N. Korea fires on S. Korea - It was a clear provocation!!

[JBeukema]

Nothing but a routine telegraphed training exercise...

That involved firing into disputed territory and which they were told to cease

What did they think would happen? We're dealing with a batshit insane tinpot dictator with an active nuclear program, unknown military capabilities, and napoleon complex- and his son who might or might not view this all as a game and a chance to prove how big his dick is

Thank you for admitting that he fired unprovoked.

Dear child, you can't read, can you?

You probably think every fatherless child in Iraq who picks up an AK and shoots at our soldiers is doing so for no reason, too, don't you?

 

[dilloduck]

Nothing but a routine telegraphed training exercise...

That involved firing into disputed territory and which they were told to cease

What did they think would happen? We're dealing with a batshit insane tinpot dictator with an active nuclear program, unknown military capabilities, and napoleon complex- and his son who might or might not view this all as a game and a chance to prove how big his dick is

Thank you for admitting that he fired unprovoked.

and this matters ???
Are we picking sides or something?

 

[JBeukema]

That involved firing into disputed territory and which they were told to cease

What did they think would happen? We're dealing with a batshit insane tinpot dictator with an active nuclear program, unknown military capabilities, and napoleon complex- and his son who might or might not view this all as a game and a chance to prove how big his dick is

Thank you for admitting that he fired unprovoked.

and this matters ???
Are we picking sides or something?

Didn't the U.S. pick sides, like, 50 years ago?

 

[Valerie]

An Act of Extortion
North Korea believes it will be rewarded for its violent assaults.

North Korea's unprovoked attack yesterday on a South Korean island is an unprecedented assault against the government of President Lee Myung-bak. Even by Pyongyang's debased standards the shelling of civilian houses is particularly heinous. But it is also a sign that outside pressure is having the salutary effect of aggravating the North's internal economic and political crises.

The North's attack is part of a larger pattern. In March it torpedoed a South Korean gunboat, killing 46. Earlier this month it invited foreign experts to inspect construction of a new nuclear reactor and a uranium enrichment facility. The North is accelerating its sale of WMD know-how to other rogue regimes; a report now before the U.N. Security Council names Syria, Iran and Burma as preferred customers. It may be preparing for a third nuclear test, and last month it unveiled a new missile with a range of 2,500 miles.
Review & Outlook: An Act of Extortion - WSJ.com

 

[dilloduck]

Thank you for admitting that he fired unprovoked.

and this matters ???
Are we picking sides or something?

Didn't the U.S. pick sides, like, 50 years ago?

We were bombing Viet Nam less than that. We can do as we please

 

[JBeukema]

Since when does America condemn unprovoked attacks?

 

[Valerie]

That involved firing into disputed territory and which they were told to cease

What did they think would happen? We're dealing with a batshit insane tinpot dictator with an active nuclear program, unknown military capabilities, and napoleon complex- and his son who might or might not view this all as a game and a chance to prove how big his dick is

Thank you for admitting that he fired unprovoked.

and this matters ???
Are we picking sides or something?

Of course it matters!





President Obama described North Korea's attack Tuesday against a small South Korean island as a "provocative" show of force...
North Korean Attack Comes Amid Regime Succession, as Obama Calls Act 'Provocative' - FoxNews.com

 

[dilloduck]

Thank you for admitting that he fired unprovoked.

and this matters ???
Are we picking sides or something?

Of course it matters!





President Obama described North Korea's attack Tuesday against a small South Korean island as a "provocative" show of force...
North Korean Attack Comes Amid Regime Succession, as Obama Calls Act 'Provocative' - FoxNews.com

cuz we want to be winners this time ?

 

[georgephillip]

North Korea's dangerous delusions - CNN.com

Try reading past the emotion-laden headlines and finishing the articles.

North Korea fired unprovoked.

North and South Korea have been provoking one another since at least 1953.

Here's an explanation for why that you're not likely to get from our corporate press:

"(SK President) Lee's 'Vision 3000' reunification policy - an assisted suicide program for the North Korean regime predicated upon it opening up its economy to foreign aid and investment while delaying integration until North Korean per capita incomes had roughly tripled to US$3,000 - has started to generate some investment bank heat.

"South Korea's latest Vision 3000 video-conference pitch was hosted by Goldman Sachs.

"A high tech trends website, h+, breathlessly spun the latest reunification scenario: it will pay for itself! With "change left over!"

"Just like Iraq!

"More arithmetic for you:

"The Rand Corporation estimates the cost of Korean reunification at $50 billion, Credit Suisse insists $1.5 trillion is the expense, and Stanford fellow Peter M. Beck posits an alarmist $2-$5 trillion.

