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US: Strike on N. Korea Possible if Nuclear Test Held
KBS World ^ | April 17, 2012 | Not Listed

Posted on 04/18/2012 3:23:02 AM PDT by No One Special

The commander of the U.S. Pacific Command says the U.S. may launch a surgical strike against missile bases and nuclear test sites in North Korea if it conducts a third nuclear test.

Admiral Samuel Locklear explained the U.S.'s position on Tuesday at a meeting with South Korean defense journalists at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) in Seoul.

Locklear said Washington is closely watching the North in relation to the possibility of a third nuclear test, adding the U.S. and South Korea are looking at all options including a surgical strike.

Regarding the North’s new long-range ballistic missile unveiled on Sunday, Locklear said the U.S. will closely monitor the North’s missile development in cooperation with South Korea and other allies.

The commander added that the U.S. will maintain its military presence of about 28-thousand-500 troops in South Korea.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: noko; nokorea; norks; northkorea; nukes
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To: No One Special
While I have no special knowledge of nuclear weapons or the NK program, I believe they will test again. All known evidence of their previous ones point to "fizzles" in the expected yield. This is likely due to the inablility to remove P-240 impurities from the plutonium they've processed.

We've heard reports the Iranians and Norks have been cooperating on missile and nuclear technology. Three things make this a dangerous pact, if true:

1) The Iranians have reportedly done extensive research on explosives to implode a nuclear core.

2) A failed CIA operation in the 90s supposedly gave the Iranians complete blueprints for a compact warhead design.

3) The North Koreans have several KGs of plutonium for which they cannot/will not give an account.

21 posted on 04/18/2012 6:17:00 AM PDT by edpc (Wilby 2012)
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To: ctdonath2

Yep. Seoul would no longer exist.


22 posted on 04/18/2012 6:30:37 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Principled

I was actually wondering why we are so antsy to war with Korea and not Iran. Easy answer. Obama doesn’t want to get rid of an enemy to Israel....


23 posted on 04/18/2012 7:33:06 AM PDT by DrewsMum
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To: No One Special
Admiral Samuel Locklear explained the U.S.'s position on Tuesday at a meeting with South Korean defense journalists at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) in Seoul. Locklear said Washington is closely watching the North in relation to the possibility of a third nuclear test, adding the U.S. and South Korea are looking at all options including a surgical strike.

I'm curious as to why the administration is having a regional military commander say this rather than Hillary Clinton or Leon Panetta.

24 posted on 04/18/2012 7:38:31 AM PDT by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
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To: luvbach1
Japan has the capability to take out the sites themselves. They have quietly acquired air refueling tankers, modified their fighters to air refuel (air refuel doors on F15s were welded shut but all piping was in place) and they have been practicing with US forces for years.

They have four KC-767s and know how to use them by now. They can reach just about anywhere in NK.

All their “self” defense forces have offensive capability.

25 posted on 04/18/2012 7:40:24 AM PDT by USAF80
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To: No One Special
Hey, if Palmetto Head really wants to test nuclear weapons, maybe we could help him. .... we have some really cool ones.

We could probably scratch-build him a 50-megaton one for the world's first countrywide renewal program.

26 posted on 04/18/2012 7:47:29 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: redgolum

Which sucks, when you know someone there.


27 posted on 04/18/2012 7:59:07 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ($1 meals: http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com/)
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To: No One Special

This report is a cruel hoax - yet another Obama Admin LIE.


28 posted on 04/18/2012 8:14:12 AM PDT by 2harddrive
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To: ctdonath2; Sacajaweau; redgolum
Or South Korea, which could/would lose a quarter of its population as a consequence?

If the folks I've met while in SoKo are any representation, then half of them have supported the "appease them with rice and they'll leave us alone" attitude. For those people, the living conditions in the north were not their problem, and the "rice tax" has been an easy way out.

Now their whole nation may reap the result of that policy.

29 posted on 04/18/2012 8:35:59 AM PDT by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: sam_paine

The other half thinks it’s the USA’s fault via keeping that border sealed. They want a East/West Germany solution: open the border, let people go where they want, deal with the problems as preferable to the status quo. (Don’t think NK likes that option.)


