Images from an April 15 military parade in Pyongyang show what appear to be North Korean 'commandos' carrying AK-47 assault rifles with attached grenade-launchers. But they are really 'helical' magazines designed to store bullets in a spiral shape
Daily Mail: Dummy diplomacy: North Korean weapons displayed during parade are FAKE and their sunglasses aren't even combat ready, US military expert says
* On April 15, North Korea held massive military parade in Pyongyang in a bid to show off its supposed strength
* The parade featured 'special operations commandos' bearing RPGs and assault rifles among other weapons
* But a US analyst and former intelligence offier who looked at pictures says that many of the arms are fake
* Michael Pregent said: ''This was more about sending a message than being combat effective'
* One example were cylinders that looked like large rifles, but are actually 'faulty' bullet magazines
* He also doubts that the AK-47s are even loaded since North Korea is said to have a shortage of ammo
North Korea's soldiers mostly carry fake weapons during their mass-scale parades, a former US intelligence officer has said.
Michael Pregent believes many of the arms flaunted by menacing-looking North Korean troops during their displays are dummies, and claims even their sunglasses wouldn't be fit for combat.
Pregent was asked to look at photographs from an April 15 military parade in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.
Read more ....
Update #1: North Korea's soldiers: Closer look reveals military's 'fake' capabilities (FOX News)
Update #2: Fake war! North Korea and a history of dummy weapons (BBC)
Update #3: What's really happening in those North Korea parade photos? (Clyde Ward, American Interest)
WNU Editor: The last thing that Kim Jong Un wants right now are people that he does not know who have loaded weapons and are also near him.
Hat tip Fred for this link.
He doesn't want yo be Saddat mk2
ReplyDeleteI had my suspicions about those pistols those guys were carrying.
ReplyDeleteWhile I suspect part of it is Kim's paranoia, it doesn't go to explain the alleged fake missiles unless his paranoia includes them being directly launched against him as well lol...
But this goes into the whole myth of North Korea's arsenal that I mentioned in another post.
If the weapons truly are "fake" then Notth Korea isn't a threat. US personnel should be withdrawn and redeployed immediately. Actually this should have happened long ago. If the "analysis" is correct, this serves as additional confirmation.
ReplyDeleteWith that said just what makes Mr. Pregent an "expert?" If North Korea were going to use "fake" weapons for a parade, the facsimiles would look real enough that only a close up view of a few feet away would be able to reveal the deception. Essentially no one woukd be able to see through the deception from photographs of this type. As such, the working assumption of US military planners should be that all weapons on dispkay are real and lethal in the extreme. The idea that these weapons are somehow fake should probably be given about as much as credibility as unicorns.
There is another possibility. The North Koreans brought out "fakes" keeping the real ones in reserve in order to dupe the "expert" and his colleagues. Sun Tzu teaches "when you are strong, appear weak to your enemy. Mr. Pregent has probably never studied Sun Tzu or pretty much anything else requiring serious study or thought.
Actually, given the colossal failures in the past by US "Intelligence" everything they say/write should be treated with extreme skepticism. Mr. Pregent is no different furthermore there appears no evidence that neccessary reforms have been undertaken to transform US "Intelligence" into sonething reliable. As such, it would be unwise to rely on this "expert" or that of US "Intellegence" in general as a secondary source for anything let alone a primary source.
North Korea is believed to have a shortage of domestically produced ammunition according to the article. Who believes such nonsense and why would they believe such things? Common sense would tend to dismiss such a claim as ridiculous claim. Of course US "experts" and those who would put blind faith in them would seem to lack common sense. It'd be prudent for military planners to plan for the opposite.
The last time the US fought a hot war on the Korean Peninsula we lost over 50,000 troops in a war that was essentially fought to a draw. North Korea and it's allies are far stronger relative to America than they were in the early 1950s.
At a minimum, 10 million or more Americans will die as the North Koreans and their opedatives will almost certainly take the fight to the American mainland, all 28,000 or so US personnel there will be dead or dying within the first week of fighting. Reinforcements will need to be brought in. For the downsides, tbere is at best only a 50% chance of an ultimate US and "allied" victory.
