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WAPO: North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead

darscot

Member
Yeah it is really. Perhaps the Somali intelligence agency is better than I thought, or maybe Micronesia has insights we didn't expect, but I am doubtful.

Are those countries run by incompetent idiots with the added bonus of a history of large scale war based on bullshit? They are inconsequential the US on the other hand is a serious threat.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
The world waited too long to deal with North Korea now you can't deal with them because they are a full nuclear power. Southeast Asia's geopolitical situation just got real unstable.

They could have been dealt with 60 years ago, they weren't because of China. That problem still remains.
 
That's not how it works.

oh do tell. im sure NK will become a tolerable and level headed country who won't threaten others with literal extermination the second they get a seat at the table right?

and theyll answer for their crimes against humanity, human slavery and trafficking, and their other atrocities too right? all while being a glowing and healthy member of the global community
 
Is it really? I don't think you understand the optics of the US from the outside looking in.
Yes it is ridiculous to be more trusting of nations like Russia, Ecuador, NK, Saudia Arabia, the Philippines, etc. countries ruled by ruthless dictators who lie non-stop and commit human rights attrocities.
 
So what do you do as the US if NK decides to reunite the Korean peninsula and invades the south? Go to war with a nuclear power? Or don't risk getting US cities nuked and let them have it? Probably a question that NK has been asking themselves for a while.
 

JustenP88

I earned 100 Gamerscore™ for collecting 300 widgets and thereby created Trump's America
Yeah at that point though its too late. Thats end game where nobody wins.

That's a scary hypothetical let's bypass that and settle for a smoldering crater in Seoul and a humanitarian crisis in NK.
 
Damn that was faster than I would have predicted. I wonder how accurate their sources are and what information the analysts are basing it on. It will be interesting to see what Trump does.

[tinfoil]Russia is supplying N Korea with the technology necessary to finally become a valid threat to western civilization. In exchange N Korea pour money into Russian oil to ease the pain from sanctions. After years of failure after failure and suddenly going from farts in the proverbial wind to fully operational ICBM's and miniaturized warheads within 18 months there has to be some outside help happening here.[/tinfoil]
 
Remember NK said they'd suspend all nuclear activity if America would suspend military exercises with SK. They're perhaps not as insane as people think.
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
This is scary. Not because of claims but because our media is beating the drums of war.

I dont trust wapo or nyt here. Remember Iraq anyone?
I dont read this as beating the drums of war at all.

I read this as the window for pre-emptive strikes has closed. We're in MAD territory now.
 
So what do you do if NK decides to reunite the Korean peninsula and invades the south? Go to war with a nuclear power? Or don't risk getting US cities nuked and let them have it? Probably a question that NK has been asking themselves for a while.

If we don't intervene to help South Korea we would need to abandon all of our bases outside of US territory and massively downsize the military. The world will no longer tolerate the American military in their country if they aren't going to honor their defense agreements.
 

KingBroly

Banned
Remember NK said they'd suspend all nuclear activity if America would suspend military exercises with SK. They're perhaps not as insane as people think.

And you believe NK why, exactly?

And I'm skeptical of our own Intelligence community as well on this. I'll wait for confirmation from other countries besides our own.
 
If we don't intervene to help South Korea we would need to abandon all of our bases outside of US territory and massively downsize the military. The world will no longer tolerate the American military in their country if they aren't going to honor their defense agreements.

And you think US citizens will be ok with letting San Francisco or even multiple US cities be nuked for South Korea's sake? I doubt it.
 
They're more likely to use it first than we are.

And THAT is the problem.

Why do you claim this. What is your evidence.

NK has a no-use unless regime stability is threaten "imminently" (AKA a US attack)

And you think US citizens will be ok with letting San Francisco or even multiple US cities be nuked for South Korea's sake?

North Korea has given no signs it would attack SK or Japan unless the US first attacked.

North Korea's nuclear strategy is directed at the US not regional countries.

http://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet...ine-and-strategy-what-everyone-needs-to-know/

China voted in favor of the sanctions. I imagine they're probably not a fan of this situation either. Not to mention that China probably doesn't want South Korea and Japan developing nukes in response to this.

There needs to be serious talks with China bout US guarantees of non-encroachment on Chinese territory. Which will make the Chinese much more favorable to disengaging with the NKs

So what do you do as the US if NK decides to reunite the Korean peninsula and invades the south? Go to war with a nuclear power? Or don't risk getting US cities nuked and let them have it? Probably a question that NK has been asking themselves for a while.

It wouldn't? The US has a security umbrella over SK (non-nuclear I think) NK likely doesn't believe the non-nuclear and would see an attack as suicidal
 

Barzul

Member
Remember NK said they'd suspend all nuclear activity if America would suspend military exercises with SK. They're perhaps not as insane as people think.

I agree. Why don't we call their bluff and well just stop the drills. It might give more goodwill for negotiations.
 
Fuck me, I really Trump responds rationally, but I am terrified he will launch an pre-emptive attack. There goes any hope I had of sleeping tonight.
 

Lombax

Banned
This is scary. Not because of claims but because our media is beating the drums of war.

I dont trust wapo or nyt here. Remember Iraq anyone?

To be fair news organizations here in the US LOVE to scare the shit out of people. I expect them to beat the drums, propose what if scenarios, and in general act like a bunch of clowns.

I definitely side with the folks in this thread that are attempting to be a calm and rational voice. At the end of the day nobody wants war at this scale.
 
And you think US citizens will be ok with letting San Francisco or even multiple US cities be nuked for South Korea's sake? I doubt it.

