United States declares North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism

a reply to: JBurns

All they need is one nuke in the upper atmosphere over the U.S. and it's lights out, literally and figuratively, for many Americans. Of course, NK would cease to exist after that, and who knows what other pieces might come into play.

originally posted by: JBurns
a reply to: grey580


That would be a pretty silly move on NK's behalf. I guess it wouldn't be the first time someone had a death wish, though.

Considering even one Ohio class ballistic missile submarine carries ~200 nuclear warheads, any such action by NK would be met with the full weight and power of the United States of America.

What's funny is that we wouldn't even have too use a 10th of our power to shut down NK for good. Luckily we don't need to do that though, the stupid parasites eating away at the people of NK will have them begging for regime change soon enough. Kim needs to be arrested and charged for crimes against humanity for the way he treats his people.

1. People are stupid for thinking this will actually do anything. Like seriously what’s there to take from them anymore? All this is is more empty words to attempt to make the sheep happy.

2. People are very stupid to think that the US or any other superpower would resort to nuclear weapons first, even if NK uses one first. Can you imagine the uproar that would come from killing thousands of innocent people? What about environmental effects? Any president that uses a nuclear weapon would become the most hated man on earth.

3. People are incredibly stupid to think that taking down Korea is a simple task. I guess people forget the track record of the conflicts that the US has participated in.

a reply to: JBurns

Well, the last test was mid September so, not much of a break, they've had a two month break before... plus the launches have generally coincided with significant political events so, perhaps they're waiting for the right time... really there's no evidence that they're doing anything different or have responded to anything.. also, was there any significant political manoeuvres just around the last launch that you can point to thay might have suddenly made them change course?

a reply to: ZombieWoof

No doubt ZombieWoof

And there is also no doubt it would be a horrible situation and a global catastrophe. Of course I am not advocating for nuclear war, just emphasizing the point you made in your last sentence that:

NK would cease to exist after that

I suppose we would all get to see what life was like in the 1800's though (bad joke)

a reply to: Indrasweb


Indrasweb, after the last test President Trump basically explained that our "line in the sand" will be crossed if and when they demonstrate their ability to mount a nuclear weapon onto a ballistic missile. This was followed up by SECDEF telling the armed forces to be prepared to fight & win in NK, as well as a series of joint exercises demonstrating NK government decapitation. A battery of sanctions was also implemented by Mnuchin that were designed to really hit them hard, instead of serving as a shot across their bow which didn't appear to be having any impact.

IMO, the combination of these measures has deterred NK aggression and their flagrant acts of war against sovereign nations (like firing a missile of unknown disposition over Japan). Look at 2017 in particular, they were happening frequently.

