N Korea developing new nukes, tactical weapons and a nuke powered sub
The logical outcome of the proliferation initiated by North Korea is that everyone in the theater will need to go nuclear, including Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia, along with of course Japan and South Korea. Taiwan will be a special case, at least as it is considered a (renegade) China province, but they surely have the needed skills. So China's 9 dash map will only leave China surrounded by somewhat suspicious nuclear armed powers.
I can only assume that China believes this proliferation is going to happen in any case, so that grabbing what is possible while it is still the case is the best long term policy
It's like everybody else now gets a greenlight to "move on". And who would oppose them doing so? Finally China ends up in a region that will be nuclear armed all around. Because that one guy needed to have it first. It all happens under Beijing's watch.
Bringing back somebody a little more educated and rational will help in any case. Foreign policy was a nightmare under the current administration.
That happens when leaders have not a tiny bit of knowledge about history or foreign policy and diplomacy. If you then don't listen to the people around you in the know your are lost.
I don't care wether the people of the US vote "left" or "right" but it needs to be some quality person. The Capitol events have proven he is not the right leader. Fighting the parliament has to be stopped.
That happens when leaders have not a tiny bit of knowledge about history or foreign policy and diplomacy. If you then don't listen to the people around you in the know your are lost.
I don't care wether the people of the US vote "left" or "right" but it needs to be some quality person. The Capitol events have proven he is not the right leader. Fighting the parliament has to be stopped.
Last edited by Less Hair; 16th Jan 2021 at 21:19.
Looking back I'm not sure the colour of the Administration in Washington makes any difference to N Korea - they've been a problem for many, many years and the USA seems limited in what it can do to improve the situation
Sanctions seem to not be enough to prevent certain countries from arming up. Lessons should be learned. Iran will be the next candidate.
And there must be a political concept what the region around any candidate is permitted and accepted to react with.
This is not the stable and comfortable cold war one versus one scenario anymore.
And there must be a political concept what the region around any candidate is permitted and accepted to react with.
This is not the stable and comfortable cold war one versus one scenario anymore.
The subsequent murder of Qaddafi at the hands of a NATO sponsored group when he had earlier given up nuclear ambitions ensured that North Korea would never surrender their nuclear insurance card.
China could possibly step in to halt this, but it would be hugely difficult, impossible imho without some sort of comprehensive regional agreement whose outlines even are hard to discern.
The frontline went through South Korea, the one that was attacked back then, and -with UN help- back again until it stopped on the way back when China stepped in and the US halted to bomb the key supply line bridges in the north. The north used to be the rich part and the south the poor part that on top got destroyed twice.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...uclear-reactor
UN atomic watchdog says North Korea appears to have restarted nuclear reactor
UN atomic watchdog says North Korea appears to have restarted nuclear reactor
So N Korea is looking forward to a world where the US dependent states such as Japan, South Korea or Taiwan move to ensure their own security.
That puts N Korea into a more precarious position, hence the increased emphasis on their nuclear deterrent.
Suspect it's to be able to play a card when asking for more aid - or rather threatening folk again and then offering a concession on stopping the reactor again in exchange for food
In The Times this afternoon.
North Korea tests cruise missile that could reach Japan
Click the link for full article & photo etc.
North Korea tests cruise missile that could reach Japan
North Korea has test-fired a long-range cruise missile that may be able to deliver a nuclear warhead to South Korea or Japan in the latest sign of Kim Jong-un’s determination to increase his strike capability.
According to reports and photographs on state media, two missiles travelled 930 miles and executed figure of eight manoeuvres above North Korea and its territorial waters.
Pictures in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed a missile exiting one of five tubes on a launch vehicle in a ball of flame, as well as a missile in horizontal flight.
Unlike nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, North Korean cruise missile tests are not banned under United Nations sanctions. However, such a weapon would be a marked advance in the regime’s weapons technology, better able to avoid missile shields.
The test launches took place on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. It described the missile as a “strategic weapon of great significance”, using a euphemism for nuclear-capable.
According to reports and photographs on state media, two missiles travelled 930 miles and executed figure of eight manoeuvres above North Korea and its territorial waters.
