path of the Washington.
Vanuatu sounds nice. Count me in. I’ve always wanted to go there.
I’d like to check out Tahiti.
Norks would have NO REASON to hit Papeete with a Taepodong-2, thats for sure. One could certainly relax in the hammock over there.
I just spent 4 hours this last evening from 8-12pm looking for my lost cat up here in Wasilla, Alaska.
We have already seen snow and some mildly cold temps near zero for the last couple of weeks, and then starting sunday night a warm front blew in, its been raing like crazy and the temps are over 40F, all of this on top of a couple inches of snow and ice, a wet skating rink everywhere.
No I did not find my kitty, my mentally challenged step daughter decided to take MY cat for a little ride just because she didn’t like it.
Sorry about the cat-rant. Right now I’m about ready to fly somewhere warmer myself.
God bless him and his family. Much too young to go...
North Korea nows goes on war footing for the sternly worded letter from 0bama.
God bless them both. I also read this morning that two civilian bodies were found in the wreckage of burned houses. Does that change things in terms of response?
Not sure if you saw this, but it also looks like all of the SK navy has put out to sea and it looks like a rather large contingent of the Japanese navy is accompanying the USS George Washington CAG. What’s the mood over on that side of the pond? I’ve seen plenty of the Korean editorials calling for retaliation, but does anyone believe Lee is actually going to order a retalitory strike?
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Yeonpyeong - Navy Notes 24 Hours Later
As of this post it has been 24 hours since the artillery shells were fired by North Korea onto the island of Yeonpyeong. Noteworthy developments:
The USS George Washington (CVN 73) and escorts have deployed from Japan. Interesting to note, there were some Japanese Navy vessels deployed over the last 24 hours as well. As you might imagine, the ports in South Korea are largely empty as a great deal of the South Korean Navy has put to sea.
There are no solid numbers, but some news organizations are reporting well over 50 major warships from the United States, Japan, and South Korea currently moving towards the maritime regions surrounding the Korean Peninsula. This would constitute the largest assembly of international naval firefare since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. I’m sure China is pleased to see this massive armada on their lawn.
Asahi Shimbun (Japanese media) is now reporting there were 5 North Korean Mig-23s seen on the North Korean side of the border just prior to artillery fire began, and South Korea was tracking them on the South Korean side with F-15s. Neither the Migs nor F-15s apparently crossed their respective border, nor were involved in the battle at Yeonpyeong island.
There appear to be a few security holes somewhere in the US National Security information loop, because very credible sources have reported the first US ISR on the scene over Yeonpyeong was UAVs launched from the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23). While I appreciate the idea that leaking submarine activity might be part of a well orchestrated information campaign against North Korea (North Korea couldn’t detect the USS Jimmy Carter short of using a minefield, even if they used every sonar in their entire inventory), I don’t think that is actually the reason for the leak.
Inside the loop, information has become nearly impossible as things have gone dark across the Pacific all the way to Diego Garcia, but from talking to civilians today there was a lot of praise for PACOM and specifically ADM Willard, who according to my sources was the first major player among all the players engaged in the events unfolding. There was also quite a bit of good things said all the way around about 7th Fleet today.
The background for the photo in this blog post can be found here.
I do not rule out the use of military power in response to this attack, but do not expect it. If so it will come from South Korea. I think the US will do exactly what they did following the Cheonan attack - shift the pressure China. I think it is pretty clear the inability of China to address North Korean following the Cheonan incident cost China considerable credibility in the region this year. In this case, things are less ambiguous in the public, so China will either step up or be discredited by virtually every nation in the region as irresponsible and unworthy of being a regional leader.
The problem with this approach is the US could turn this into a US-China political game, and South Korea may not see that approach as being in their best interest. I don’t think that means they take military action, but there were South Korean homes burning on TV from a military attack from the North all day yesterday. Doing nothing in the eyes of the public is less risky a political response as doing something, although we won’t know the cost of doing nothing until the markets close.
As always, the North might do something stupid. One would think not, but I wouldn’t have believed they would shell a neighborhood either had you asked me yesterday. Apparently they really will do anything given the time and space - and that’s the tough issue. For the record, the crop this year in North Korea was reported to be a disaster, so North Korea is in need of food aid this winter.
Posted by Galrahn at 12:34 AM
http://www.informationdissemination....#disqus_thread
The old man thinks (knows)that things will go to hell when he dies.
All he worked for will crumble. The south will continue to prosper and will not be destroyed.
He must provoke a war and destroy Seoul so he can die in peace.
Hey America that voted for this kenyan... how do you like this mangina now?
LLS
That is huge and serious.
we watched the footage of the barrage online yesterday. If the sight of their fellow civilian countrymen running from a building with artillery falling all around doesn’t provide the impetus to take these guys out, they might as well open the borders and bend over.
Either that or some birdy is squawking ?
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