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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Unknown Target on October 08, 2006, 10:02:02 pm

Title: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 08, 2006, 10:02:02 pm
It has yet to be verified - for all our sakes, I hope it proves false:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061009/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear

Quote
North Korea says nuclear test successful
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: BlackDove on October 08, 2006, 10:06:46 pm
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuke on October 08, 2006, 10:07:13 pm
yay i get my nuklear war yay!
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mars on October 08, 2006, 10:13:34 pm
There are worse times to die.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuke on October 08, 2006, 10:14:46 pm
no time like the presant
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: achtung on October 08, 2006, 10:17:43 pm
Holy mother of god.......


Who wants pancakes?  :D


Seriously though, China won't have this.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuke on October 08, 2006, 10:23:23 pm
i want to see new vidoe of mushroom clouds on cnn damn it!
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: watsisname on October 08, 2006, 10:31:56 pm
So, how long 'til N. Korea gets reduced to radioactive rubble?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Flipside on October 08, 2006, 10:35:01 pm
I'm still not unconvinced this isn't some kind of Grandstand by N.Korea. It's a hell of a risk to take, the sort of thing you'd expect him to do.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: watsisname on October 08, 2006, 10:38:39 pm
Actually, I'm just hoping that the US gov't doesn't take this situation and do something outrageously stupid with it.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mefustae on October 08, 2006, 10:42:23 pm
So, there's this massive buildup of tension towards NK testing a nuke, and when they finally do, everyone is like "****, missed it. Can you do it again?".
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Shade on October 08, 2006, 10:52:37 pm
Maybe that's their grand plan for dealing with it. Keep saying "oops missed it, demonstrate again please?" until they're out of working weapons? It would be fairly consistent with the usual level of planning for the Bush administration, at least.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ford Prefect on October 08, 2006, 11:09:49 pm
Haha, yeah. And then Kim Jong-Il offers Bush coffee and says, "How many lumps do you want?" And Bush says, "Oh, three or four." And then North Korea blows up three or four U.S. cities, and the picture closes around Bush chasing Kim Jong-Il off into the sunset, accompanied by a final, drawn-out cadence in the orchestra.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 08, 2006, 11:13:30 pm
If this is true (which it might very well be or not be), then I would say: ****, the Bush administration really ****ed this ****ing thing up pretty ****ing badly.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 08, 2006, 11:13:50 pm
Boom, it's been updated;

Quote
An official at
South Korea's seismic monitoring center confirmed a magnitude-3.6 tremor felt at the time North Korea said it conducted the test was not a natural occurrence.

People, this **** is going down.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ulala on October 08, 2006, 11:20:20 pm
Wait, who shot who with the what now?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 08, 2006, 11:23:33 pm
No one shot anyone - South Korea seismology centers detected an earthquake that looks to be non-natural - i.e; nuclear-caused.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IceFire on October 08, 2006, 11:30:19 pm
Oh boy...yeah we'll see what happens here.  Hopefully China and Russia take this as seriously as the US and Japan do.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 08, 2006, 11:33:35 pm
China had seemingly changed their stance recently, and said that they would not condone a nuclear test.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 08, 2006, 11:37:17 pm
Quote
Hopefully China and Russia take this as seriously as the US and Japan do.



I don't think either of them would want a nuke fight on their borders.


Also I would think they would be concerned with what would happen to the nukes should the regime collapse......
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IceFire on October 08, 2006, 11:44:57 pm
China had seemingly changed their stance recently, and said that they would not condone a nuclear test.
I just read that the Japanese and the Chinese governments had issued a join statement saying that a test would be "unacceptable".  These two NEVER agree on much of anything.  So its good that they are working together but bad that it has to be over this.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 08, 2006, 11:54:41 pm
there is a korean girl in my chem class, maybe I should tell her to tell any relitives she's got there to take a vacation to the south.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Taristin on October 09, 2006, 12:00:09 am
Quote
12:46:03> RosenOttr: World's largest pot of kimchi explodes.  Thousands feared fed.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: BlackDove on October 09, 2006, 12:22:31 am
Just as I started playing Defcon too. Hopefully soon we can have a real live simulation to base our games on.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Prophet on October 09, 2006, 12:26:02 am
If, IF NK has nukes, and starts playing like a big boy China, Japan and Russia will gang up on them like a pack of wolves. And ofcourse US will make a complete fool out of itself by trying to police the mess. If NK keeps going in this direction, you can kiss their sorry asses goodbye. I just hope that US has the patience to wait for them to ruin themselves before going off on an invasion spree again.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ulala on October 09, 2006, 12:56:38 am
Hmm, more great news...
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Dough with Fish on October 09, 2006, 01:01:31 am
Well, I think this is something serious. Why? Well, lets just say my brother who is in the Marines just got deployment orders for South Korea, and my girlfriends cousin who is in the Air Force just got orders to head to Japan.

Also, am I the only one who thinks that Kim in the picture there is walking like a gangster?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Prophet on October 09, 2006, 01:06:38 am
Ofcourse it is serious. But serious in the "nukular hollocaust" kind of way. When thinking of the people living in NK and what has been done to them. They actually belive in all that **** about NK being great and wonderfull and the best place to be in the world. Sooner or later they will have to wake up. And it will be ugly. So yes, anything relating to North Korea is serious and makes me wan't to forget the whole thing.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2006, 01:11:08 am
Has anybody from NORAD or anything confirmed there was an actual nuclear detontation? I'm not going to just take the DPRK's word on this. For all I know they got a few kilotons of conventional crap together and detonated it. Lord knows they've got the ordinance to waste.

Hell, the idea of getting them to waste their bombs in testing isn't all that bad. At the very least it'll get them to kill most of their citizens with the fallout. (And the wind naturally blows north in that part of the world...too bad about China I suppose.)
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ashrak on October 09, 2006, 02:53:08 am
i guess running for the hills isnt an option nor is it useful
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 02:57:53 am
Has anybody from NORAD or anything confirmed there was an actual nuclear detontation? I'm not going to just take the DPRK's word on this. For all I know they got a few kilotons of conventional crap together and detonated it. Lord knows they've got the ordinance to waste.

Hell, the idea of getting them to waste their bombs in testing isn't all that bad. At the very least it'll get them to kill most of their citizens with the fallout. (And the wind naturally blows north in that part of the world...too bad about China I suppose.)

US Geological survey also measured a (4.2 IIRC) seismic event in NK.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 03:46:22 am
Can someone please, please just go ahead and assasinate this small-dicked psycho?

Please?

I'll give you $10.

Seriously, though, just reading the vile **** that their propaganda machine spews is enough to make anyone laugh.  A "glorious future of communism," eh?  Sure, 'cause that's exactly what I think when I see one small nuclear tests and millions of starving, dirt-poor citizens.  That is, it would be funny if it weren't actually happening.

(And already people start to blame Bush.  You guys never cease to amuse me. ;))
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 09, 2006, 04:42:20 am
Don't worry. Chris Jacobs and ExOps will stop him firing the nukes. Oh wait that's Mercenaries on the PS2.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 09, 2006, 04:50:55 am
Kim Jong Il: It will be 911 times 2356.
Chris: My God, that's... I don't even know what that is!
Kim Jong Il: Nobody does!
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 04:52:36 am
(And already people start to blame Bush.  You guys never cease to amuse me. ;))

Actually, that's not an unreasonable suggestion - I don't think there's any doubt that Bushs' tactics of pre-emptive warfare and declaring the targets (Axis of Evil) nice and early has encouraged N.K. and Iran in particular to arm themselves.  Whilst NK would certainly desire a nuclear weapon in any case, I can't help but think the perceived threat and rumours of US military action has acted as a spur (and this is no justification or excuse for it) to their sabre-rattling.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Prophet on October 09, 2006, 04:59:49 am
Aldo has a point. While it is true that NK & brothers can be considered "hostile", one can say same of US. Bush is protecting voters by coming down on small countries. And pissing off half the globe while doing it.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: karajorma on October 09, 2006, 05:20:49 am
Can someone please, please just go ahead and assasinate this small-dicked psycho?

Please?

Dumbest idea EVAR. :p

Who do you think would take over from him? Some other nutcase who now has reason to add assassination to the list of reasons he has to be worried about the west most likely.

Or you have a civil war/period of instability and run the risk of the nukes going missing.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Sandwich on October 09, 2006, 06:26:15 am
If this is true (which it might very well be or not be), then I would say: ****, the Bush administration really ****ed this ****ing thing up pretty ****ing badly.

You're so cool. Just like all those people who buy iPods because, heck, everybody has them! {/sarcasm}

All joking aside, I admit I could easily have missed some blatantly obvious connection between US President George W. Bush and North Korea's testing of an underground nuclear device. Is that the case, or were you merely jumping on the ever-popular "Bush-bashing bandwagon"?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 06:44:05 am
If this is true (which it might very well be or not be), then I would say: ****, the Bush administration really ****ed this ****ing thing up pretty ****ing badly.

You're so cool. Just like all those people who buy iPods because, heck, everybody has them! {/sarcasm}

All joking aside, I admit I could easily have missed some blatantly obvious connection between US President George W. Bush and North Korea's testing of an underground nuclear device. Is that the case, or were you merely jumping on the ever-popular "Bush-bashing bandwagon"?

The connection would be failure of diplomacy to avert (in fact, it seems to have sped up) NK action, with the US (Bush) responsibility lying within its role as the heagemonic nation.  As mentioned prior, there can be a suggestion that the US' aggressive-stroke-belligerent foreign policy has only served to provoke these 'rogue nations' into a similarly aggressive attitude.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mefustae on October 09, 2006, 06:51:54 am
All joking aside, I admit I could easily have missed some blatantly obvious connection between US President George W. Bush and North Korea's testing of an underground nuclear device.
"Rouge" nations look at Iraq and think; 'Hmm, if the US can unlawfully invade a sovereign nation and get away with it, what's to stop them invading me? I know! Nukes!!'.

Bad idea? You betcha. But it's still a logical conclusion to make in a post-Iraq age. Thus, one may conclude that the actions of US leaders have indirectly spurred development of nuclear weapons in nations that believe themselves to be at threat from American [or proxy] invasion.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 09, 2006, 06:59:05 am
Well if all goes pear shaped, At least all the Nukes of the Kingdom are off-shore........
(except for big ben, our secret uber-nuke) :nervous:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Sandwich on October 09, 2006, 07:41:45 am
Oh, ok, so let me get this straight. The US invades Iraq in March 2003. So then North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, decides that he'd better develop weapons of mass destruction to prevent the US from invading his country because he's developed weapons of mass destruction. Right.

But ok, I'll give you that for the deterrent factor; NK was so belligerent that the monstrous Bush regieme would have wanted to invade anyway, so now they have a nuclear deterrent -

Which they developed in 3.5 years.

Right.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mefustae on October 09, 2006, 07:55:47 am
Having nuclear capability would provide stalwart defense against the prospect of invasion. I never said they developed the bomb specifically to counter the big, bad Bush, but merely that the perceived threat of invasion - which they have seen as a distinct possibility - spurred them to develop it against opposition. Not that it was the only factor at play, but logic dictates that US foreign policy without a doubt has a hand in their recent actions.

