An escalating war of words across the world’s last Cold War, nuclear-armed border spiraled dramatically yesterday when North Korea threatened to wreak total destruction on its neighbour to the south.
“Our military will not sit idle until warmongers launch a pre-emptive strike,” the official news agency in Pyongyang reported a senior military commander as saing, “everything will be in ashes, not just a sea of fire, if our advanced pre-emptive strike once begins.”
The threat was among the most direct and bellicose statements from Pyongyang since North Korea test-fired an atomic device in late 2006. International efforts since then to persuade the country’s enigmatic dictator, Kim Jong il, to abandon his weapons programme have repeatedly stalled.
The threat also marked a fourth day of rapidly deteriorating relations on the Korean peninsula, which remains technically still at war despite more than 50 years of often uncomfortable armistice.
Related Links South Koreans kicked out by the North North Korea opens to independent travellers The two countries – the prosperous, modern South and the unpredictable Stalinist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) – continue to glare at one another across the world’s most heavily armed border.
A note sent by a North Korean military delegation to its South Korean counterpart on Saturday, said that “these outbursts are the gravest challenge ever in the history of the inter-Korean relations and a reckless provocation little short of a war declaration against the DPRK.”
Sunday’s warning followed remarks in Seoul earlier in the weekend in which the head of South Korea’s military vowed to conduct a pre-emptive strike on the suspected North Korean nuclear weapons site if Pyongyang tried to attack with atomic weapons.
The office of the chairman of the South’s joint chiefs of staff later explained that it was a statement of general principles, rather than a hint that the South was planning any unprovoked attack on the North. Pyongyang said that it would suspend all cross-border dialogue unless the remarks were withdrawn and an apology issued.
Although the communist regime of Kim Jong Il has regularly used this form of extreme language in the past, long-term North Korea experts said that its renewed appearance of the past few days should be treated with some caution.
The row, which has already seen 11 South Korean officials expelled from a joint economic “friendship” zone by the North, is thought to be a test by Pyongyang of the mettle of the new president in Seoul.
On Friday the DPRK test-fired a salvo of short-range missiles, reprising an act that has traditionally provoked outrage in Seoul and placed South Korean leaderships under immense domestic strain.
Lee Myung Bak was elected to the South Korean presidency in December last year on promises of a stronger economy. But he made little secret that his view towards North Korea and Kim Jong il would be far less conciliatory than his predecessor’s.
His response to the current escalation of tensions will be closely scrutinised on both sides of the demilitarized zone that splits the peninsula.
In addition to the deeper conflict over Pyongyang’s atomic weapons programme, the most recent row has ignited an argument over a line in the Yellow Sea that has never been recognised by North Korea: officials in Pyongyang said on Friday that “armed conflict may break out at any moment” over the boundary.
Give Kim Jong a new haircut and he'll look just great. But, would if Kim chunked a nuke into South Korea ? What are we going to do about it ? Chunk one back---doubtful. Don't think China or Russia will tolerate it. I think that probably China is keeping tabs on Kim (who reminds me more of Kruschev (sp?) than anyone else. You can bet that on any given moment, China or Russia can make Kim disappear. Kim appears to be that sand flea you can't seem to get your hands on and is more of an irritant than anything else for now. It's like China and Tiwain---nothings happend--just posturing.
No nuke strike needed! Simply put a shuttle up and when the NorKs launch that satilite track it, catch it and return it to Kim all shined up in a box. We can let Hillary attach a reboot button on the top just for yucks LOL
Let me finish that story that rangerdoug didn't finish.Then the Americans decided they'd had enough playin' with these fools and kicked their butt killing 1.5 million commies, suffering only 130k casualties, and sending them 23 miles [get this] NORTH of Seoul. To make a long story short, MacArthur did woop up on 'em (especially considering his men's kill to death ratio), so much so he got fired by a wuss of a President.
Personal Note: If NK wants another bout with a stronger America, I hope China and Russia get in on it, cuz dere gonna need all da help dey can get!
"May God have mercy on my enemies, cuz I won't!" (I think Patton said that)
iran invades iraq...china takes taiwan....norks invade skorea.. this scenario could happen all at the same time...because they are all allies. talk about a nightmare...and they all have nukes or soon will....rut roh
The Iranians figure a way operate their military without trucks, fuel or reinforncements - Upon the opening of hostilities we'll drop every bridge and roadway over the Zagros mountain range with our Air Force, leaving any forces west of the mountains out of supply.
The Chicoms teach their soldiers how to swim the 112 miles of the Taiwan Straight - Any attempt in boats will be immediately sunk by the two Carrier Battle Groups we'll put there.
The North Koreans triples their population and spends the next twenty years modernizing their infrastructure. In 1950 they were roughly half the South's population and had military success due to the disproportionate training and outfitting of the two forces (the NKPA were given tanks and artillery by the Soviets - the ROK forces received only small arms from the US). The modern state of South Korea is now three times the population of the north and has a modern fighting force whose training and equipment is some of the best in the world.
And as for nukes? They won't need more than one, because as soon as they shoot that one,... they won't need much of anything ever again.
We live in a complicated (and very dangerous) world. Nothing is simple, of course, but I often wonder. We have numerous world organizations such as the UN, World Court, etc. If someone wants to call themselves leader of a nation, and cannot (or will not) provide at least the "basics" to the people, then these organizations should be empowered to remove that "leader" and replace him or her with someone who will. Now the old argument used to be "it is an internal matter", and not under the peruse of other nations of the world, but as we have seen, what's going on in any nation of the world affects all other nations, sooner or later. And the longer the problem goes unaddressed, the worse it gets.
nuke his a.. and get it over with! we as a country used to be feared. now any dirt bag can run over us. need to put this hiena down! send the airforce with their stelth bombers with a small payload and take this regieme out. get the satalites to pin point this sucker;and co-BOOM his shorta.. we have the srike force lets do it. the political might needs to grow some coconuts!if the congress and the prsident had let general mac. go into the north we would not be having this tyrant dictating to us.
Originally posted by 20802653: We live in a complicated (and very dangerous) world. Nothing is simple, of course, but I often wonder. We have numerous world organizations such as the UN, World Court, etc. If someone wants to call themselves leader of a nation, and cannot (or will not) provide at least the "basics" to the people, then these organizations should be empowered to remove that "leader" and replace him or her with someone who will. Now the old argument used to be "it is an internal matter", and not under the peruse of other nations of the world, but as we have seen, what's going on in any nation of the world affects all other nations, sooner or later. And the longer the problem goes unaddressed, the worse it gets.
The problem with replacing one leader for another is unless that person has the respect of their peoples they will be totally ineffective, and lay open a pathway for any insergent group to just waltz in and set up house. there have ben many such dealings over the past 30 years on EVERY continent or its teritories.
s it time 2 finish what GEN Mac. started!