October 19, 2016
Failed launch of an intermediate-range missile [16]
February 11, 2017
North Korea test-fired a Pukguksong-2 missile over the Sea of Japan. This was the first launch of the new medium-range ballistic missile .[17][18][6]
March 6, 2017
North Korea launches four ballistic missiles from the Tongchang-ri launch site in the northwest.[19] Some flew 620 mi (1,000 km) before falling into the Sea of Japan.[20][6]
April 4, 2017
North Korea test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile from its eastern port of Sinpo into the Sea of Japan[21][22][6]
April 15, 2017
North Korea test-fired an unidentified land-based missile from the naval base in Sinpo but it exploded almost immediately after the takeoff .[23][24][25][26]
April 28, 2017
North Korea test-fired an unidentified missile from Pukchang airfield.[27][28] Missile, believed to be a medium-range[29] KN-17 ballistic missile,[27] falters and breaks apart minutes after liftoff.[29][30]
May 13, 2017
North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-12[31] missile from a test site in the area of Kusong.[32] The missile, later revealed to be an intermediate range ballistic missile,[33] traveled 30 minutes,[34] reached an altitude of more than 2,111.5 km, and flew a horizontal distance of 789 km (489 miles), before falling into the Sea of Japan.[33] Such a missile would have a range of at least 4,000, reaching Guam, to 6,000 km.[32][31]
May 21, 2017
North Korea test-fired another Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missile from Pukchang airfield,[35][36] which traveled approximately 300 miles before falling into the Sea of Japan.[37] The missile landed about 217 miles from North Korea's east coast.[37]
May 29, 2017
North Korea fired a Short Range Ballistic Missile into the Sea of Japan. It traveled 450 km.[38]
June 8, 2017
North Korea fired several missiles into the Sea of Japan. They are believed to be anti-ship missiles.[39] The South Korean military said the launches show the reclusive regime's "precise targeting capability."
June 23, 2017
North Korea tested a new rocket engine that could possibly be fitted to an intercontinental ballistic missile.[40]
July 4, 2017
North Korea tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) named Hwasong-14 on July 4.[41][42] It launched from the Panghyon Aircraft Factory 8 km southeast of Panghyon Airport.[43] It was aimed straight up at a lofted trajectory and reached more than 2,500 km into space.[44] It landed 37 minutes later,[45] more than 930 km from its launch site,[46] into Japan's exclusive economic zone.[47] Aiming long, the missile would have traveled 7,000-8,000 km or more, reaching Alaska, Hawaii, and maybe Seattle.[45][48][49][50][51] Its operational range would be farther, bringing a 500 kg payload to targets in most of the contiguous United States 9,700 km away.[52][53][54]
July 28, 2017
The 14th missile test carried out by North Korea in 2017 was another ICBM launched at 23:41 North Korea time (15:41 GMT) from Chagang Province in the north of the country on July 28, 2017. Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Boston, and New York appear to be within range.[55] The missile's reentry vehicle (RV) was seen by people in Japan as it entered the atmosphere and landed near the northernmost Japanese island, Hokkaido.[56][57] Analysis later revealed that the RV broke up on re-entry; further testing would be required.[58] The CIA made an assessment expecting adequate performance of the RV under the different stresses of a shallower trajectory towards the continental US.[59]
August 26, 2017
North Korea test fires three short range ballistic missiles from the Kangwon province on August 26. Two travel approximately 250 kilometers in a northeastern direction and one explodes immediately after launch.[60]
August 29, 2017
On August 29, 2017, at 6 AM local time, North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Northern Japan.[61] The missile's short and low trajectory and its breakup into three pieces is consistent with the failure of a heavy post-boost vehicle.[62]
September 15, 2017
North Korea launched a ballistic missile on September 15 from Sunan airfield. It reached a height of 770 km and flew a distance of 3,700 km for 17 minutes over Hokkaido before landing in the Pacific.[63]

SOURCE for above: en.wikipedia.org...

It is believed the uptick in missile testing was for several reasons, but primarily because he believed he was going to intimidate POTUS into playing his game, like he did with our past President(s). He has failed, and has really put himself into a corner. The only way out of that corner is through total denuclearization, and most likely regime change.

Lets not forget that NK has enslaved its own population, and simple things (like criticizing the state for being a corrupt pile of doo-doo) warrant imprisonment or death.

It is actually a crime to not worship the tin-pot dictator in NK. So yes, I absolutely believe we should reunify the two Koreas under liberty and freedom - NK's destiny chosen by its people and not some fanatical-overlord-dictator-in-supreme-chief.

There would also no longer be a reason for USFK to be in the region, which is a net win for China. China stands to gain a lot from a free and prosperous NK, modeled after the Republic of Korea.

September 15 is the date of their last launch, which breaks pattern with the rest of 2017. Which is why I believe KJU has tucked tail and taken to criticizing POTUS & allies over their agitprop mouthpeice state run media services.

a reply to: TheLotLizard


US armed forces have a job to do, and they're going to do it whether they win any popularity contests or not. I know it is hard for some to believe, but most of the country (and especially its armed forces and government services) couldn't give a crap less how people feel/think about them.

They have a duty to protect this country, and NK will find that out in short order if they want to test us. The world should never doubt the resolve of the United States of America.

And FYI, if they used any type of WMD (or if SK was at risk of falling) they would find out precisely what "superpower" means.

No one said it would be simple. But it is far from the Armageddon people like to pretend will happen as well.

Besides, letting a few regiments of NK troops march on SK would be a God send - they'd realize they've been lied to their entire lives, and that their weird system of communism was actually oppressing them and keeping them down. Any military unit that made it across the border would become astutely aware of this fact, after they saw the buildings in their cities were actually real buildings (with electric too!) and that people weren't littered all over the streets like trash. Oh, not to mention the cars and the food.