Moreover; humourless sarcasm != an argument.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 09, 2006, 08:00:15 am
Could we please get off the Bush discussions? This is a real problem whether or not it was Bush's fault. The fact of the matter is, there's a rouge communist/socialist state, with a leader who is absolutely cookoo for cocoa puffs.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Prophet on October 09, 2006, 08:02:30 am
UT is right. Bush is not the problem. Kim Jong Il is the problem. Bush just happens to be an asshole who doesn't know what to do with the problem, but feels that it his responsibility to interfere anyway.

Bottomline: NK hates US of A. Most likely there is a reason why he hates it sooo much. Take out NK, fine. Take out US and we still have NK, bad. So lets focus on how we solve the NK problem. K?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: vyper on October 09, 2006, 08:11:42 am
Half the debate in this thread is making no sense. :wtf:

Anyways, this isn't about who precipitated NK's actions. It's about how the international community reacts to it. We're talking about a leftover from the Cold War, and a conflict of ideologies that has led to brinkmanship in the past.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 08:12:34 am
Oh, ok, so let me get this straight. The US invades Iraq in March 2003. So then North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, decides that he'd better develop weapons of mass destruction to prevent the US from invading his country because he's developed weapons of mass destruction. Right.

But ok, I'll give you that for the deterrent factor; NK was so belligerent that the monstrous Bush regieme would have wanted to invade anyway, so now they have a nuclear deterrent -

Which they developed in 3.5 years.

Right.

Technically, there has been a breakdown of US-NK relations (a tenuous concept at best) since October 2002.  However, the question is not whether the US' foreign policy created an NK nuclear programme, but whether it accelerated it; i.e. did the US' pre-emptive warfare strategy encourage NK to plug ahead with nuclear weapons development, rather than (for example) being more amenable to temporary suspension or inspection.  That is, has the Us policy of threatening other nations encouraged or discouraged them from seeking WMD (CBN)?  I think it has, particularly with the US' visibly limited ability to act (evidenced by the struggles in Iraq) in an effective manner against rogue states.

Could we please get off the Bush discussions? This is a real problem whether or not it was Bush's fault. The fact of the matter is, there's a rouge communist/socialist state, with a leader who is absolutely cookoo for cocoa puffs.

Well, it's important to discuss the Bush - or more accurately US foreign policy/diplomacy - aspect as it is the same people who will be at the forefront of attempts to react to this current crisis.  If this is a failure of diplomacy or 'handling' NK, then we have to identify and rectify that failure very quickly (er, not 'we' we, but the international community...).

That said, I do suspect the most important party will turn out to be China, who above all have the capacity to squeeze Kim Jong-Ils' nuts very tight.

(NB: communist/socialist?  Why the 'socialist' part? There's no shortage of 'socialist' governments who are not raving nutbag dictatorships, after all - the UK is nominally a socialist state in the traditions of labour even if not in actual 'New Labour' policy)
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 09, 2006, 08:28:19 am
At the end of the day/world, we can discuss NK =/<USA=<Argument=?!?!<>)!+ randomness all day long, but it wont change the fact that if they feel the need to push a big red button, We wont care when we're boilg at 30'000 degrees will we :nod:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 09, 2006, 08:30:28 am
Oh wow. They blow up a bomb and everybody is calling for "sanctions". The world community is a bunch of pussies. If sanctions didn't stop them from blowing up a bomb in the first place, what makes you think that it will stop them now? In fact, what makes you think that sanctions against a starving people whose leader doesn't care if they're starving or not, and they accept his every word as law, will do anything?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Rictor on October 09, 2006, 08:42:58 am
Oh, ok, so let me get this straight. The US invades Iraq in March 2003. So then North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, decides that he'd better develop weapons of mass destruction to prevent the US from invading his country because he's developed weapons of mass destruction. Right.

But ok, I'll give you that for the deterrent factor; NK was so belligerent that the monstrous Bush regieme would have wanted to invade anyway, so now they have a nuclear deterrent -

Which they developed in 3.5 years.

Right.

But that's assuming that only in 2003 did NK think to themselves "Oh, wait a  minute, this Uncle Sam guy might not be entirely friendly to our nation", which of course is not true. Technically NK and the US are still at war, and they have the most heavily militarized border on Earth. North Korea has been under sanctions for a while, and the two government's mutual hostility has been known for decades.

So I'm pretty sure that they started thinking of a nuclear detterant long before the invasion of Iraq. Being included on the "Axis of Evil" and seeing Iraq invaded probably sped up their plans (well, wouldn't you, if you were them?) but I think it's safe to say that they've been working on their nuclear program much longer than a few years. Besides, China is aother possible hostile, again a nuclear power and again on their borders.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 08:51:59 am
Oh wow. They blow up a bomb and everybody is calling for "sanctions". The world community is a bunch of pussies. If sanctions didn't stop them from blowing up a bomb in the first place, what makes you think that it will stop them now? In fact, what makes you think that sanctions against a starving people whose leader doesn't care if they're starving or not, and they accept his every word as law, will do anything?

Probably because most people regard NKs' sabre rattling as a direct result of the suspension of oil shipments a few years back (itself in response to an allegedly renewed nuclear programme), and a generally collapsing economy.  The leadership may not give a **** about the people, but even a government as despotic as NKs cannot survive without a population to screw over (provide labour, etc; i.e. all the goodies the leaders wish).  After all, why else would NK ask for food aid in its last diplomatic talks with SK?

Besides which, what other option is there?  All a military incursion would do - assuming it removed the current government - is create chaotic and destabilising anarchy and kill thousands of innocent people.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Rictor on October 09, 2006, 08:55:37 am
I still say that the safest way to defuse the North Korean threat is for the US, Japan and South Korea to pump massive development funds into the country, bring up their living standards to the point where re-unification is possible, and merge the ttwo countries. Crazy idealogues can survive sanctions, threats, wars - everything - but the one thing they can not survive, the one thing which destroys them more surely than anything, is prosperity and stability.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mefustae on October 09, 2006, 08:59:32 am
Crazy idealogues can survive sanctions, threats, wars - everything - but the one thing they can not survive, the one thing which destroys them more surely than anything, is prosperity and stability.
*Makes joke about Bush*
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Turambar on October 09, 2006, 09:04:29 am
Crazy idealogues can survive sanctions, threats, wars - everything - but the one thing they can not survive, the one thing which destroys them more surely than anything, is prosperity and stability.
*Makes joke about Bush*


*laughs at joke about bush*

its a real pain living in this country.  all the lies and **** and bad policy that we continue to put up with because the majority of the population is made up of sheep who dont even pay attention.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: BlackDove on October 09, 2006, 09:06:45 am
I still say that the safest way to defuse the North Korean threat is for the US, Japan and South Korea to pump massive development funds into the country, bring up their living standards to the point where re-unification is possible, and merge the ttwo countries. Crazy idealogues can survive sanctions, threats, wars - everything - but the one thing they can not survive, the one thing which destroys them more surely than anything, is prosperity and stability.

Yeah, we can see how bad governments can't prosper for eight years in America.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Rictor on October 09, 2006, 09:08:45 am
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15175633/site/newsweek/

Quote
Oct. 16, 2006 issue - On Sept. 19, 2005, North Korea signed a widely heralded denuclearization agreement with the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea. Pyongyang pledged to "abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs." In return, Washington agreed that the United States and North Korea would "respect each other's sovereignty, exist peacefully together and take steps to normalize their relations."
Story continues below ↓ advertisement

Four days later, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sweeping financial sanctions against North Korea designed to cut off the country's access to the international banking system, branding it a "criminal state" guilty of counterfeiting, money laundering and trafficking in weapons of mass destruction.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 09, 2006, 09:21:47 am
Point being? They were counterfeiting money - are you saying just because they signed a treaty with their fingers crossed behind their back, they shouldn't be punished for something else they did wrong?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2006, 09:29:35 am
I'm still not convinced there's a real nuke involved. .5 kilotons is an extremely low yield, even for a tactical-use device.

There has to be some method of independantly confirming it beyond just semesic readings.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 09:35:55 am
Point being? They were counterfeiting money - are you saying just because they signed a treaty with their fingers crossed behind their back, they shouldn't be punished for something else they did wrong?

The point is that the US may very well have been adopting a brinksmanship tactic against NK, attempting to exacerbate the already perilous economical situation of the country (and the ongoing famine) to destabilise the regime,  which has now blown up (literally) in their faces.  I mean, if it is paramount to prevent NK developing nukes (and with military action impossible, diplomacy and coercian is the only real way), how sensible is it to impose strict sanctions 4 days after a non-proliferation agreement?

In any case, there is no doubt in my mind a nuclear NK is a Very Bad Thing.  Nor do i doubt they've wanted a nuke for quite a while, and doubtless have been planning for it.  My only question is, was the US strategy of confrontation the best one to deter them?  And if not - as I think - will the US react to this in a way that offers a solution, or just a further escalation of the crisis?

I'm still not convinced there's a real nuke involved. .5 kilotons is an extremely low yield, even for a tactical-use device.

There has to be some method of independantly confirming it beyond just semesic readings.

The Russians are estimating 5-15Kt, albeit.  I doubt - unless radiation leaks from the site - we'll have any actual confirmation beyond what comes from NK propaganda.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Rictor on October 09, 2006, 09:38:42 am
All the intel agencies are saying it was a nuclear test. Russia is saying it was between 5 and 15 kilotons.

Point being? They were counterfeiting money - are you saying just because they signed a treaty with their fingers crossed behind their back, they shouldn't be punished for something else they did wrong?
And counter-feiting money is reason enough to force a nuclear showdown?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 09, 2006, 10:40:16 am
Add your own caption:

(http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/korea.nuclear.test/newt1.korea.mon.10.ap.jpg)
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 09, 2006, 10:45:17 am
potential seismic signature - period last 24 hours -

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Maps/10/130_40.php
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ustqab.php
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Turambar on October 09, 2006, 10:50:08 am
Add your own caption:

(http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/korea.nuclear.test/newt1.korea.mon.10.ap.jpg)
whoo boy, i knew i ate too much of that chili
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 09, 2006, 10:50:58 am
Add your own caption:

(http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/korea.nuclear.test/newt1.korea.mon.10.ap.jpg)
Dum dee dum.,................Mmmmmmmmmm.................................AHA !


GENERAL, GET ME A CHEESEBURGER !
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 11:04:13 am
(http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/korea.nuclear.test/newt1.korea.mon.10.ap.jpg)
Well, I'm not opening it until you confirm they've not developed a Pretzel tipped warhead!
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 11:13:13 am
...And could someone explain to me what the **** that has to do with a psycho firing off a nuke?  Come on, guys.  Could we manage to quit the bickering and inanity for ten seconds, maybe?  This ain't exactly politics as usual. 

At any rate, I'm just hoping that the UN actually manages to put some teeth behind whatever they decide, instead of the usual half-hearted "sanctions" attempts.  As an international organization, it'd be nice to see them stand up and deal with a threat to international safety in a powerful manner.  If they can't manage to pull this one off, then I'll lose whatever respect I did have for them in the first place.  Guess there's nothing to do but wait and see.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 09, 2006, 11:24:08 am

(http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/korea.nuclear.test/newt1.korea.mon.10.ap.jpg)

Why cant we all just,.Get along........... :(
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: WeatherOp on October 09, 2006, 11:30:15 am
...And could someone explain to me what the **** that has to do with a psycho firing off a nuke?  Come on, guys.  Could we manage to quit the bickering and inanity for ten second.