This assunes that neither China, Russia, or both of them get involved on the side of North Korea. If either or both of them do, American casualties will increase dramatically and the chances of ultimate victory will decrease for the US and its "allies."
With that said maybe we need to go to hot war with North Korea. Maybe we have no choice. Given the stakes and what it is likely to cost, we best be certain of it. Furthermore given what such a war would likely cost in terms of loss of lufe and property it is certainly understandable why some are drawn to trying find a diplomatic solution thereby hopefully avoiding such things all together.
Those skinny little bastards in their black pyjamas were underestimated to.
DeleteFrom a swedes perspective South Korea and North Korea will be the looser not American life. So don't worry
DeleteUnknown, l agree the u.s will walk away relativley unscathed as will Japan, South will wear the brunt ( though most likley much lower than the worst case scenarios that are presented as fact rather than supposition
DeleteWe will find out once the shooting starts, whats fake and whats real.In the mean time, anything coming from any media MSM or Alt is either guessing, or propaganda and should be taken with a grain of salt.
ReplyDeleteUnknown,
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be to sure of that. A whole lot of US economic activity is centered right there. Right within supposed radius of a NK nuke, China, S Korea, and Japan. What has to be thought of is if one or two devices in this area could cause a lot of damage, what would four or five do and then seven or eight? This can come to reality very quickly and given Kim's very public behavior diplomacy doesn't seem to matter that much.
This may seem to be a pro military action argument and perhaps it is, the alternative is relying on a nation (China) to do something very drastic that is in essence for our interests and not theirs.
Plowman, fazman,
ReplyDeleteI also have grave doubts about the North's military prowess (your comment TWN about the arrangement of their artillery reminded me of US planes at Pearl Harbor 12/7/41) but as TWN has stated you just don't know until the shooting starts.
In conflict the only thing worse than underestimating your opponent is to overestimate them. The North is not ten foot tall and I think they have lived off a 60+year reputation.
Correct, the west has given them this behemoth persona, and kim has just run with it.
DeleteUnknown,
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect I don't think a Swede can possibly understand the American perspective. Unless I missed something which is certainly possible Sweden will bear nothing as a result of this. As such, for them to tell Americans "don't worry" seems superficial.
The countries who will bear the runt of this will be South Korea, North Korea, and the United States as North Korea and its operatives are going to try and hit the American mainland and I think they can and will with very devastating results. From my perspective which admittedly can be wrong, Swedes and Aussies needn't worry unless they happen to be in the military or are directly involved in some way. Their homelands are not going to be touched nor will their non military populations. As such, for them to dismiss American concerns seems a bit superficial and perhaps even callous.
TWN,
Quite correct. The outcome cannot be "known" unit the shooting starts.
James,
I agree. In fact, I think what you may be mentioning would be part of the very best case scenario. Regardless how this works out the US figures to lose. At this point, it is only a matter of how much and how badly. Even if we "win" the war the losses in terms of loss of life, property, and economic losses figure to be enormous. Even if a diplomatic solution can be found what we will need to give up figures to be costly as well. I think you are right to be skeptical about Chinese help. To procure their help will cost something and if this is the call of US leaders I would probably support it and be prepared to accept the results of this. As stated elsewhere, the operative words are "probably support." I must say I'm gaining an appreciation for how difficult this might be and am beginning to envy those who can simply rely on their ideology to come to a solution.
You are correct. They are not "10 feet tall." Neither are the Americans for that matter.
Fazman,
It seems to me the opposite is the case. The "west" has consistently underestimated them as is typically the case when it deals with adversaries or potential adversaries. Kim may not be a behemoth but the US certainly isn't. I will reiterate. We cannot "know" the outcome in advance. We should be sure to think through things carefully. We may have to go to war with North Korea. We may have no choice. We better certain of that.
At least US have the ability to send long range missiles, our military have nothing... Here we fear Putin not Kim
DeleteConstancia,
ReplyDeleteOne of the supposed luxuries of being able to militarily defend yourself is you get to pick your enemies. If you can't they pick you.