[Torie]

So you are saying that the Pentagon thinks that the N. Koreans could launch a surprise attack, and we could do little about it until after our troops were killed, and Seoul destroyed? I don't believe it.

[jwalsh07]

I don't believe it

Believe it.

[fogarty]

14,000 tubes of artillery tends to lend itself to being a good amount of destruction in a short amount of time.

If North Korea invades, all bets are off - there simply isn't the manpower anywhere near to stop them before Seoul. Those 35,000 or so US troops would be little more than speed bumps to the million man army (with millions more in reserves) which is on the border right now.

Right now the entire United States can muster about 12 ground combat divisions - tops. We've decimated our military so greatly that even winning a second Korean War is doubtful.

[Steel Wolf]

So you are saying that the Pentagon thinks that the N. Koreans could launch a surprise attack, and we could do little about it until after our troops were killed, and Seoul destroyed? I don't believe it.

Believe it. It's policy. Read RANGERAIRBORNE's post about the tripwire effect. What varies, depending on the time of year, and their level of mobilization (which they bump up and down to try and get our goat), is the amount of time we'd have to notify our units to prepare to receive fire.

It is theoretically possible for them to hit us with absolutely no warning, but the 'sucker punch' option would have to sacrifice their own preparations, and they'd not be in a position to exploit our shock. What is more likely is that during one of their many train ups, they'd pass the go code and move South, hoping to catch us off guard.

[RedlegCPT]

Having sat in the DMZ, been to the three found infiltartion tunnels along the DMZ, you better believe it. The KPA are a truly indoctrinated group of soldiers, the hate that you see in their eyes as you stare at them from 3 feet away lets you know that Kim Il Sung and Kim Jung Il have done a good job of creating a country that hates the US and would love to kill all of us. I have seen the batterys of tubes of artillery some of them even laid on my position. The KPA's goal is 24 Hrs to Seoul. 38K of US and 500K of ROK will not stop the initial invasion.

"In Front of Them All"