We have the weakest “President” in the history of our nation. Obama makes Jimmy Carter look good.
Bullies exploit weakness. We appear weak because of our President, and we ARE weak as long as he is our “leader”.
In addition to our weakness, China may perceive some advantage to be gained from a war between North and South Korea. China has economic problems that could boil over into domestic unrest, and nothing helps unify a nation like a perceived outside threat.
What’s more, China and Japan have a major spat going right now, and a “nice little surrogate war” between North and South Korea might help them make their point to the Japanese as well.
Finally, China would like nothing better than to cripple South Korea economically. (One way to reduce competition is to blow ‘em up.)
Long winded way to say: Be ready.
Maybe he finally figured out the ‘sexiest man’ bit was a joke on him. Good lesson here - Great Leader cannot stand people making of him.
Maybe General MacArthur was right all along.
One of the first orders of business should be the US Navy (underwater branch), to make short shrift of anything NKor that floats or submerges. Remember the Cheonan.
Any aggressive mass military movement should be greeted by a B-2 dropped air burst MOAB. Which would also work great on major Air Defense Artillery zones. Such as these:
As far as the mountain emplaced artillery that threatens Seoul, I suggest a B-52 bomber dropping Small Diameter Bombs. Each B-52 can drop 32 of them from 60 miles away, 250 pound bombs that can penetrate 3 feet of steel reinforced concrete.
Thus, a chalk of three B-52s, coming from different angles, would likely be able to take out some estimated 80 or more NKor artillery emplacements almost at once.
Good time to nuke Pyongyang....
For decades China, South Korea and the United States have accepted the status quo; some saber rattling, the occasional crisis, condemnation and bribes. No one in 50 years has been able to untie the Gordian Knot of North Korea. I think the equation has changed both externally and internally.
The question I have is will the shooting start in Pyongyang, on the 38th parallel or the border with China?
Didn’t those cretins willfully sink a S.Korean warship last year? Nothing was done, so it emboldened them.
Hindsight is 20/20. Most odds when at best level are 50/50. Calling 40/60 for the moment.
Clearly, we need to send that hot cougar, Madeline Albright over there to mother him.
Since there are no longer color codes. Think Elmo.
Motive? What possible motive could NK have in threatening to start a war with SK and the U.S.? Unless national insanity is involved, no nation intending to go to war with another country would give that country a warning. NK would like for the world to think they are insane and would do something like commit national suicide, but do they really intend to start a suicidal war with the U.S.?
IMHO, they are just playing a variation of the old “Protection” game and think they just might be able to “shake down” the U.S.
As the U.S. now has a obviously weak President, they just might get away with it.
Maybe I'm naive, but how does this change a thing. Hasn't this been basically the status quo?