No, then they would explode....but on the second thought lets do it, it will be funny. :p
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Rictor on October 09, 2006, 11:33:45 am
...And could someone explain to me what the **** that has to do with a psycho firing off a nuke?  Come on, guys.  Could we manage to quit the bickering and inanity for ten seconds, maybe?  This ain't exactly politics as usual. 

At any rate, I'm just hoping that the UN actually manages to put some teeth behind whatever they decide, instead of the usual half-hearted "sanctions" attempts.  As an international organization, it'd be nice to see them stand up and deal with a threat to international safety in a powerful manner.  If they can't manage to pull this one off, then I'll lose whatever respect I did have for them in the first place.  Guess there's nothing to do but wait and see.

Just to play devil's advocate for a second, why shouldn't North Korea be allowed to have nuclear weapons? If we take the methapor of selling someone a gun, if one citizen is allowed to posses it than all are. You can't not sell a gun to soemone simply because they look shifty to you. Unless there is concrete proof, prior cevents that confirm that he would use it in an irresponsible manner, one law must apply equally to everyone, no?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 09, 2006, 11:34:22 am
Add your own caption:

(http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/09/korea.nuclear.test/newt1.korea.mon.10.ap.jpg)

"Wish I picked some better toilet paper.. that 'Constitution' stuff is pretty coarse"
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: WeatherOp on October 09, 2006, 11:47:13 am
Just to play devil's advocate for a second, why shouldn't North Korea be allowed to have nuclear weapons? If we take the methapor of selling someone a gun, if one citizen is allowed to posses it than all are. You can't not sell a gun to soemone simply because they look shifty to you. Unless there is concrete proof, prior cevents that confirm that he would use it in an irresponsible manner, one law must apply equally to everyone, no?


That is about how I feel, let them have their nuke, if it is their Viagra, good for them. But, we just need to make it clear if they ever decide to use one, they will not be around to watch the destruction they have caused.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Shade on October 09, 2006, 11:59:18 am
Ok, time for a serious response. I get being freaked out by them having nuclear weapons. I don't, however, get being freaked out by them blowing one up 5 miles under ground.

Fact is, everyone has known for some time that they were developing them, and recently everyone has strongly suspected that they'd succeeded. So for all intents and purposes, they were already nuclear. What has changed from before the test to now? One thing: They now have one less nuke to throw around, and that's actually a good thing. So I say let them keep testing all they want, and just make damn sure they know that if one of them ever goes off outside their own borders, Asia is not going to be lacking for parking lots for the next few decades.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Cyker on October 09, 2006, 12:07:53 pm
On a slight tangent, where did the detonate this thing?

Underground, yeah, but where underground?

Is there presumably a huge scherical 'space' under the ground of North Korea somewhere now that could suddenly collapse at some point in the future?

The french did a similar thing several years ago, but they did it under the ground under the sea...
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2006, 12:09:13 pm
All the intel agencies are saying it was a nuclear test. Russia is saying it was between 5 and 15 kilotons.

South Korea and the US have both cited .5kt, Japan hasn't made up its mind whether it's real but seems to be leaning towards the smaller figure, and China hasn't commented on the yield yet.

The size of the weapon worries me. I'd feel safer if it were 15kt. There's less probablity they'd be able to deliever it successfully that way. .5kt is small enough to put on an unguided artillery rocket...unless the bomb fizzled. As long as no actual high-order detonation actually occurs there's still a chance that when Mr. Il inveitably has a temper tantrum and chucks a nuke at the ROK that it won't provoke a nuclear reaction from the US or anyone else.

Seoul has a real chance of stopping a tactical ballistic inbound. They bought a lot of Patriot PAC-3s for just that purpose, and the missile was designed and has proved capable of doing it. An unguided FROG-7 or BM-series rocket on a low trajectory is another matter.

As to why North Korea shouldn't be in the nuclear club: well...they're loonies. It's unfortunate to have to use that wording, perhaps, but there's really no other way to describe them. North Korea has repeatedly proved to be the least tractable and most unstable country in the world. Mr. Il has repeatedly proved he doesn't give a **** about pissing off anyone in any fashion, and it's not clear he even understands the concept of consequences. He has repeatedly attempted to provoke his neighbors even when his neighbors are the only thing keeping his country fed. MAD always assumed the other guy was rational in some vague sense. Kim-Jong Il may not be.

And it's a hell of a thing to have to explain to the citizens of South Korean we let their country get nuked on the basis of fairness. The gun metaphor is nice, but it's also flawed: you can't afford to act on an innocent until proven guilty basis with something this dangerous.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 12:37:15 pm
...And could someone explain to me what the **** that has to do with a psycho firing off a nuke?  Come on, guys.  Could we manage to quit the bickering and inanity for ten seconds, maybe?  This ain't exactly politics as usual. 

At any rate, I'm just hoping that the UN actually manages to put some teeth behind whatever they decide, instead of the usual half-hearted "sanctions" attempts.  As an international organization, it'd be nice to see them stand up and deal with a threat to international safety in a powerful manner.  If they can't manage to pull this one off, then I'll lose whatever respect I did have for them in the first place.  Guess there's nothing to do but wait and see.

What do you want?  War?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 09, 2006, 12:47:11 pm
What do you want?  War?

is he a conservative?



hint: yes
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuclear1 on October 09, 2006, 03:49:42 pm
What do you want?  War?

is he a conservative?



hint: yes

Oh, look at the joke at the expense of the conservative! That's new, witty, and original!  With compliments of the "caption the picture of Bush!"  All we need is an excuse to throw in that "oppressed" piechart and we're all set!

What I believe Mongoose is saying is that the UN can't full rely on talks to get out of this one, and unless they do something serious, such as remove the man, the situation isn't going to get any better.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 03:50:53 pm
:lol:

Oh, Kazan, Kazan, Kazan...don't you ever go changin', ya hear? ;)

What do you want?  War?
No sane person wants war as a first choice, especially when dealing with someone as crazy and irrational as Kim-Jong.  But, if push comes to shove, if increased sanctions don't do anything, if he keeps pulling this same sort of crap and trying to provoke the hell out of the rest of the free world...then I say we should do what needs to be done, whatever that may be.

Edit: Along the lines of what nuclear said, what I meant was that I don't hold out too much hope for talk alone, or even sanctions, no matter how harsh, working in this situation.  Like someone said on the last page, I honestly don't think that Kim-Jong has any real clear concept of the consequences of his actions.  He's more like a petulant little child than anything else, and a petulant little child armed with nuclear warheads sitting right next to someone he hates is a very dangerous situation indeed.  I honestly think that the UN has a chance to shine here, depending on how things proceed; I only hope that they live up to that chance.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IceFire on October 09, 2006, 03:54:41 pm
:lol:

Oh, Kazan, Kazan, Kazan...don't you ever go changin', ya hear? ;)

What do you want?  War?
No sane person wants war as a first choice, especially when dealing with someone as crazy and irrational as Kim-Jong.  But, if push comes to shove, if increased sanctions don't do anything, if he keeps pulling this same sort of crap and trying to provoke the hell out of the rest of the free world...then I say we should do what needs to be done, whatever that may be.

Edit: Along the lines of what nuclear said, what I meant was that I don't hold out too much hope for talk alone, or even sanctions, no matter how harsh, working in this situation.  Like someone said on the last page, I honestly don't think that Kim-Jong has any real clear concept of the consequences of his actions.  He's more like a petulant little child than anything else, and a petulant little child armed with nuclear warheads sitting right next to someone he hates is a very dangerous situation indeed.  I honestly think that the UN has a chance to shine here, depending on how things proceed; I only hope that they live up to that chance.
If thats the case...convince China and South Korea to cut their food and energy supplies.  It won't take very long for the regime to fall under its own weight.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 09, 2006, 04:12:03 pm
Oh, look at the joke at the expense of the conservative!

it was too perfect of a setup to pass up :D
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 04:34:30 pm
What do you want?  War?
No sane person wants war as a first choice, especially when dealing with someone as crazy and irrational as Kim-Jong.  But, if push comes to shove, if increased sanctions don't do anything, if he keeps pulling this same sort of crap and trying to provoke the hell out of the rest of the free world...then I say we should do what needs to be done, whatever that may be.

Edit: Along the lines of what nuclear said, what I meant was that I don't hold out too much hope for talk alone, or even sanctions, no matter how harsh, working in this situation.  Like someone said on the last page, I honestly don't think that Kim-Jong has any real clear concept of the consequences of his actions.  He's more like a petulant little child than anything else, and a petulant little child armed with nuclear warheads sitting right next to someone he hates is a very dangerous situation indeed.  I honestly think that the UN has a chance to shine here, depending on how things proceed; I only hope that they live up to that chance.

So what do you want?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 09, 2006, 04:40:18 pm
this is a silly conversation
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 04:42:38 pm
What do you mean, "what do I want"?  Like I said, I want this threat ended.  (In an ideal world, I'd love to see the communist regime be just a distant, unhappy memory for the people of North Korea, but that's an entirely different story.)  I honestly don't want things to resort to war, if there's any way to avoid it.  If sanctions do the job, if diplomacy (somehow) works, then that's fantastic, and huge international kudos to whoever pulls it off.  But one thing I don't want to do is completely rule out the possibility that some sort of military action may be a sad necessity if everything goes to hell in a handbasket.

Let me put it this way:  if things come down to the North creating a fully-functioning missile (of whatever yield), pointing it straight at the center of Seoul, and threatening to fire it off in a week's time unless some sort of ridiculous demands were met...would you be opposed to taking out the missile platform?  God forbid we come to a scenario like that, but I think it's something that everyone has to keep in the back of their minds.

And Kazan, you seriously need some fresh material.  My grandmother could have seen that coming a mile away. :p

Edit: Care to explain why, oh enlightened one?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 09, 2006, 04:44:43 pm
my last post is a quote referencing aldo's quote....

we have no right to invade that country simply because they got nukes and we don't like it - that's a war of aggression and is absolutely unacceptable.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 04:46:04 pm
If a crazy dictator has acquired the means to deliver nuclear ordnance to several of our allies in the region (and perhaps even our own shores, eventually), I think it's well within our rights to nip the issue in the bud before it comes back to haunt us all.  Last time I checked, self-defense is a valid reason for taking physical action, within reasonable boundaries.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: achtung on October 09, 2006, 04:46:50 pm
More than likely, the U.S. doesn't even need to really get involved.  China doesn't want North Korea to have nukes, that's a huge ecomonic threat to the region.  They'll probably do something whether the U.N. says so or not.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 04:47:57 pm
And I really hope they do.  I'd rather not get involved with this, if at all possible.  If the nations in that region can manage to defuse the situation, then that's by far the best result.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 09, 2006, 04:50:34 pm
If a crazy dictator has acquired the means to deliver nuclear ordnance to several of our allies in the region (and perhaps even our own shores, eventually), I think it's well within our rights to nip the issue in the bud before it comes back to haunt us all.

bull**** it's our right - we don't have any farking right telling another country they cannot have a certain weapon - we don't listen to other countries telling us the same thing, why should we expect them to listen to us

oh right "We can kick their asses"

oh nice all high and enlightened democratic state.....

why do you hate our troups so much to misuse them in such vile manners

Quote
Last time I checked, self-defense is a valid reason for taking physical action, within reasonable boundaries.
It's not self defense until they ATTACK US!  Are we living in strangeworld now, where somehow preemptive action is self-defense?

when you attack first, you are the aggressor!
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 04:52:52 pm
Hahaha...so now I "hate our troops."  You're just a barrel of laughs today, aren't you?

