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'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

theaustralian.com.au

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Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#41

Post by arasmussen »

plaguuuuuu wrote: post #13
mjn wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For decades that's been the problem. South Korea's population centers are too close to the North for an attack to be a reasonable risk: even decades-old artillery and unguided rockets can hit Seoul, launched from hundreds of dug-in sites. So things have been organized around trying to pressure North Korea in various ways, either via China, or directly, but without force being a seriously considered option.

Yep. This is what happens when you expand too close to the enemy's base..

Better throw up a few extra photon cannons just in case.

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#42

Post by Volpe »

nemonemo wrote: post #31
Volpe wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, so it makes sense that the US would be worried... not why the UN should sanction them. I'm referring to the inconsistency. The implication of what you are saying is: "The UN only intervenes when it suits the US". To me that makes me think LESS of the UN sanctions, not more.

Your comment conveys another implication that UN is supposed to be impartial to issues between member countries. That cannot explain veto power of five permanent members of UN security council, which no other country has. On consistency: I don't think UN, as a group of nations with conflicting goals, tries to behave in a consistent way, although people are free to blame it for its inconsistency.

> Your comment conveys another implication that UN is supposed to be impartial to issues between member countries.

It is isn't it? Otherwise it isn't a union...

> That cannot explain veto power of five permanent members of UN security council, which no other country has.

That's completely true... turns out there are more problems with the UN than just being a veil for US aggression... colour me surprised.

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#43

Post by svdad »

Volpe wrote: post #6

Why is it wrong that NK do Nuclear testing? I agree NK has some human rights issues, that should be addressed, but testing nuclear weapons is no different to Pakistan or India, and there are no sanctions against them.

There's no "right" or "wrong" about NK doing nuclear testing, although for convenience we might phrase it that way. We don't want them to have nuclear weapons because we believe they're a belligerent, unstable regime. Yes, we opened the can of worms, but that doesn't change the power balance.

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#44

Post by rooshdi »

yk wrote: post #37
rooshdi wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if the U.S. would react any differently if Iran had conducted these same tests.

No, thats the entire point about obtaining nuclear weapons.

Interesting logic. The government is willing to go to war to obstruct Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, yet not when North Korea is actually testing and threatening to "target" the U.S.:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/25/world/asia/north-korea-vow...

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#45

Post by Volpe »

refurb wrote: post #20
Volpe wrote: post #6

Why is it wrong that NK do Nuclear testing? I agree NK has some human rights issues, that should be addressed, but testing nuclear weapons is no different to Pakistan or India, and there are no sanctions against them.

I'm guessing the issue is that NK is an openly hostile country that is not only threatening its southern neighbor but also the region. India and Pakistan may have a beef with each other, but they weren't a destabilizing force in the region, or maybe more accurately, if they were, it wasn't a huge concern of the superpowers at the time.

NK v SK conflict is not that different to India v Pakistan. The difference is... there are US troops sitting on the border of NK/SK, so agression between those to parties involves the US.

So who is the destabilising force in the region? I'm pretty sure "stability" isn't the goal (for the US) it's "Democracy".

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#46

Post by ISL »

rooshdi wrote: post #26
SoftwareMaven wrote: post #18

My father-in-law was a VP in Northrop Grumman's space and satellite division. The kinds of projects he worked on were space defense satellites. When he looked at all the uncertainty in the world (much caused at least indirectly by the US), his biggest fear was and continues to be North Korea. Given the types of people I know he met with, this test does not fill me with warm fuzzies.

I wonder if the U.S. would react any differently if Iran had conducted these same tests.

Iran is not presently capable of flattening a city the size of Seoul on a few moments' notice. Different situation, different response.

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#47

Post by gfodor »

Volpe wrote: post #8
everettkhurst wrote: post #3

I hope they blew themselves up.

Your comment is an example of why this kind of propaganda works. People start hating another country they've (likely) never been to, and likely have no understanding of their motives.

Honestly if by some Dr. Strangelove-esque mishap the entire NK high command were vaporized by their own nuclear test it would be pretty great.

I'm not sure if that's what the OP was saying though.

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#48

Post by dba7dba »

ISL wrote: post #46
rooshdi wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if the U.S. would react any differently if Iran had conducted these same tests.

Iran is not presently capable of flattening a city the size of Seoul on a few moments' notice. Different situation, different response.

N Korea can NOT flatten Seoul in a few moments' notice because of the following: 1) Seoul is a HUGE city. 2) N Korea actually doesn't have UNlimited number of artillery tubes capable of reaching Seoul. There are hundreds (maybe a few thousand) tubes but these are heavy ones, meaning they would be lucky to get off a shot every few minutes. And they would have to be concentrated in a relatively small area near DMZ to reach Seoul, not smart move considering SKorea/US's jets. 3) You can BEN SKorea/US jets/artillery are already targeted for some/many of the known N Korean artillery sites. 4) N Korea's most interested in preserving status quo for their leaders and the elites that support the top leaders. Flattening Seoul would certainly mean they would be eliminated.

Yes N Korea can damage Seoul, but will not really 'flatten' it. Well, I hope...

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#49

Post by druiid »

rooshdi wrote: post #44
yk wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, thats the entire point about obtaining nuclear weapons.

Interesting logic. The government is willing to go to war to obstruct Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, yet not when North Korea is actually testing and threatening to "target" the U.S.: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/25/world/asia/north-korea-vow...

It's mostly because we're in a bit of a bind as far as NK is concerned. As long as China supports/props them up we can't realistically 'attack' NK. Once China drops support for them you can bet that the regime will fall quickly, and/or China will smack them down before we even get the chance.

Re: 'Artificial' earthquake detected in North Korea may be nuclear test

#50

Post by dba7dba »

rooshdi wrote: post #44
yk wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, thats the entire point about obtaining nuclear weapons.

Interesting logic. The government is willing to go to war to obstruct Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, yet not when North Korea is actually testing and threatening to "target" the U.S.: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/25/world/asia/north-korea-vow...

If Paris/London/Berlin were somehow within 30 miles of Iran's border, nobody would think about going to war with Iran so easily. If any major city of western allies was a few dozen miles from Iraq, nobody would've gone to war with Iraq.

Yes, S Korea's not very lucky in the geography department. Actually the whole Korean peninsula.

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