North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un looks on during the test-fire of inter-continental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang, July, 4 2017. KCNA/via REUTERS
Reuters: Any new Korean war could quickly escalate to catastrophe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Any new military conflict with North Korea would likely escalate quickly to the use of nuclear weapons, bringing catastrophic casualties not seen since World War Two and an untold economic impact worldwide, former U.S. defense officials and experts say.
While the United States has maintained an uneasy calm with North Korea for more than six decades and spikes in tensions are not new, recent supercharged rhetoric between the unpredictable U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have heightened the risk of miscalculation that could make that nightmare a reality, they say.
On Thursday, North Korea upped the ante by saying it would complete plans by mid-August to fire four intermediate-range missiles over Japan to land near the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam, after Trump said that any threats by Pyongyang would be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."
The exchange followed a United Nations resolution tightening sanctions on North Korea after it tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads to the United States.
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WNU Editor: Everything is now on a hair-trigger alert .... and we are definitely experiencing a very dangerous level of tensions right now. And while I am not worried that the U.S. and South Korea are going to start a war, I am concerned on what North Korea will be doing next. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un has boxed himself in .... he cannot show weakness or lose face .... and he will have to respond. It is how he will respond that is raising concerns. North Korea has said that in the days/weeks to come they will be launching missiles at Guam, and that they will land 20km - 30km the island. If this test proceeds (even with all of these warnings from the U.S. to not do this test) ..... and something goes wrong where just one missile hits Guam .... that will change everything. This is an attack against the U.S. .... and all bets after that are off. US Secretary of Defense Mattis has warned repeatedly that any war on the Korean peninsula will be a disaster .... and that it should be avoided at all costs. He is right .... unfortunately .... war does not listen to anyone .... and sometimes it just happens.
8 comments:
As long as we are in war of words, that's nothing more than "show".
NK is now answering words by action, that's the problem. The target of "between 20 and 30 miles" from the island is irresponsible because that's too much close to the territorial waters of USA and the island too. A missile in one of them is an act of war... NK missiles are not highly tested and, as every test, one thing can go wrong in one or more missile. Even if the missiles will not fall in US territory, NK take also the risk to miss their target on the opposite direction and show to everybody that NK is not mastering the technology. Kim will lose face....and what next?
Kim is "boxed in" and his allies have agreed to additional sanctions. It may be problematic for them to come to his aid.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/36682473/australian-army-ban-on-male-recruits-sparks-sunrise-debate/#page1
And the rot has finally made it to Aust
Why would the u.s wait until the missiles impact before they counter attack.
There is no way of knowing if it is a demonstration of power projection or a actual NK preemptive strike.
Taking the threats into account the u.s will either destroy them at the first signs of preparation or counter attack the second launch is detected.
There will only.be 1 Pearl Harbor
Something is unclear to me. Is North Korea Launching missiles at Guam in the sea a test, a show of strength Or North korea is arming these missiles with atomic to destroy Guam ?
I believe it is a show of strength to demonstrate that next time it could be nukes.
Kim's problem is that the u.s can't trust that it's a demonstration and will be forced to hit them on the launch pad or counter as soon as launch is detected.
fazman,
You've got the key, we are now in unknown territory and if you are responsible for peoples safety do/can you take the chance?
An awful lot of people have died in the Middle East and elsewhere as the result of Al Qaeda and ISIS and other players. The dying is not done yet.
One of my neighbors is form Dharfur. He is from some place that sounds like Fay-is or face. He looks like he took a blow to the frontal bone above and to the right of the right eye socket.
Nearly everyone in Darfur is Muslim and they were attacked by Muslims.
Aren't they suppose to get along o and go on haj together?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/21/AR2006042101752.html
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