So, let me get this straight...what you're saying is that we should wait until North Korea actually fires a nuke at the South, or Japan, or China, or wherever, until potentially tens of thousands are people are killed by said nuke, to do anything about it?  Is that pretty much the gist of your argument?  Just want to make sure.

If saving lives means being the agressor...then, by all means, I want to be called an agressor.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ford Prefect on October 09, 2006, 04:53:35 pm
Here's the other problem: What exactly are we capable of doing to North Korea, militarily speaking? Even if a huge chunk of our army weren't tied up in the Iraq ****storm, I suspect that a land war in North Korea would basically be the equivalent of putting the U.S. forces in a giant blender.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: achtung on October 09, 2006, 04:56:05 pm
Here's the other problem: What exactly are we capable of doing to North Korea, militarily speaking? Even if a huge chunk of our army weren't tied up in the Iraq ****storm, I suspect that a land war in North Korea would basically be the equivalent of putting the U.S. forces in a giant blender.

What happens when we need troops? 

Draft.

Not saying it's right or anything, but it could occur, and there would be nothing done aside from people whining about it.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 09, 2006, 04:58:37 pm
Except, there are times that pre-emptive strike is necessary. Of course your intelligence must be rock solid and irrefutable. An analogy might be someone wanting to kill you. If the police arrest the perp while he is still planning to kill you is this wrong? But the police are the agressor?

Also Nuclear Weapons used against SK would also be used against US troops and against the multiple bases along the DMZ

Here's the other problem: What exactly are we capable of doing to North Korea, militarily speaking? Even if a huge chunk of our army weren't tied up in the Iraq ****storm, I suspect that a land war in North Korea would basically be the equivalent of putting the U.S. forces in a giant blender.
Yes, but keep in mind, that the "million man army" of NK is hungry, under equipped and under trained.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 04:59:14 pm
What do you mean, "what do I want"?  Like I said, I want this threat ended.  (In an ideal world, I'd love to see the communist regime be just a distant, unhappy memory for the people of North Korea, but that's an entirely different story.)  I honestly don't want things to resort to war, if there's any way to avoid it.  If sanctions do the job, if diplomacy (somehow) works, then that's fantastic, and huge international kudos to whoever pulls it off.  But one thing I don't want to do is completely rule out the possibility that some sort of military action may be a sad necessity if everything goes to hell in a handbasket.

You've still not said what sort of action would satisfy you.  What UN action do you want?  What falls under 'what needs to be done, whatever that may be'?  How do you define 'needs'?

It seem that you're damning the UN already - implying there is some clear solution (which they will be subsequently damned for missing) whilst failing to state what that might be.  You want the military option on the table - what option?  Under what circumstances?  How far?  What about the collateral civillian damage and destabilisation, how much is 'ok' by you?  What sort of non-military sanctions are acceptable?

It's all very nice saying 'if the UN does not remove this threat then it's failed' (to paraphrase), but you have to define how that threat could be removed, to show that is a realistic demand.  Glassing Pyongyang might remove that threat - is that a success in your eyes?  Is the death of, say, a few million Koreans acceptable if it 'needs to be done'?

Let me put it this way:  if things come down to the North creating a fully-functioning missile (of whatever yield), pointing it straight at the center of Seoul, and threatening to fire it off in a week's time unless some sort of ridiculous demands were met...would you be opposed to taking out the missile platform?  God forbid we come to a scenario like that, but I think it's something that everyone has to keep in the back of their minds.

No, but that's rather a strawman argument in any case, and far removed from the reality of the situation, placing both ease of action (implying it is easy to find the missile platform), exaggerating the threat (most analysts believe NK is far from actually being able to fire this as a warhead), and providing simple justification (ridiculous demands).

If a crazy dictator has acquired the means to deliver nuclear ordnance to several of our allies in the region (and perhaps even our own shores, eventually), I think it's well within our rights to nip the issue in the bud before it comes back to haunt us all.  Last time I checked, self-defense is a valid reason for taking physical action, within reasonable boundaries.

That's the same pretext as North Korea is using to justify developing nuclear weapons, I note.  And they probably have more grounds at this point in time.

So, let me get this straight...what you're saying is that we should wait until North Korea actually fires a nuke at the South, or Japan, or China, or wherever, until potentially tens of thousands are people are killed by said nuke, to do anything about it?  Is that pretty much the gist of your argument?  Just want to make sure.

If saving lives means being the agressor...then, by all means, I want to be called an agressor.

But what motivation could NK actually have for provoking a war?  The country can barely survive in peacetime, and even if it had the will to, it's far from having the capacity to deploy any sort of nuclear warhead within a missile (and it'll be several years before it can).

Sure, Jong-Il is a loony... but lets' look at other famous despots with nuclear or other WMD.  The one overriding characteristic they have is self preservation.  KJ-L is playing brinksmanship, sure - but he's not going to commit suicide.  If he did believe his propaganda, then we'd have seen a war with the South long ago.  Remember, a despot is characterised by the desire for personal power, not public glory; they're not going to risk a war unless it's to a) save their own ass or b) is an easy and glorious war to win.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 05:00:39 pm
Here's the other problem: What exactly are we capable of doing to North Korea, militarily speaking? Even if a huge chunk of our army weren't tied up in the Iraq ****storm, I suspect that a land war in North Korea would basically be the equivalent of putting the U.S. forces in a giant blender.
A ground-based attack really would be the absolute worst-case scenario of all.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: vyper on October 09, 2006, 05:01:26 pm
If a crazy dictator has acquired the means to deliver nuclear ordnance to several of our allies in the region (and perhaps even our own shores, eventually), I think it's well within our rights to nip the issue in the bud before it comes back to haunt us all.

bull**** it's our right - we don't have any farking right telling another country they cannot have a certain weapon - we don't listen to other countries telling us the same thing, why should we expect them to listen to us


Because we (where we being the collective forces for the Western world) happened to get those weapons sooner and have creater better versions. We also happen to have more of them. Thats why. The guise of morality is simply there for the 9 to 5 churchies so they can believe we're doing it for some greater moral good, as opposed to maintaining our position in the world order.

Besides which, NK ain't exactly a hippy paradise now is it?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 05:12:20 pm
Aldo, did I ever say there was a clear solution?  Hell no.  This whole thing is one big complicated mess.  I don't pretend to have the answers to any of the questions that you asked; I'm certainly no diplomat, foreign affairs worker, or military strategist.  I honestly don't know exactly what would have to happen in order for North Korea to be removed as a potential nuclear threat to that region, and the only way we'll all find out is seeing what happens in the coming weeks.

On that note, how can you even ask me if I'd consider the deaths of millions of innocents "acceptable"?  I have a bit of a mind to take some offense at even the implication of that.  I don't want ANYONE to die from this, no matter what side they're on (previous "small-dicked" comment nonwithstanding).  And I can't give you any answer at all as to when military action would be "acceptable," to what extent it would be, or even in what form it could come.  All I can say is that I really don't want any military action whatsoever.  I want Kim-Jong to realize that pushing forward with this nuclear program is probably the absolute worst thing he could do in terms of preserving his regime's stability.  I want the world to get to the point where we no longer have to be concerned over what North Korea is doing.  I want the people of North Korea to have a chance at freedom and a decent standard of living.  But how, and for that matter, if, these things can come about...that's something that wiser minds than I will have to determine.

I honestly feel like I've repeated the same thing three or four times in here, but I'll say it once more for the hell of it: all we can do at this point is to watch and see how things progress.  You can't expect anyone to be drawing up detailed contingency plans when the exact situation is still an utter unknown.  At this point, I'm keeping my eye on the news and my fingers crossed.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 09, 2006, 05:21:46 pm
well let me just put my cents in.
I want this situation permanently resolved, I don't care how, but I can not envision any situation which involves Kim remaining in power with nukes. at the moment I see no need for us to realy do anything, however I am willing to do what ever our South Korean alies ask us to do, wich at the moment seems to be 'finish cleaning up your Iraq mess pease'.

now I'd also like to go back to that gun analogy, as it's probably prety good consitering that in America, one of the most gun happy places on earth, there are things that can result in your never being alowed to own a gun, if you are deemed likely to misuse it (a violent history, or mental problems) you won't be allowed to get one.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 05:25:04 pm
Aldo, did I ever say there was a clear solution?  Hell no.  This whole thing is one big complicated mess.  I don't pretend to have the answers to any of the questions that you asked; I'm certainly no diplomat, foreign affairs worker, or military strategist.  I honestly don't know exactly what would have to happen in order for North Korea to be removed as a potential nuclear threat to that region, and the only way we'll all find out is seeing what happens in the coming weeks.

On that note, how can you even ask me if I'd consider the deaths of millions of innocents "acceptable"?  I have a bit of a mind to take some offense at even the implication of that.  I don't want ANYONE to die from this, no matter what side they're on (previous "small-dicked" comment nonwithstanding).  And I can't give you any answer at all as to when military action would be "acceptable," to what extent it would be, or even in what form it could come.  All I can say is that I really don't want any military action whatsoever.  I want Kim-Jong to realize that pushing forward with this nuclear program is probably the absolute worst thing he could do in terms of preserving his regime's stability.  I want the world to get to the point where we no longer have to be concerned over what North Korea is doing.  I want the people of North Korea to have a chance at freedom and a decent standard of living.  But how, and for that matter, if, these things can come about...that's something that wiser minds than I will have to determine.

I honestly feel like I've repeated the same thing three or four times in here, but I'll say it once more for the hell of it: all we can do at this point is to watch and see how things progress.  You can't expect anyone to be drawing up detailed contingency plans when the exact situation is still an utter unknown.  At this point, I'm keeping my eye on the news and my fingers crossed.
[/quote]

Isn't that just a cop out?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 09, 2006, 05:31:04 pm
Here's the other problem: What exactly are we capable of doing to North Korea, militarily speaking? Even if a huge chunk of our army weren't tied up in the Iraq ****storm, I suspect that a land war in North Korea would basically be the equivalent of putting the U.S. forces in a giant blender.
A ground-based attack really would be the absolute worst-case scenario of all.

If the US does anything, it'll be bombing the hell out of NK plants with their stealth aircraft.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mongoose on October 09, 2006, 05:32:19 pm
Quote from: aldo14
Isn't that just a cop out?