NK is a menace. Not just to the world, but to its own people. The way they treat their subjects (not citizens, thanks to their dictatorship) is despicable, and the world should not stand by idly while atrocities occur. Where is the human rights outrage over NK?

It's refreshing to see so many in the US wanting more war. We didn't kill NK off last time so I suppose we do it again.

originally posted by: JBurns
a reply to: TheLotLizard


US armed forces have a job to do, and they're going to do it whether they win any popularity contests or not. I know it is hard for some to believe, but most of the country (and especially its armed forces and government services) couldn't give a crap less how people feel/think about them.

They have a duty to protect this country, and NK will find that out in short order if they want to test us. The world should never doubt the resolve of the United States of America.

And FYI, if they used any type of WMD (or if SK was at risk of falling) they would find out precisely what "superpower" means.

No one said it would be simple. But it is far from the Armageddon people like to pretend will happen as well.

Besides, letting a few regiments of NK troops march on SK would be a God send - they'd realize they've been lied to their entire lives, and that their weird system of communism was actually oppressing them and keeping them down. Any military unit that made it across the border would become astutely aware of this fact, after they saw the buildings in their cities were actually real buildings (with electric too!) and that people weren't littered all over the streets like trash. Oh, not to mention the cars and the food.

NK is a menace. Not just to the world, but to its own people. The way they treat their subjects (not citizens, thanks to their dictatorship) is despicable, and the world should not stand by idly while atrocities occur. Where is the human rights outrage over NK?

What does that have ANYTHING to do with what I said?

a reply to: JBurns

Hey,

Well, I sincerely hope you're right! Regardless of individuals' politics or their roadmap i believe most people (citizens at least, can't speak to the motivations of politicians) want the same thing, and that's a safer world and fairer treatment of all it's citizens

a reply to: Indrasweb


Same here

I agree that military action must be a last resort. I truly believe our sanctions and broad international support will convince them to give up their weapons & threats.

NK has a real chance to join the international community, and normalize relations with an entire bloc of countries. Peace and prosperity is within their reach, but they will never get there through threats and weaponry - they simply aren't powerful enough to project force in such a way as to advance their government's interests.

a safer world and fairer treatment of all it's citizens

^This, exactly! All human beings deserve the right to liberty and self determination, and to be free from arbitrarily severe punishment for minor offenses.

originally posted by: Indrasweb
So, when's he adding Saudi Arabia and isreal to that list?

And possibly the US and the UK whilst he's at it...

Guess it's one way to apply further pressure but to what ends? They don't respond to pressure (seemingly, not up to now anyway) and with what objective in mind? What is he hoping will happen as a result of this? That they'll suddenly give up their nuclear ambitions?

I dunno, I fail to see what this is supposed to achieve...

Well if it can inspire them to do something stupid then we can initiate something with less backfire. Who can blame us for wanting to clamp down on them?

But there're a lot of countries don't wnat a war with N. Korea. This is a small chess move, if even that.

I think it could be a distraction too. I still value what Bannon said when he stated a preemptive military option can't be on the table because none of them exclude large losses in Seoul

a reply to: JBurns

"In addition to threatening the world by nuclear devastation, North Korea has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism including assassinations on foreign soil,"

Right. Wait... they support this terror of a Total War with coordinated drone operations from good old Ramstein as well?
We Krauts are famous for messing up integration already, but that's quite the project to cherry a pie with!

Not what you were getting at, I know. Which is sad, ya know. SAD! You should try that in the mud pit and I'll work on my French, treating official Newspeak a tad more serious and all that.

originally posted by: silo13
a reply to: JBurns

'Bout time.

Should have been done years ago but with that wuss in the White House - what do you expect.

Nice to have a real man back at the helm.

You do know Bush removed them from the list? As the OP said, it was a bargaining chip.

a reply to: angeldoll

I certainly count Bush among the "wuss" crowd

Sorry, that wasn't nice. But he did get in a fight with a poncho at Trump's inauguration (and he lost, too)