Pictures in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed a missile exiting one of five tubes on a launch vehicle in a ball of flame, as well as a missile in horizontal flight.
Unlike nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, North Korean cruise missile tests are not banned under United Nations sanctions. However, such a weapon would be a marked advance in the regime’s weapons technology, better able to avoid missile shields.
The test launches took place on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. It described the missile as a “strategic weapon of great significance”, using a euphemism for nuclear-capable.
Click the link for full article & photo etc.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
North Korea passed a law enshrining the right to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes to protect itself. The law also reinforces that their nuclear status is irreversible. Kim Jong Un also stated that there will be no bargaining over their nuclear weapons.
The law also specified the Mission, Constitution, Command & Control, Execution of Decision on Use, Principle of Using, Conditions of Using, Regular readiness, Safe procedures, Nonproliferation, Increase/Upgrading & Miscellaneous items in regards to their Nuclear Forces.
The law also specified the Mission, Constitution, Command & Control, Execution of Decision on Use, Principle of Using, Conditions of Using, Regular readiness, Safe procedures, Nonproliferation, Increase/Upgrading & Miscellaneous items in regards to their Nuclear Forces.
Fair enough - he's joined the club and he sounds like he'll play by the same rules as the rest of us.
Maybe we can encourage the Russians to help him put in place some decent controls over firing authority - IIRC both the Indians and Pakistanis had to be encouraged to do that
Maybe we can encourage the Russians to help him put in place some decent controls over firing authority - IIRC both the Indians and Pakistanis had to be encouraged to do that
Nature abhors a vacuum.....same concept works in International Affairs.
North Korea correctly views such a situation with the current US Administrations Foreign Policy and is merely taking the opportunity to advance its own interests.
We cannot fault them for that as that is how the game has and is played.
When it comes to fault finding....we should be honest and point the finger at the cause of the problem....and a better equipped and more prickly North Korea is definitely a problem.
Comparing the Trump approach to North Korea to Joe Biden's method....I think we can see a clear difference that exposes the shortcomings of the current regime.
North Korea correctly views such a situation with the current US Administrations Foreign Policy and is merely taking the opportunity to advance its own interests.
We cannot fault them for that as that is how the game has and is played.
When it comes to fault finding....we should be honest and point the finger at the cause of the problem....and a better equipped and more prickly North Korea is definitely a problem.
Comparing the Trump approach to North Korea to Joe Biden's method....I think we can see a clear difference that exposes the shortcomings of the current regime.
And Trump's approach was as success?
The basic problem is that NO US govt of whatever stripe wants a Nuclear armed N Korea - which is one reason the N Koreans have bust a gut to get the capability
I'd rather they hadn't but I don't blame them
The basic problem is that NO US govt of whatever stripe wants a Nuclear armed N Korea - which is one reason the N Koreans have bust a gut to get the capability
I'd rather they hadn't but I don't blame them
It was a path that hadn’t been tried and at least for a short period kept the fat one contained. Wasn’t what you’d call a fan of Trump’s foreign policy, but attempts at the carrot over the stick were worth trying.
Fault Trump if as you wish....but Biden's approach damn sure ain't working.
We have two more years at a minimum of this gang of Loons being at bat....how much progress towards a genuine nuclear threat can North Korea achieve in that time not counting the lag in effect should a capable administration take office?
We have two more years at a minimum of this gang of Loons being at bat....how much progress towards a genuine nuclear threat can North Korea achieve in that time not counting the lag in effect should a capable administration take office?
How does poor NK fund all this?
US State Dept estimates that the NK is using approx 25% of its GDP in military. NK GDP is estimated to be around USD18bn by the official data from World Bank. Thats then approx USD4.5bn annually spent on military.
peanuts, so I understand your question. However, the rumour is that they've had some help from Iran and they have unlimited free workforce, meaning a substancial increment in the budget compared to rest of the world.
peanuts, so I understand your question. However, the rumour is that they've had some help from Iran and they have unlimited free workforce, meaning a substancial increment in the budget compared to rest of the world.