All right, so since I really have no clue whatsoever what the hell you're going on about, let me ask you this:  just what do you want out of me?  Do you want me to draw up a comprehensive, detailed, and cohesive game plan to resolve this situation?  Do you want me to sit here and puzzle over exactly what the percentage values of economic sanctions should be, or which officials from which countries should meet together in what cities on what dates?  Do you want me to create a 100-point list of criteria that would have to be met for any sort of military action of any scope to be taken?  Do you want me to perform a complete psychoanalysis of Kim-Jong Il and figure out every single factor that motivated him to conduct this test in the first place?

Just how exactly am I "copping out" here?  All I did in this thread was post a few random thoughts that were rattling around in my brain.  No more, no less.  I didn't intend to get into some multi-page discussion about the rammifications of potential actions of both sides.  I never once claimed to have any idea as to how the nations in question should proceed.  I'm sorry if that's the impression you received from me.  I've said my piece for now, and if you want to call that a "cop-out," then that's your prerogative.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 05:47:46 pm
Quote from: aldo14
Isn't that just a cop out?

All right, so since I really have no clue whatsoever what the hell you're going on about, let me ask you this:  just what do you want out of me?  Do you want me to draw up a comprehensive, detailed, and cohesive game plan to resolve this situation?  Do you want me to sit here and puzzle over exactly what the percentage values of economic sanctions should be, or which officials from which countries should meet together in what cities on what dates?  Do you want me to create a 100-point list of criteria that would have to be met for any sort of military action of any scope to be taken?  Do you want me to perform a complete psychoanalysis of Kim-Jong Il and figure out every single factor that motivated him to conduct this test in the first place?

Just how exactly am I "copping out" here?  All I did in this thread was post a few random thoughts that were rattling around in my brain.  No more, no less.  I didn't intend to get into some multi-page discussion about the rammifications of potential actions of both sides.  I never once claimed to have any idea as to how the nations in question should proceed.  I'm sorry if that's the impression you received from me.  I've said my piece for now, and if you want to call that a "cop-out," then that's your prerogative.

At any rate, I'm just hoping that the UN actually manages to put some teeth behind whatever they decide, instead of the usual half-hearted "sanctions" attempts.  As an international organization, it'd be nice to see them stand up and deal with a threat to international safety in a powerful manner.  If they can't manage to pull this one off, then I'll lose whatever respect I did have for them in the first place.  Guess there's nothing to do but wait and see.

Define what 'pull this one off' is, and then your statement can carry weight.  Otherwise you're just throwing abstracts out as justification for what conclusion you decide to invent. Any idiot can say 'they failed' with 20/20 hindsight.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 09, 2006, 05:50:59 pm
get NK to give up the bomb?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 09, 2006, 05:53:42 pm
get NK to give up the bomb?

How?

I could ask the UN for the Moon on a Stick, it doesn't mean I can damn them for failing to deliver it - unless I can provide something to show I'm making a reasonable request.  IT's all very nice saying 'they've failed if NK has the bomb', but it means nothing unless you can give some evidence as to why that is a reasonable goal to have in the first place.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 09, 2006, 06:20:15 pm
what is the UN's reason for exsisting?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 09, 2006, 06:24:46 pm
"To promote international unity and discussion, and to promote peace"

Not very good at it.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 09, 2006, 06:27:16 pm
I suppose it would be fair to fault them for failing at that, wouldn't it?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Blue Lion on October 09, 2006, 06:28:23 pm
Who knows, maybe they passed?  :wtf:

That's kinda vague
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: WeatherOp on October 09, 2006, 06:34:42 pm
I suppose it would be fair to fault them for failing at that, wouldn't it?

No, it's America's fault.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 09, 2006, 06:39:02 pm
well that is what the North Koreans are saying
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ulala on October 09, 2006, 06:47:12 pm
I suppose it would be fair to fault them for failing at that, wouldn't it?

No, it's America's fault.

No, it's Bush's fault. Duh.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: BlackDove on October 09, 2006, 08:20:24 pm
You know you're all just waiting for someone to say "North Korea set us up the bomb!" and then authorize a firing sequence from all available means onto the country with the "crazy dictator".
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 09, 2006, 08:33:23 pm
Quote
If thats the case...convince China and South Korea to cut their food and energy supplies.  It won't take very long for the regime to fall under its own weight.

Then what happens? Suddenly you have a bunch of loose Korean nukes that could end up anywhere in the world. In addition to that you would have a massive humanitarian crisis.

For those of you who say invade:

You have probably the most brainwashed group of people in the world in NK. They are willing to fight to the death for their regime. This isn't Iraq: NK is poorer, and the people are much more brainwashed than the Iraqis were.

This was probably the biggest foreign policy failure of the Bush administration. Just looking at everything that they have done, it is blatantly obvious they wanted to push the regime to do stuff like this. The administration is trying to play chicken with NK, and sooner or later they will run into eachother. If a small, improvrished, starving country of 23 million people can outmanuever the American Juggernaught so easily, I really wonder what a much more powerful country can do.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: WeatherOp on October 09, 2006, 09:06:22 pm
well that is what the North Koreans are saying

Well even dummies go with the flow and cruise with the crowd. :lol:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2006, 09:29:43 pm
Here's the other problem: What exactly are we capable of doing to North Korea, militarily speaking? Even if a huge chunk of our army weren't tied up in the Iraq ****storm, I suspect that a land war in North Korea would basically be the equivalent of putting the U.S. forces in a giant blender.

Quite a bit, actually. Given three months to accomplish it, sufficent aircraft (say three carriers and heavy USAF aircraft flying from Guam), and enough ordinance we could put them back at the Industrial Revolution just via aircraft and cruise missiles.

The problem is that even if South Korea explictly denies the US permission to use their bases or overfly their territory Mr. Il will start chucking stuff at the ROK. Maybe even China too for failing to protect him.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Blue Lion on October 09, 2006, 09:39:40 pm
Quote
Quite a bit, actually. Given three months to accomplish it, sufficent aircraft (say three carriers and heavy USAF aircraft flying from Guam), and enough ordinance we could put them back at the Industrial Revolution just via aircraft and cruise missiles.

And that's a good idea?

Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 09, 2006, 09:55:44 pm
Quote
Maybe even China too for failing to protect him.


I think China would be doing everyone a favor if they decided to invade NK......
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IceFire on October 09, 2006, 09:56:36 pm
Quote
If thats the case...convince China and South Korea to cut their food and energy supplies.  It won't take very long for the regime to fall under its own weight.

Then what happens? Suddenly you have a bunch of loose Korean nukes that could end up anywhere in the world. In addition to that you would have a massive humanitarian crisis.

For those of you who say invade:

You have probably the most brainwashed group of people in the world in NK. They are willing to fight to the death for their regime. This isn't Iraq: NK is poorer, and the people are much more brainwashed than the Iraqis were.

This was probably the biggest foreign policy failure of the Bush administration. Just looking at everything that they have done, it is blatantly obvious they wanted to push the regime to do stuff like this. The administration is trying to play chicken with NK, and sooner or later they will run into eachother. If a small, improvrished, starving country of 23 million people can outmanuever the American Juggernaught so easily, I really wonder what a much more powerful country can do.
My thought was that at the very least you can try and get the loose screws out of the leadership and get a reunification effort with the South.  I guess I was using the East/West Germany example...maybe not such a good thought afterall.  I'd rather change come from the inside rather than Bush go and try and install a new government.  We've seen what thats like.  I'm really not sure what us armchair strategists could do now...its sort of a bleak no win situation at this point.  Sounds like the whole thing should have been cut off at the pass...as usual.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: achtung on October 09, 2006, 10:12:14 pm
Quote
Maybe even China too for failing to protect him.


I think China would be doing everyone a favor if they decided to invade NK......

I honestly wouldn't feel too much surprise if they did that.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: WeatherOp on October 09, 2006, 10:53:14 pm
Don't know the sourse, jsut ripped it off one of the forums I go to. Interesting if true.

Quote
GERTZ: U.S. doubts Korean test was nuclear; Readings fall short of atomic explosion... MORE...

U.S. intelligence agencies say, based on preliminary indications, that North Korea did not produce its first nuclear blast yesterday, WASHINGTON TIMES star reporter Bill Gertz is set to report in Tuesday editions.

U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that seismic readings show that the conventional high explosives used to create a chain reaction in a plutonium-based device went off, but that the blast's readings were shy of a typical nuclear detonation.

The underground explosion, which Pyongyang dubbed a historic nuclear test, is thought to have been the equivalent of several hundred tons of TNT, far short of the several thousand tons of TNT, or kilotons, that are signs of a nuclear blast, the official said.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 09, 2006, 11:50:31 pm
would not be suprised.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ulala on October 10, 2006, 12:11:59 am
*crosses fingers*
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 10, 2006, 12:26:15 am
I don't think anyone's ever had one fizzle, at least in that particular manner.

So the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has proved to the world they can't build a working bomb. Somehow fitting.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 10, 2006, 01:18:56 am
I don't think anyone's ever had one fizzle, at least in that particular manner.

So the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has proved to the world they can't build a working bomb yet. Somehow fitting.


Fixed
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 10, 2006, 05:40:54 am
(http://www.east-asia-intel.com/eai/2005/Images/teamofoneB.jpg)
I'm so.................Wonewy.........
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 10, 2006, 07:13:30 am
Actually, I'm going to say NKorea screwed the pooch with this one. China, their closest (and maybe only) ally, is now royally pissed at them.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 10, 2006, 07:57:27 am
That would be like the US gettin' lairy at the UK :D
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: vyper on October 10, 2006, 08:13:58 am
FYI: http://www.washtimes.com/national/20061009-115158-2477r.htm

That would be like the US gettin' lairy at the UK :D

Except the Chinese are likely to win.  :nervous: :D
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 10, 2006, 08:19:38 am
Eh? Our takeaways arent that hostile,................................yet :nervous:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Wobble73 on October 10, 2006, 08:33:45 am
Eh? Our takeaways arent that hostile,................................yet :nervous:

Are you mad man, have you EVER been a takeaway on a Friday night/Saturday morning!!!! They're well hostile........Maybe not the guys running them, but the customers, now that's a different matter! :lol:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Janos on October 10, 2006, 11:28:50 am
Actually, I'm going to say NKorea screwed the pooch with this one. China, their closest (and maybe only) ally, is now royally pissed at them.

China isn't really their ally, they have interest in keeping the lid on NK and trying to maintain status quo. Rowdy, aggressive NK is propably the last thing they wanted - refugees, interrupting Eastern Asian trade, possible war and US/ROK forces propably winning and then being at Chinese doorsteps, blackmailing, possibly nukes.. No one wants to have anything like that in his backyard. China's like a big brother who is defending and suppressing and keeping down and bribing his hostile brother, hoping that one day he will be sensible to stop pulling all kinds of stupid ****.
Recent Chinese press releases have been quite hostile to NK, and no wonder - the status quo, best of really bad options, is now threatened.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 11, 2006, 04:11:55 am
So their test didn't work, but now just because the US is being hostile! they'll have to try again. Well I'm convinced ;)
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 11, 2006, 05:42:07 am
Ok so now according to CNN N.Korea sees continued bad feeling toward them "an act of war"  :eek2: :wtf:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 11, 2006, 05:55:23 am
Ok so now according to CNN N.Korea sees continued bad feeling toward them "an act of war"  :eek2: :wtf:

Oh, great, now they've declared war on you!
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mars on October 11, 2006, 06:17:33 am
Hmmm... I'm confused... was that our fault this time or not.  :confused:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 11, 2006, 06:29:07 am
Oh, great, now they've declared war on you!

