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Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

nytimes.com

41–50 of 187 posts

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#41
post #38
post #35

I had thought it was going to be a fentanyl or carfentanyl aerosol spray, I suppose that might have rendered him incoherent sooner though. The use of VX seems like bragging really (as if the act wasn't already adolescent enough).

Oh yeah... like using Polonium to kill Litvinenko... this is all about sending a message.

Indeed, and the message was "I'm insecure about my position".

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#43
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is it with these tinpot strongmen? Polonium, mortars, nerve gas... in my day when you wanted someone dead you just shot him.

It's easy to check for guns at customs.

Any spy agency worth a damn should be able to source weapons locally.

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#44
This is easily the most terrifying comment I've ever seen on Hacker News. You are a deeply scary human being. May I ask how do you know all of this? Edit: weird, I typically know ahead of time what's going to get downvoted. Didn't see it coming this time around. shrug

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#45
post #41
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh yeah... like using Polonium to kill Litvinenko... this is all about sending a message.

Indeed, and the message was "I'm insecure about my position".

That's the message we all got, but I think we can agree it wasn't the intended message. "I'm still in control, I can still reach out anywhere, and I don't care that people know it's me."

As you say, reasonably that translates into, "I'm insecure."

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#46
post #40

WHY? Why kill people exotically? Why not just use a simple garrote with a thin wire? 10 seconds done, the head would be practically off. I am sure you could get a weird pair of head phones past security. If you poison someone with polonium/exotic nerve agent doesn't it narrow down the suspect pool? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexander_Litvine...

Because slicing someone's head off requires you to be there, next to them, as it happens. You're standing next to the body as it gargles and bleeds everywhere and security will descend on you in a big way. Wiping someone's face then bailing is something that the target will shrug off as 'some crazy' until some time later it kills them. This buys you time to get out of the place before anyone realises the full extent…

Why do something that's so obvious though? Bump into someone instead and you can accomplish the same thing without a big stunt.

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#47
post #40

WHY? Why kill people exotically? Why not just use a simple garrote with a thin wire? 10 seconds done, the head would be practically off. I am sure you could get a weird pair of head phones past security. If you poison someone with polonium/exotic nerve agent doesn't it narrow down the suspect pool? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexander_Litvine...

Because slicing someone's head off requires you to be there, next to them, as it happens. You're standing next to the body as it gargles and bleeds everywhere and security will descend on you in a big way. Wiping someone's face then bailing is something that the target will shrug off as 'some crazy' until some time later it kills them. This buys you time to get out of the place before anyone realises the full extent…

Oh I always imagine North Korea had the assassins family chained up. WTF does it matter if they get back?

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#48
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Certainly the attempt to kill Castro, of all people, with an exploding cigar should rank higher. Just imagine how that CIA brain storming went: A: "We're tasked with killing Castro. Again. Any ideas? Anything? Nothing is stupid! Castro! Go! B: "Cigars" C: "Boom!" A: "I see we're in mind-melt here. No wonder the western world trusts us with their lives during these troubling times" If you insist on actually successful…

And for sheer elegance, I'll give it to the assassination of Georgi Markov by being poked with a ricin-tipped umbrella.

He was dead the very instant that ball was shot into him... he could have realized what had happened that instant and no one could have saved him; it really was diabolical.

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#49

This is easily the most terrifying comment I've ever seen on Hacker News. You are a deeply scary human being. May I ask how do you know all of this? Edit: weird, I typically know ahead of time what's going to get downvoted. Didn't see it coming this time around. shrug

Find my email in my profile. You may email me and I will respond.

Re: Kim Jong-Nam Was Killed by VX Nerve Agent, Malaysians Say

#50

This is easily the most terrifying comment I've ever seen on Hacker News. You are a deeply scary human being. May I ask how do you know all of this? Edit: weird, I typically know ahead of time what's going to get downvoted. Didn't see it coming this time around. shrug

Look at the number of Wikipedia links, it's not like tlow is the only person on earth that knows about this.
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