"Question: Who's got that kind of cash?

Answer: North Korean mines. 360 minerals are sequestered in the Hermit Kingdom's caves, many trapped by flooding and NK's [North Korea's] appalling infrastructure.

"Billions of tons of coal, iron, zinc, magnesite, nickel, uranium, tungsten, phosphate, graphite, gold, silver, mercury, sulfur, limestone, copper, manganese, molybdenum... worth an estimated $2-$6 trillion (Goldman Sach's figure is $2.5 trillion).

"Reunification could be entirely paid for by these mines, perhaps with change left over."

Peter Lee...

 

[Valerie]

Try reading past the emotion-laden headlines and finishing the articles.

North Korea fired unprovoked.

North and South Korea have been provoking one another since at least 1953.

Here's an explanation for why that you're not likely to get from our corporate press:

"(SK President) Lee's 'Vision 3000' reunification policy - an assisted suicide program for the North Korean regime predicated upon it opening up its economy to foreign aid and investment while delaying integration until North Korean per capita incomes had roughly tripled to US$3,000 - has started to generate some investment bank heat.

"South Korea's latest Vision 3000 video-conference pitch was hosted by Goldman Sachs.

"A high tech trends website, h+, breathlessly spun the latest reunification scenario: it will pay for itself! With "change left over!"

"Just like Iraq!

"More arithmetic for you:

"The Rand Corporation estimates the cost of Korean reunification at $50 billion, Credit Suisse insists $1.5 trillion is the expense, and Stanford fellow Peter M. Beck posits an alarmist $2-$5 trillion.

"Question: Who's got that kind of cash?

Answer: North Korean mines. 360 minerals are sequestered in the Hermit Kingdom's caves, many trapped by flooding and NK's [North Korea's] appalling infrastructure.

"Billions of tons of coal, iron, zinc, magnesite, nickel, uranium, tungsten, phosphate, graphite, gold, silver, mercury, sulfur, limestone, copper, manganese, molybdenum... worth an estimated $2-$6 trillion (Goldman Sach's figure is $2.5 trillion).

"Reunification could be entirely paid for by these mines, perhaps with change left over."

Peter Lee...

Hong Kong, China (CNN) – The conflict may be between the two Koreas, but this latest clash between the North and South is a major cause of concern across the world, shaking markets in the U.S. and elsewhere.

North and South Korea artillery exchanged fire for an hour on Tuesday. The attack on Yeonpyeong Island was the first direct artillery attack on South Korea since the 1953 cessation of hostilities.

Business 360: Get to grips with the issues affecting world business Blog Archive - Korean shots echo across global markets - CNN.com Blogs

No surprise North Korea wants to pretend they are victims...

 

[georgephillip]

North Koreans don't need to pretend when it comes to being victims.

Since the Korean War when US/UN airpower killed one out of every three Koreans living above the 38th Parallel and literally bombed the population back to the stone age, North Koreans have experienced misery most Americans can't imagine.

And their future isn't looking much better:

"It appears that (SK President) Lee would prefer to treat northern Korea as the low-wage, resource-rich hinterland that powers the West-oriented-export economy of a united and pro-US Korea - rather than China's Shandong.

"China would also prefer an independent or at least autonomous successor regime with an Asian-authoritative tinge to arise in Pyongyang under Beijing's tutelage, one that would not look to Seoul for advantage - or enhance South Korea's military heft and diplomatic pretensions in the region."

[URL="http://www.counterpunch.org/lee06042010.html"]Peter Lee...[/URL]

Talk about a rock and a hard place...

 

[JW Frogen]

While I'm not disputing any of your points, I would like to point out there are certainly details we don't get from consuming "headlines in a vacuum:"]

The problem is not confined to this one incident, North Korea has a decades long track record of violating international law, destabilizing the region, mass killing it's own people and provoking confrontation with the South, even when both the US and South Korea appease them.

This is an irrational regime that should have been put down long ago, so irrational the dead founder is still President, making this sick cult of the killer Kims the world's only necocracy.

This event is just their recent provocation, along with attacking a South Korean ship and their open announcement they have violated their signings concerning nuclear enrichment, again.

China must be pressured to modify or remove this regime.

That the terror of the Kims is allowed to exist at all is an affront against the very idea of civilization.

 

[Synthaholic]

My first thoughts are with everyone at Camp Casey, and surrounding. They are our most forward troops. They will have to deal with any incursion or invasion from the North. Who knows if those DPRK fuckers have built more tunnels. Smart money says they have.

 

[Synthaholic]

north Korea will soon collapse under the weight of its own criminal and incompetent regime, and the south will have to pick up the pieces of whatever's left. I only hope the thugs running the abomination known as the People's Republic of Korea have the minimum amount of class required to go out alone, and not try to take any innocents with them. The sooner they go, the better for the civilized world.