Yes the threat of mockery on HLP is forcing them to develop nukes to defend themselves.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mefustae on October 11, 2006, 06:32:54 am
Well, Kim Jong-il has done stranger things...
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 11, 2006, 09:21:40 am
So, what does Hugo Chavez have to say about this. lol
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 11, 2006, 09:28:15 am
Just because I had to say it sometime; I was wrong about N Korea earlier. I thought they were just sabre rattling but I was wrong.

Now, however, what I predicted early after the nuclear test looks like it's coming true - North Korea, now that it has the bomb, seems to have decided that it can push other nations around. This, for all of those why not profiliate people, is why you don't want to have small, irresponsible countries like NK with nukes:

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/north_korea

Quote
North Korea threatens war over sanctions
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 11, 2006, 09:36:56 am
Japan embargos imports from NK http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061011/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear_japan;_ylt=As5dcj5vXXSAtpG5tvr0dgOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b3JuZGZhBHNlYwM3MjE-
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: vyper on October 11, 2006, 09:53:33 am
Eh? Our takeaways arent that hostile,................................yet :nervous:

The ring of fiiiree... the ring of fire...

Also

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6040836.stm

Quote from: BBC
Japan is to impose tough new sanctions against North Korea in response to its claimed nuclear test.

The new measures will include banning all North Korean imports and stopping its ships entering Japanese waters, a government spokesman said.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 11, 2006, 10:03:25 am
So, what does Hugo Chavez have to say about this. lol

Well, indirectly;

Quote
VENEZUELAN FOREIGN MINISTER NICOLAS MADURO

"We condemn all nuclear tests because of the immense damage to the planet, to life on the planet.

"We oppose the proliferation of nuclear weapons and we are making an effort the world over to have those countries with nuclear weapons gradually disarm."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6032577.stm
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 11, 2006, 10:17:25 am
oh oh pwnd redmenace, take your blind nationalistic trolling elsewhere now  :lol:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 11, 2006, 10:21:15 am
Oh Kazan oh Kazan, stop antagonizing everyone you talk to :p

Anyway, sucks for NK. They really screwed themselves over with this. I'm thinking that they think the rest of the world will capitulate to them a lot more readily than they really will.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 11, 2006, 10:28:37 am
Oh Kazan oh Kazan, stop antagonizing everyone you talk to :p

If he did that he wouldn't be Kazan and he wouldn't be half as entertaining. :P
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 11, 2006, 10:34:13 am
True dat :D




...


Free willy... :nervous:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 11, 2006, 10:35:58 am
Oh Kazan oh Kazan, stop antagonizing everyone you talk to :p


he trolled


*notes your new post with the "free willy" reference*

LAME! You got something to say on that subject?  Do you? Eh? got something to say? bring it *****.  Find your testicles and start presenting arguments for your position or STFU you dickless wonder
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 11, 2006, 10:45:59 am
Yuh huh...anyway, back on topic and away from stupidity.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 11, 2006, 10:46:44 am
Oh Kazan oh Kazan, stop antagonizing everyone you talk to :p


he trolled


*notes your new post with the "free willy" reference*

LAME! You got something to say on that subject?  Do you? Eh? got something to say? bring it *****.  Find your testicles and start presenting arguments for your position or STFU you dickless wonder

Y'know, it takes two to tango.  If I was admin i'd probably monkey both you for acting like 5 year olds......
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 11, 2006, 10:47:10 am
EDIT: Not worth it. Can we just get back on topic?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 11, 2006, 10:51:14 am
So where is this North Korea thing going?  :shaking:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 11, 2006, 10:53:33 am
NK will probably be starved to death until it either A) capitulates, or B) goes on a last ditch rampage and attacks SK.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kazan on October 11, 2006, 10:54:28 am
or C) the population rebels, or D) all the of above
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 11, 2006, 11:03:25 am
So where is this North Korea thing going?  :shaking:

Up **** creek without a paddle.

Or, more specifically, in front of the UN Security Council where there will likely be sanctions upon the North Korean government in such areas as finance and fuel (but probably not food aid).  China will continue to be very very pissed off, both the US and NK will sabre rattle in the knowledge that neither wants a war (too expensive and too suicidal respectively), and the rest will stamp their feet and moan for a bit.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 11, 2006, 11:14:58 am
oh oh pwnd redmenace, take your blind nationalistic trolling elsewhere now  :lol:
It was meant more of a joke considering Chavez attended a big third world country get together in NK.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Tahna Los on October 11, 2006, 12:29:16 pm
If you're going to say that the **** hits the fan, you'd better do it properly by quoting Ransom: "the defecation hits the ventilation....."
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuclear1 on October 11, 2006, 02:22:35 pm
If you're going to say that the **** hits the fan, you'd better do it properly by quoting Ransom: "the defecation hits the ventilation....."

No, that's actually courtesy of the original Derelict makers.  Ransom voiced the part years after it was written.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mathwiz6 on October 11, 2006, 02:49:40 pm
Oh **** Now the defecation has hit the ventilation  :lol:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 11, 2006, 04:44:46 pm
you know your taking a nice long canoe trip down **** creek on a warm summer afternoon when China and Venezuela are like "/*inches away*/.... eh.... eh, don't look at me, I don't no this guy!"
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 11, 2006, 07:01:03 pm
Quote
So, what does Hugo Chavez have to say about this. lol


Probably laughing his ass off at how stupid Bush was to let this spiral this far out of control. Now lots of countries (namely Iran) are going to start thinking "If North Korea can do it, then we can do it too".


Quote
Now, however, what I predicted early after the nuclear test looks like it's coming true - North Korea, now that it has the bomb, seems to have decided that it can push other nations around. This, for all of those why not profiliate people, is why you don't want to have small, irresponsible countries like NK with nukes:


Japan, China, and Russia won't let them push very far.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 11, 2006, 08:08:57 pm
Well yea, thats what I said. NK underestimated everyone, I think.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 12, 2006, 06:36:54 am
Quote
So, what does Hugo Chavez have to say about this. lol
Probably laughing his ass off at how stupid Bush was to let this spiral this far out of control. Now lots of countries (namely Iran) are going to start thinking "If North Korea can do it, then we can do it too".
Eh, laughing at clinton just as much I suspect. I mean why on earth would you trust NK to begin with. But yes, bush is a general **** up.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Janos on October 12, 2006, 10:47:33 am
Quote
So, what does Hugo Chavez have to say about this. lol
Probably laughing his ass off at how stupid Bush was to let this spiral this far out of control. Now lots of countries (namely Iran) are going to start thinking "If North Korea can do it, then we can do it too".
Eh, laughing at clinton just as much I suspect. I mean why on earth would you trust NK to begin with. But yes, bush is a general **** up.

oh dear
Quote
Here, Bush's advisers have misinformed him. The fact is, Washington got what it most wanted from the 1994 agreement, a freeze of Pyongyang's plutonium program, but it did not live up to its end of the bargain. When Republicans captured control of Congress in elections just days after the Agreed Framework was signed, they denounced the deal as appeasement. Leery of taking them on, the Clinton administration backpedaled on implementation. It did little easing of sanctions until 2000. Reactor construction was slow to start. Although it pledged to provide the two reactors "by a target date of 2003," concrete for the first foundation was not poured until August 2002. It did deliver heavy fuel oil, but seldom on schedule. Above all, the United States did not live up to its pledge in Article II of the Agreed Framework to "move toward full normalization of political and economic relations"--in plain English, to end enmity and lift economic sanctions.

In 1997, when Washington was slow to fulfill the terms of the accord, Pyongyang threatened to break the agreement. The North's acquisition of technology to enrich uranium from Pakistan began soon thereafter--in 1998, according to Secretary of State Colin Powell. It began with a pilot program, not the operational capability the North moved to acquire in 2001 after the Bush administration refused to negotiate and listed the country as a potential target for nuclear attack.

And actually, http://www.nwc.navy.mil/PRESS/Review/2003/Summer/art1-su3.htm (http://www.nwc.navy.mil/PRESS/Review/2003/Summer/art1-su3.htm) this sheds some light on the entire issue which is FAR more complicated than "b-b-but CLINTON!!". Seriously, read up on these things before you make these kind of statements. It's quite clear that US's hostile stance against NK pretty much forced DPRK's hand. You can get suspicious cease-fire between two hostiles with bribery; you get a fight if you push another too hard.

Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 12, 2006, 10:59:48 am
Hmm, I thought we gave them food aid that pretty much keeps their military from starving. Honestly I don't know why anyone would trust them to actually give the aid to where it was intended. It all goes to pretty much preserving the current regime.

The only thing that is forcing their hand is NK. It is a **** hole that has been left in the past by its self. It refuses to modernize. Hell I bet that any aid given to NKs was disguised to prevent them from realizing who it is from. And since when does developing nuclear weapons help their humanitarian crisis? Or their energy crisis? It doesn't. From the start, it has been a giant shakedown of western and asian powers to further the current regime in NK.

This is my problem with Clinton. It is a shabby agreement in that respect.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 12, 2006, 11:09:14 am
As an aside, Donald Rumsfeld was on the board of a compant which sold 2 light water reactors to NK; http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,952289,00.html
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Janos on October 12, 2006, 01:40:22 pm
Hmm, I thought we gave them food aid that pretty much keeps their military from starving. Honestly I don't know why anyone would trust them to actually give the aid to where it was intended. It all goes to pretty much preserving the current regime.

The only thing that is forcing their hand is NK. It is a **** hole that has been left in the past by its self. It refuses to modernize. Hell I bet that any aid given to NKs was disguised to prevent them from realizing who it is from. And since when does developing nuclear weapons help their humanitarian crisis? Or their energy crisis? It doesn't. From the start, it has been a giant shakedown of western and asian powers to further the current regime in NK.

This is my problem with Clinton. It is a shabby agreement in that respect.

Did you read that article at all?
1. Everyone knows that food aid goes mostly to military and party big shots. However, it also keeps the regime stable which has been the top priority in Korea ever since the collapse of USSR. Except for ROK and their Sunshine Policy failed because NK did not give them anything.
2. NK is power playing and limiting their ability to play forces them to something they would propably not do in other situations. Their number one goal is to preserve North Korea, rest of the world be damned. If you force a desperate lunatic into a diplomatic corner, it's not a wonder he will flip out and do something stupid. It's his own choice but of course you could've think about it first, huh?
3. Nuclear weapons and humanitarian crisis? Never. Nuclear POWER and humanitarian crisis? Propably pretty much. They don't have too much power to use and nuclear, once you get past the first 20 years, only gives you profit. After those 20 years - in capitalistic sense, of course - it has payed itself back in terms of energy and then maintenance is a drop of ink in a swimming pool. NK's nuclear bargaining was always suspicious and that's why they were given reactors not readily suitable for weapons generation. There are different nuclear reactors, you know.
Actually this is kinda like Iran's current situation. Except nothing like it at all!

4. So, about that Clinton bit... please read the article. It's pretty good and gives you a lot of insight about the entire crisis. This is foreign diplomacy, not Agatha Christie novel. Motivations are complex and sometimes irrational.

Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 12, 2006, 02:08:38 pm
Regaurdless of diplomacy being irrational or not doesn't matter and doesn't make the agreement anyless shabby in that regard. My biggest problem isn't the fact that they are pursuing nuclear power, but that they are trying to force the world to give them stuff like they are entitled to it. And the stability of NK: It should be allowed to collapse frankly. All we are doing by making sure that the status quo is kept, is the keeping the NK people enslaved to communism and darkness. On a side note, WTF did NK do with everything it was recieving the USSR.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 12, 2006, 03:30:18 pm
As an aside, Donald Rumsfeld was on the board of a compant which sold 2 light water reactors to NK; http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,952289,00.html

That would actually be a point in his favor; the whole idea of light-water reactors is that it's harder to weaponize their byproducts. That article is frankly a masterpiece of stupidity, as the whole deal behind those reactors was to help the DPRK meet its energy needs with nuclear power without giving them a leg up in building atomic arms.

Also as I recall those reactors have never gone operational. Construction was only possible with foriegn aid, which was suspended a few years back when they restarted their other reactor.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Janos on October 12, 2006, 03:41:21 pm
As an aside, Donald Rumsfeld was on the board of a compant which sold 2 light water reactors to NK; http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,952289,00.html

That would actually be a point in his favor; the whole idea of light-water reactors is that it's harder to weaponize their byproducts. That article is frankly a masterpiece of stupidity, as the whole deal behind those reactors was to help the DPRK meet its energy needs with nuclear power without giving them a leg up in building atomic arms.

Also as I recall those reactors have never gone operational. Construction was only possible with foriegn aid, which was suspended a few years back when they restarted their other reactor.

Didn't they restart the other reactor because foreign aid was unreliable?

Yeah, they are not entitled to foreign aid but right now they are in pretty good position to throw temper tantrums.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 12, 2006, 03:51:31 pm
Maybe, but the precursor to all of this was an attempt to gain more life for their regiem by shaking down the rest of the world. Not that I want to defend the republicans, but the agreement is sorta like appeasement. ALTHOUGH, they do have a right to produce these weapons.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 12, 2006, 04:01:44 pm
As an aside, Donald Rumsfeld was on the board of a compant which sold 2 light water reactors to NK; http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,952289,00.html

That would actually be a point in his favor; the whole idea of light-water reactors is that it's harder to weaponize their byproducts. That article is frankly a masterpiece of stupidity, as the whole deal behind those reactors was to help the DPRK meet its energy needs with nuclear power without giving them a leg up in building atomic arms.

Also as I recall those reactors have never gone operational. Construction was only possible with foriegn aid, which was suspended a few years back when they restarted their other reactor.

Was the other reactor not restarted as a consequence of the US suspending fuel-oil shipments?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 12, 2006, 07:26:27 pm
were the fuel oil shipments not suspended because they were in breach of there deal, ie enriching uranium?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuclear1 on October 12, 2006, 07:47:03 pm
As an aside, Donald Rumsfeld was on the board of a compant which sold 2 light water reactors to NK; http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,952289,00.html

That would actually be a point in his favor; the whole idea of light-water reactors is that it's harder to weaponize their byproducts. That article is frankly a masterpiece of stupidity, as the whole deal behind those reactors was to help the DPRK meet its energy needs with nuclear power without giving them a leg up in building atomic arms.

Also as I recall those reactors have never gone operational. Construction was only possible with foriegn aid, which was suspended a few years back when they restarted their other reactor.

Was the other reactor not restarted as a consequence of the US suspending fuel-oil shipments?

Yes, that would be a cause as a result of the Republicans gaining control of Congress in 1996. 

Anyone else find it disturbing why officials in the Clinton Administration decided to go ahead with the project?

Quote
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/12/AR2005071200220.html

In his meeting with the North Korean leader, Chung said that the decade-old, $5 billion project to build light-water reactors in North Korea was dead. U.S. officials have welcomed that statement, on grounds that those facilities, if built, would still pose a proliferation risk. Clinton administration officials have privately said that they agreed to the plan in 1994 only because they thought the North Korean government would collapse before the project was completed.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Janos on October 12, 2006, 11:26:23 pm
Maybe, but the precursor to all of this was an attempt to gain more life for their regiem by shaking down the rest of the world. Not that I want to defend the republicans, but the agreement is sorta like appeasement. ALTHOUGH, they do have a right to produce these weapons.

So what? I mean, what's bad with appeasement? It seems like GOP apologists just throw it around to justify their screw-ups.

Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Blue Lion on October 12, 2006, 11:50:20 pm
Because it is now a sign of weakness
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 13, 2006, 01:02:10 am
Quote
Maybe, but the precursor to all of this was an attempt to gain more life for their regiem by shaking down the rest of the world. Not that I want to defend the republicans, but the agreement is sorta like appeasement. ALTHOUGH, they do have a right to produce these weapons.


The US has backed NK into a corner, and when an animal is scared and cornered it will always lash out.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 13, 2006, 02:45:28 am
they do have a right to produce these weapons.

Nobody has a right to produce these weapons.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 13, 2006, 02:47:55 am
were the fuel oil shipments not suspended because they were in breach of there deal, ie enriching uranium?

Was that not an allegation, based upon an alleged statement by the NK ambassador (or some other official) to a US representative which the North Koreans denied ever making? (i.e. handy invented pretext)
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 13, 2006, 05:48:00 am
Maybe, but the precursor to all of this was an attempt to gain more life for their regiem by shaking down the rest of the world. Not that I want to defend the republicans, but the agreement is sorta like appeasement. ALTHOUGH, they do have a right to produce these weapons.

So what? I mean, what's bad with appeasement? It seems like GOP apologists just throw it around to justify their screw-ups.


Maybe because they have no grounds to be appeased in the first place. Secondly, why should we be supporting an regiem like this?

Quote
Maybe, but the precursor to all of this was an attempt to gain more life for their regiem by shaking down the rest of the world. Not that I want to defend the republicans, but the agreement is sorta like appeasement. ALTHOUGH, they do have a right to produce these weapons.


The US has backed NK into a corner, and when an animal is scared and cornered it will always lash out.
NK backed its self into a corner. Have you seen what the communist regiem spends its resources on besides nuclear weapons?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 13, 2006, 05:54:28 am
So what? I mean, what's bad with appeasement? It seems like GOP apologists just throw it around to justify their screw-ups.


Maybe because they have no grounds to be appeased in the first place. Secondly, why should we be supporting an regiem like this?

Because it's also supporting your allies.  The 'support' of NK is not to prop up the government indefinately, but to prevent a sudden, sharp and ultimately catastrophic collapse that swamps the South with destitute refugees and quite possibly allows China to de-facto annexe the North as part of 'relief', with the long term goal of forcing increasing democratisation (Kim Jong-Il is not immortal, after all).

The US has backed NK into a corner, and when an animal is scared and cornered it will always lash out.
NK backed its self into a corner. Have you seen what the communist regiem spends its resources on besides nuclear weapons?

Because nuclear weapons - threats in effect - represent it's only method of survival; NK is starving, bankrupt, and has virtually no electricity.  Whilst a lot of this is self-inflicted, it doesn't change the fact that co-ercing aid is a key requirement for the country to survive - and with the Us playing a hardball game of effectively trying to starve out NKs' leaders (even ignoring the effect on the people - even with the most corrupt government there is still a trickle that reaches the right place, because the government needs the people to survive), NK have resorted to the only hardball game they can play.  Both sides backed themselves into corners (and I wouldn't be surprised if that was Washingtons '5-year plan', with the expectation of provoking a war to remove NK - except one made failing to anticipate the failures in Afghanistan and Iraq).
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Mars on October 13, 2006, 07:38:05 am
Food aid will not change... supposedly
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 13, 2006, 07:44:54 am
Now this is funny and depressing:
(http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2006/10/koreaREU121006_548x700.jpg)
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 13, 2006, 07:52:42 am
I'm not sure how millions of people living in abject poverty, famine conditions and without such basic comforts as heat or light can ever be considered funny...
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 13, 2006, 08:44:43 am
Funny that millions of people living in abject poverty, famine conditions and without such basic comforts as heat or light are duped into thinking that the south is the same way. And yet we wish to keep these people in that situation by effectivly propping up their government.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 13, 2006, 09:08:34 am
Funny that millions of people living in abject poverty, famine conditions and without such basic comforts as heat or light are duped into thinking that the south is the same way. And yet we wish to keep these people in that situation by effectivly propping up their government.

No, 'we' wish to stop a collapse that would worsen the situation over a wider area.  This has got nothing to do with propping up the NK government, and all to do with keeping the regions' humanitarian economy (amongst other things) stable.  Any form of action will result in grinding poverty - but just removing the NK government in a swoop, tempting as it sounds, would spread that out to cause chaos in SK and China (in particular) as well.  Having squalid refugee camps housing hundreds of thousands - if not millions - on the suburbs of Seoul or Kaesong isn't going to solve anything, and we've seen in Iraq what happens when you remove a government without the plans or means to cope with the aftermath (and Iraq is a cakewalk compared to NK in this aspect).
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 13, 2006, 09:54:39 am
Which is pure speculation. The effective result of aid we are giving them is only to feed their "military" and thus allow a malignant regiem to continue to exist. I don't support removing their gov't either. I just say let it collapse under its own ineptness and deal with the consequences. The alternative of helping that inept and retarded regiem to exist under the guise of order is foolish and dare I say we would likely grow to regret such actions in the future.

Also, China and Russia are partly responcible for the state of NK. They should be having to deal with this more than the US.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Wobble73 on October 13, 2006, 09:56:55 am
BTW it's regime and not regiem  :o  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 13, 2006, 09:58:17 am
Mel Brooks: The inquisition, The inquisition
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 13, 2006, 10:10:40 am
Which is pure speculation. The effective result of aid we are giving them is only to feed their "military" and thus allow a malignant regiem to continue to exist. I don't support removing their gov't either. I just say let it collapse under its own ineptness and deal with the consequences. The alternative of helping that inept and retarded regiem to exist under the guise of order is foolish and dare I say we would likely grow to regret such actions in the future.

Also, China and Russia are partly responcible for the state of NK. They should be having to deal with this more than the US.

Technically, China are dealing with it.  They're just dealing with it in a way that - shock!  horror! - befits their national interest (i.e. not having thousands of refugees pouring in).  After all, it's not like they're the only nation willing to tolerate a dictatorship in the furtherance of their interests.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Rictor on October 13, 2006, 11:29:12 am
http://times.hankooki.com/service/print/Print.php?po=times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200610/kt2006101217510111990.htm
Quote
A Korean-Japanese scholar who is considered North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s unofficial spokesman said yesterday that Pyongyang has a hydrogen bomb it would test as part of a series of actions mentioned in its statement against the United States.

uh-oh.

Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 13, 2006, 11:32:21 am
Was that not an allegation, based upon an alleged statement by the NK ambassador (or some other official) to a US representative which the North Koreans denied ever making? (i.e. handy invented pretext)

According to the BBC's timeline, it was more along the line of truckloads of fuel rods being sent to a known centrifuge site after the DPRK removed the seals and monitoring devices the IAEA installed.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ford Prefect on October 13, 2006, 12:46:24 pm
I'm not sure how millions of people living in abject poverty, famine conditions and without such basic comforts as heat or light can ever be considered funny...
Ehhh, it's pretty funny. Granted, that's because I'm not living there, but humor is humor.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 13, 2006, 12:49:25 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061013/ap_on_re_as/us_nkorea_49;_ylt=AuTedB1cNbyDsZuhpSANbDKCscEA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl


Quote

WASHINGTON - Results from an initial air sampling after
North Korea's announced nuclear test showed no evidence of radioactive particles that would be expected from a successful nuclear detonation, a U.S. government intelligence official said Friday.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 13, 2006, 01:12:44 pm
Was that not an allegation, based upon an alleged statement by the NK ambassador (or some other official) to a US representative which the North Koreans denied ever making? (i.e. handy invented pretext)

According to the BBC's timeline, it was more along the line of truckloads of fuel rods being sent to a known centrifuge site after the DPRK removed the seals and monitoring devices the IAEA installed.

What timeline are you reading?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2604437.stm

Quote
   
Last Updated: Tuesday, 3 October 2006, 10:18 GMT 11:18 UK
E-mail this to a friend    Printable version
Timeline: N Korea nuclear standoff
Tensions have been building in recent years over North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions.

2002
2003
2004
2005
2006

2002

3-5 October 2002: On a visit to the North Korean capital Pyongyang, US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly presses the North on suspicions that it is continuing to pursue a nuclear energy and missiles programme.

Mr Kelly says he has evidence of a secret uranium-enriching programme carried out in defiance of the 1994 Agreed Framework.

Under this deal, North Korea agreed to forsake nuclear ambitions in return for the construction of two safer light water nuclear power reactors and oil shipments from the US.

16 October: The US announces that North Korea admitted in their talks to a secret nuclear arms programme.

17 October: Initially the North appears conciliatory. Leader Kim Jong-il says he will allow international weapons inspectors to check that nuclear facilities are out of use.

18 October: Five Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea 25 years before are allowed a brief visit home - but end up staying, provoking more tension in the region.

20 October: North-South Korea talks in Pyongyang are undermined by the North's nuclear programme "admission".

US Secretary of State Colin Powell says further US aid to North Korea is now in doubt.

The North adopts a mercurial stance, at one moment defiantly defending its "right" to weapons development and at the next offering to halt nuclear programmes in return for aid and the signing of a "non-aggression" pact with the US.

It argues that the US has not kept to its side of the Agreed Framework, as the construction of the light water reactors - due to be completed in 2003 - is now years behind schedule.

14 November: US President George W Bush declares November oil shipments to the North will be the last if the North does not agree to put a halt to its weapons ambitions.

18 November: Confusion clouds a statement by North Korea in which it initially appears to acknowledge having nuclear weapons. A key Korean phrase understood to mean the North does have nuclear weapons could have been mistaken for the phrase "entitled to have", Seoul says.

11 December: North Korean-made Scud missiles are found aboard a ship bound for Yemen, provoking American outrage.

The US detains the ship, but is later forced to allow the ship to go, conceding that neither country has broken any law.

12 December: The North threatens to reactivate nuclear facilities for energy generation, saying the Americans' decision to halt oil shipments leaves it with no choice. It blames the US for wrecking the 1994 pact.

13 December: North asks the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to remove seals and surveillance equipment - the IAEA's "eyes and ears" on the North's nuclear status - from its Yongbyon power plant.

22 December: The North begins removing monitoring devices from the Yongbyon plant.

24 December: North Korea begins repairs at the Yongbyon plant.

North-South Korea talks over reopening road and rail border links, which have been struggling on despite the increased tension, finally stall.

25 December: It emerges that North Korea had begun shipping fuel rods to the Yongbyon plant which could be used to produce plutonium.

26 December: The IAEA expresses concern in the light of UN confirmation that 1,000 fuel rods have been moved to the Yongbyon reactor.

27 December: North Korea says it is expelling the two IAEA nuclear inspectors from the country. It also says it is planning to reopen a reprocessing plant, which could start producing weapons grade plutonium within months.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 13, 2006, 01:54:32 pm
Same one you are. Teach me not to try and quote from memory.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 13, 2006, 05:14:15 pm
Well, as an update it's appearing there may not have been a nuke after all;  I can't find a link justnow, but reportedly US intelligence has said they failed to pick up any radiation signal as would be expected.

I have to admit this is pretty hilarious if true; "We now have a nuclear weapon!"  "No you don't, but here's some sanctions anyways"
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Unknown Target on October 13, 2006, 09:35:39 pm
I just posted the article like five posts back :p
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: vyper on October 14, 2006, 04:41:07 am
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6050236.stm

And yet now this. Hmm, intriguing?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 14, 2006, 06:46:02 am
Confusing!
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Bobboau on October 14, 2006, 11:47:52 am
all that confirms is that they probably did try to test a nuke, ie they probably didn't try to fake it.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 18, 2006, 03:16:53 am
Korea claims a state of war exists between the UN and their country. British news leads with Madonna. Looks like Apathy has set in already.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 18, 2006, 03:57:06 am
Now NK is talking about testing another one. Do you think they actually will?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 18, 2006, 04:06:39 am
Well they seem pretty serious about this nuclear war thing so probably.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 18, 2006, 04:12:33 am
Well they seem pretty serious about this nuclear war thing so probably.

It's just because Kim Jong-Il was so upset about Mission Impossible 3.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 18, 2006, 04:13:30 am
He's so ronery.  :D
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuclear1 on October 18, 2006, 06:52:07 am
Korea claims a state of war exists between the UN and their country.

Well, technically, they are correct.  It's only a ceasefire, remember?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Wobble73 on October 18, 2006, 08:50:49 am
Korea claims a state of war exists between the US and their country.

Well, technically, they are correct.  It's only a ceasefire, remember?

Corrected!  :o :D
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 18, 2006, 08:53:47 am
Korea claims a state of war exists between the US and their country.

Well, technically, they are correct.  It's only a ceasefire, remember?

Corrected!  :o :D

I dunno, the Allied forces in the Korean war were under UN command and deployed by UN resolution.  I've been trying work out who was technically at war with who for a while now.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 18, 2006, 08:54:32 am
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061018/3/2rhpp.html

What is wrong with these people.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: brozozo on October 18, 2006, 09:16:01 am
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061018/3/2rhpp.html

What is wrong with these people.

Well, shucks. I was hoping for a picture or two. That would have been absolutely gold.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Janos on October 18, 2006, 09:29:44 am
Korea claims a state of war exists between the UN and their country. British news leads with Madonna. Looks like Apathy has set in already.

Maybe apathy regarding KJI's war declarations has something to do with this (http://www.google.com/search?q=%22declaration+of+war%22+site%3Awww.kcna.co.jp)

EVERYTHING IS WAR
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 18, 2006, 09:40:02 am
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061018/3/2rhpp.html

What is wrong with these people.

Well, shucks. I was hoping for a picture or two. That would have been absolutely gold.
This i'm sure is what it was close to:
(http://www.donparrish.com/NorthKoreaWeb/KimArirang.jpg)
(http://www.donparrish.com/NorthKoreaWeb/KimSubway.jpg)
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Wobble73 on October 18, 2006, 09:48:58 am
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061018/3/2rhpp.html

What is wrong with these people.

Well, shucks. I was hoping for a picture or two. That would have been absolutely gold.
This i'm sure is what it was close to:
(http://www.donparrish.com/NorthKoreaWeb/KimArirang.jpg)
(http://www.donparrish.com/NorthKoreaWeb/KimSubway.jpg)

Why when looking at those pictures does an REM song pop into my head??? :confused:



Hums Shiny Happy People to self
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 18, 2006, 09:49:48 am
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061018/3/2rhpp.html

What is wrong with these people.

They're ruled over by an oppressive dystopian totalitarian state chaired by an egocentric balding shortarse?
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 18, 2006, 11:23:08 am
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3813036076281028527
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: watsisname on October 18, 2006, 12:34:25 pm
Mmm, perfect.  If this keeps up, I'll totally be able to conquer Switzerland without anyone's notice.  :drevil:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Nuke on October 18, 2006, 06:26:49 pm
Mmm, perfect.  If this keeps up, I'll totally be able to conquer Switzerland without anyone's notice.  :drevil:

send me some cheese when you do :D
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: redmenace on October 19, 2006, 07:41:30 am
This is reassuring
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2585531
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ulala on October 19, 2006, 05:03:33 pm
NK is kind of pissing me off.  :doubt:
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Ford Prefect on October 19, 2006, 06:25:50 pm
(http://www.donparrish.com/NorthKoreaWeb/KimSubway.jpg)

I've been trying to decide what song goes best with this picture, and it's a three-way tie between "Time Warp" from Rocky Horror, "Together Again" from The Muppets Take Manhattan, and the main titles from Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

EDIT: No, we have a winner: "I am the very model of a modern major general".
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Flipside on October 19, 2006, 08:50:38 pm
'It was not long before the inherent weaknesses of the Inbreeding program became apparent.....'
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: Kosh on October 19, 2006, 09:35:02 pm
This is reassuring
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2585531



Wonderful. It's probably just more saber rattling though.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 20, 2006, 02:52:09 am


I am the very model of a modern Major-General
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical

I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse

With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotepotenuse

I'm very good at integral and differential calculus
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
I am the very model of a modern Major-General

In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
He is the very model of a modern Major-General

I know our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's
I answer hard acrostics, I've a pretty taste for paradox
I quote in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus
In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolous

I can tell undoubted Raphaels from Gerard Dows and Zoffanies
I know the croaking chorus from the Frogs of Aristophanes
Then I can hum a fugue of which I've heard the music's din afore
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore

And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinapinafore

Then I can write a washing bill in Babylonic cuneiform
And tell you ev'ry detail of Caractacus's uniform
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
I am the very model of a modern Major-General

In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
He is the very model of a modern Major-General

In fact, when I know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin"
When I can tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a javelin
When such affairs as sorties and surprises I'm more wary at
And when I know precisely what is meant by "commissariat"

When I have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery
When I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery
In short, when I've a smattering of elemental strategy
You'll say a better Major-General had never sat a gee

You'll say a better Major-General had never sat a gee
You'll say a better Major-General had never sat a gee
You'll say a better Major-General had never sat a sat a gee

For my military knowledge, though I'm plucky and adventury
Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century
But still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
I am the very model of a modern Major-General

But still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
He is the very model of a modern Major-General
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: IPAndrews on October 20, 2006, 03:01:36 am
Maybe apathy regarding KJI's war declarations has something to do with this (http://www.google.com/search?q=%22declaration+of+war%22+site%3Awww.kcna.co.jp)

EVERYTHING IS WAR

 :lol: That's a fantastic link. I love that.
Title: Re: And the **** hits the fan...(North Korea)
Post by: aldo_14 on October 20, 2006, 03:32:39 am
Excellent; I shall adopt that tactic for my own use.

"Can I have some tea?"
"sorry, all out"
"This is a DECLARATION OF WAR, bourgeois running lackey of imperialist designs!"

But not in a Tescos, after what they did to Denmark (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj7Y76d578Q).