30 posted on 04/18/2012 8:49:29 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ($1 meals: http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com/)
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To: No One Special

I’ve thought this over many, many times over the years. I’m now thinking that if MacArthur had gotten his way and used tactical nukes to keep the Chinese “volunteers” out of the war, there would BE no North Korea today. My Dad and his brother were both there during the war. The North Korean army had its ass handed to it after Inchon – they were rabble to begin with, but there was a whole LOT of them. The Chinese were a professional, trained and well-led fighting force. The American army was a shell of its 1945 self and didn’t take the NKs seriously – Task Force Smith fought bravely, but was thrown together from occupation forces in Japan and had outdated weaponry – 3.5 inch bazooka shells bounced of T34 hulls. Truman was a ‘Rat, pure and simple. Once a DummycRAT, always a DummycRAT.


31 posted on 04/18/2012 9:18:01 AM PDT by Nathaniel (- A Man Without A Cross -)
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To: No One Special
Obama just might send Madeleine Albright back to show them we mean business.
32 posted on 04/18/2012 9:25:37 AM PDT by rpkgolf
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To: USAF80

Glad we don’t have to fight Japan again.


33 posted on 04/18/2012 9:48:48 AM PDT by luvbach1 (Stop the destruction in 2012 or continue the decline)
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To: No One Special
Never happen...crazy idea.An all out attack meant to absolutely destroy NK’s military might be reasonable but not a “surgical strike”.South Korea is one of the world's most important economies and Seoul is within easy artillery range of the border.
34 posted on 04/18/2012 9:52:01 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Unlike Mrs Obama,I've Been Proud Of This Country My *Entire* Life!)
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To: No One Special

“The commander of the U.S. Pacific Command says the U.S. may launch a surgical strike against missile bases and nuclear test sites in North Korea if it conducts a third nuclear test.”

There is no way the U.S. is going to strike, and the comment is just planted in the press in a bid to dissuade North Korea from conducting the nuclear test. I just don’t buy it, and the last thing we need is yet another war in another region of the world.


35 posted on 04/18/2012 10:05:08 AM PDT by AtlasStalled
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To: Nathaniel
I’ve thought this over many, many times over the years. I’m now thinking that if MacArthur had gotten his way and used tactical nukes to keep the Chinese “volunteers” out of the war, there would BE no North Korea today.

I've often wondered about this very scenario.Why didn't Truman,or the Secretary of Defense,state publicly,and communicate privately to the Chinese,something like "any foreign troops entering Korea from the north will be met with a nuclear response".And at the same time it could be communicated to the Soviets (privately,at least) that if *they* wanted to mix it up we'd be happy to oblige.

36 posted on 04/18/2012 10:07:20 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Unlike Mrs Obama,I've Been Proud Of This Country My *Entire* Life!)
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To: No One Special

Would not be the least bit surprised if Obama advisors are telling him a strike would go along way in helping him in the phony polls.

You can be darn sure if he did this, the MSM manufactured polls would show him with a huge bump, manufactured bump for sure.

Also lets face it, much of the American public is influenced by MSM polls, this is undeniable. Look no further than people who call themselves Tea Party yet support Romney etc.

The American people are swayed by the MSM for the most part, in spite of internet talk radio and supposed right wing Fox.

Even many people here, I might even say majority here, seem to swallow polls as if they are Gospel.


37 posted on 04/18/2012 10:28:58 AM PDT by Friendofgeorge (SARAH PALIN 2012 OR FLIPPIN BUST)
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To: No One Special

?

0bama would do this?

Where’s all the chatter about this? Where’s the proof they even have viable stuff?

Iran is far more worrisome...


38 posted on 04/18/2012 10:40:55 AM PDT by EBH (God Humbles Nations, Leaders, and Peoples before He uses them for His Purpose)
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To: No One Special

That’s insane. What, is Obama planning to cloak himself as a wartime prez?


39 posted on 04/18/2012 11:04:19 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (Steyn: Obama sez: "Nice little Supreme Court you got here. Shame if anything were to happen to it.")
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To: No One Special
"The commander of the U.S. Pacific Command" was talking to China, Russia and others (Asia). Welcome to something much larger, more dangerous and more complicated than the Cold War.

US TOLD TO LEAVE CENTRAL ASIA [Russia & China demand "deadline."]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1437369/posts
(06JUL05)


40 posted on 04/18/2012 11:18:59 AM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of rotten politics smelled around the planet.)
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