Were US Citizens okay with the same thing with regards to NATO countries in Europe during the Cold War? After the fact probably not, but thankfully that question has never been answered and hopefully it will stay that way forever.

Trump as our President is what unnerves me the most about this situation.
 
Donald Trump launching a pre-emptive nuclear strike and triggering global nuclear holocaust from his golf club in New Jersey while he's on vacation is exactly how I thought I'd die.
 
Why do you claim this. What is your evidence.

NK has a no-use unless regime stability is threaten "imminently" (AKA a US attack)



North Korea has given no signs it would attack SK or Japan unless the US first attacked.

North Korea's nuclear strategy is directed at the US not regional countries.

http://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet...ine-and-strategy-what-everyone-needs-to-know/

I'm not talking about their nuclear strategy. Their overall strategy and desire has been to have a united Korea and has been for decades. This is common knowledge. Having nukes only makes that more feasible. Even if still not likely they would take that action, it makes it a possibility now.
 

knitoe

Member
And you think US citizens will be ok with letting San Francisco or even multiple US cities be nuked for South Korea's sake? I doubt it.

If the US doesn't respond because it involves a nuke power, wouldn't that say China our hands are off if attack Japan...Russia it's OK attack a NATO country...
 
Of course North Korea is going to nuke us even though we have 6,000 nukes to retaliate. Makes perfect sense. Yall are a bunch of suckers. If you are going to be worried about any country having nukes it should be Pakistan. 1 coup away from crazy religious people having nukes.
 

pulsemyne

Member
Fuck me, I realky Trump responds rationally, but I am terrified he will launch an pre-emptive attack. There goes any hope I had of sleeping tonight.

Nothing is going to happen. America is not going to strike first with nukes. The north korean certainly aren't going to fire first as they know it would be suicide. Fatty only does what he does to stay in power, nothing more.
Meanwhile Trump will know that any attack on the north would lead to American bases in South korea being hit and that's political suicide.
 
If the US doesn't respond because it involves a nuke power, wouldn't that say China our hands are off if attack Japan...Russia it's OK attack a NATO country...

Sure that's the question isn't it? History has shown time and time again that countries will sit by idly and let other nations take at least a modest amount of land from others if it means not risking their own neck. NK doesn't need nukes for the regime to stay in power. They've been fine without them for decades. Their real advantage with them now is it makes them so much more unlikely to attack if they decide to make their dream of a united Korea happen.
 
I'm not talking about their nuclear strategy. Their overall strategy and desire has been to have a united Korea and has been for decades. This is common knowledge. Having nukes only makes that more feasible. Even if still not likely they would take that action, it makes it a possibility now.

Nukes are not a part of this. Nukes are solely about not having the US and other powers dictate to them. They are not something they'll use in an invasion.
 

Steel

Banned
Nothing is going to happen. America is not going to strike first with nukes. The north korean certainly aren't going to fire first as they know it would be suicide. Fatty only does what he does to stay in power, nothing more.
Meanwhile Trump will know that any attack on the north would lead to American bases in South korea being hit and that's political suicide.

Neither Kim nor Trump are rational actors. I wouldn't rule a thing out.
 

daveo42

Banned
While I'm not a fan of Tillerson, at least he seems level-headed enough to maybe deal with this with the help of other nations in the region. Trump? Might as well hit the reset button.
 

BriGuy

Member
Loss of life notwithstanding, full blown war with NK and all concerned parties would almost guarantee us four more years of Trump minimum. Expect that to change when he learns who FDR was.
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
NK has 3 major enemies, and they simply want to "checkmate" them all.

They've checkmated South Korea for 60 years, with huge amounts of artillery aimed at Seoul. Any attack on NK can trigger retaliation that can level Seoul.

Now they've checkmated Japan and America with ICBM nukes. Any attack on NK can trigger retaliation on Japan and America (shaky missile shield tech aside).

It doesn't mean anyone is actually going to aggress on either side. In fact, it's the opposite. Like chess, there are no more rational moves to play.

The NK regime can sleep soundly knowing no one can move them from their spot. That's what this is about. Regime preservation.
 
Nukes are not a part of this. Nukes are solely about not having the US and other powers dictate to them. They are not something they'll use in an invasion.

I never said they would use them? I said having them would make the US/other countries less likely to attack NK if they invaded the south. They will wait until they have enough to assure many US cities would be destroyed in an instant though before they do anything. I doubt the US takes action even if they invade the south once that's the case.
 

Steel

Banned
I never said they would use them? I said having them would make the US/other countries less likely to attack NK if they invaded the south.

This isn't really true, though. If anything this makes the U.S. and allies far more likely to bring the hammer down swiftly if NK makes a move like that.
 

knitoe

Member
Sure that's the question isn't it? History has shown time and time again that countries will sit by idly and let other nations take at least a modest amount of land from others if it means not risking their own neck. NK doesn't need nukes for the regime to stay in power. They've been fine without them for decades. Their real advantage with them now is it makes them so much more unlikely to attack if they decide to make their dream of a united Korea happen.

I guess 28,000 US military personal station in SK as "not risking their own neck" when NK attacks...
 

Dopus

Banned
I'm not talking about their nuclear strategy. Their overall strategy and desire has been to have a united Korea and has been for decades. This is common knowledge. Having nukes only makes that more feasible. Even if still not likely they would take that action, it makes it a possibility now.

No, it doesn't. It would be the end of North Korea. Kim Jong-un isn't suicidal.
 
No, it doesn't. It would be the end of North Korea. Kim Jong-un isn't suicidal.

The same logic can be applied to the US once NK has enough nukes to level it. The US isn't suicidal either. NK knows this. So who's to stop them from a little land grab?
 
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