Fat chance. Did you see the latest photo of Lil' Kim?

I think he's dying soon and wants to go out with a bang.

 

[loosecannon]

The US was involved in provocative military exercises targeting an island just a few miles off the NK coast. NK responded in kind. The Island's sovereignty is in question. We and SK initiated this volley. Probably in response to the recent disclosure about NK's advanced enrichment capacity.

Talk ran the globe yesterday about the US redeploying nukes to SK, something China surely won't tolerate.

Why is the US trying to start a global conflict in China's backyard?

 

[R.C. Christian]

The U.S. won't do anything.

 

[georgephillip]

The US was involved in provocative military exercises targeting an island just a few miles off the NK coast. NK responded in kind. The Island's sovereignty is in question. We and SK initiated this volley. Probably in response to the recent disclosure about NK's advanced enrichment capacity.

Talk ran the globe yesterday about the US redeploying nukes to SK, something China surely won't tolerate.

Why is the US trying to start a global conflict in China's backyard?

Here are some possible answers to your question...

"Even though the U.S. military budget is almost ten times that of China's (with a population more than four times as large) and Washington plans a record $708 billion defense budget for next year compared to Russia spending less than $40 billion last year for the same, China and Russia are portrayed as threats to the U.S. and its allies.

"China has no troops outside its borders; Russia has a small handful in its former territories in Abkhazia, Armenia, South Ossetia and Transdniester.

"The U.S. has hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in six continents.

"While Gates was in charge of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and responsible for almost half of international military spending he was offended that the world's most populous nation might desire to 'deny others countries the ability to threaten it.'

"On December 23 of last year Raytheon Company announced that it had received a $1.1 billion contract with Taiwan for the purchase of 200 Patriot anti-ballistic missiles. In early January the U.S. Defense Department cleared the transaction 'despite opposition from rival China, where a military official proposed sanctioning U.S. firms that sell arms to the island.'" [1]

Politics is still the shadow business casts on society, and selling arms is the biggest business around.

US - China Military Tensions Grow

 

[007]

It doesn't matter who started it or why. With that little lop eared buffoon that's still wet behind the ears that we have in the White House, we're fucked if it gets out of hand.

 

[georgephillip]

While I'm not disputing any of your points, I would like to point out there are certainly details we don't get from consuming "headlines in a vacuum:"]

The problem is not confined to this one incident, North Korea has a decades long track record of violating international law, destabilizing the region, mass killing it's own people and provoking confrontation with the South, even when both the US and South Korea appease them.

This is an irrational regime that should have been put down long ago, so irrational the dead founder is still President, making this sick cult of the killer Kims the world's only necocracy.

This event is just their recent provocation, along with attacking a South Korean ship and their open announcement they have violated their signings concerning nuclear enrichment, again.

China must be pressured to modify or remove this regime.

That the terror of the Kims is allowed to exist at all is an affront against the very idea of civilization.

China, the US and South Korea appear to be at odds over what happens after the "necrocracy" is put down; however some form of reunification of the Korean peninsula seems to be desired:

"What matters to South Korea today is, by this analysis, making it possible for post-Kim Jong-il's North Korea to pass into some form of pro-Western international receivership that guides its steps toward liberal democracy and eventual integration into the South Korean economic and political system on the most advantageous terms to Seoul.

"Reportedly, China is concerned that reunification managed by Seoul and the West will send North Korea, its large population, its rich resources, its loyalties - and its soldiers - into the arms of the South.

"In the unlikely event that the North Korean army was absorbed en masse into South Korea's armed forces, a reunited Korea would have 10 million soldiers under arms - more than China..."

Peter Lee:

 

[High_Gravity]

While I'm not disputing any of your points, I would like to point out there are certainly details we don't get from consuming "headlines in a vacuum:"]

The problem is not confined to this one incident, North Korea has a decades long track record of violating international law, destabilizing the region, mass killing it's own people and provoking confrontation with the South, even when both the US and South Korea appease them.

This is an irrational regime that should have been put down long ago, so irrational the dead founder is still President, making this sick cult of the killer Kims the world's only necocracy.

This event is just their recent provocation, along with attacking a South Korean ship and their open announcement they have violated their signings concerning nuclear enrichment, again.

China must be pressured to modify or remove this regime.

That the terror of the Kims is allowed to exist at all is an affront against the very idea of civilization.

I agree 100%. China won't remove the regime though because they do not want to care for the hundreds of thousands of refugees that would flow across the border if the regime fell, and China still looks at North Korea as a buffer between them and the 50,000 US Trops on the other side.