North Korea conducts nuclear test?

[Andy44]

They do it because they know no one will do anything about it, and because they are afraid that sooner or later the South Koreans and Americans will attack them. Having nukes is, if nothing else, a good deterrent. All the speeches and handwringing, we've seen it all before. We are only tough guys toward weak nations. Schoolyard bully versus the classroom psychotic.

 

[Urwumpe]

Yes, but this can only be changed if we respect ourselves... For example by really punishing NK. Or by really attacking NK. Or by not delivering food aids to NK.

 

[Andy44]

I'm all for not giving them free food or free anything. That nonsense has got to stop.

 

[Urwumpe]

Yeah, I think the same. If you own nuclear weapons, and want to play adult country, you should be treated like one. This should apply to all countries.

Is more realistic than a ban of all nuclear weapons. They are just too easy to be build with primitive technology and too dangerous even if they are badly done.

And the UN should be able to outlaw countries... would be the most powerful weapon of the UN. Void all international treaties. But for that, the UN would need to be respected. And the UN has currently the self-respect of Paris Hilton.

 

[Moonwalker]

To apply pressure to North Korea by sanctions won't help. That country already is as much isolated as almost possible.

 

[RangerPL]

North Korea still lacks the capability to deliver these weapons reliably or produce them on a large scale. Their missiles are reportedly pieces of garbage (reported so by Middle Eastern countries that bought them), unlikely to be real accurate. It is a serious threat, since nuclear weapons are in the hands of someone who could launch them on a whim with no second thought. However, even Kim Jong Il must realize that hitting Seoul for example will cause many casualties, but a nuclear attack would be followed by a nuclear response. So after the mini-nuclear war, many Japanese and S. Korean cities would be destroyed, but North Korea would resemble the surface of the moon.

 

[willy88]

North Korea still lacks the capability to deliver these weapons reliably or produce them on a large scale. Their missiles are reportedly pieces of garbage (reported so by Middle Eastern countries that bought them), unlikely to be real accurate.

"Hey, Osama! Long time no see! I have a few nukes lying around, you want one?"

 

[BHawthorne]

Bah, it was just another communication satellite launch...underground.

---------- Post added at 11:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 PM ----------

North Korea still lacks the capability to deliver these weapons reliably or produce them on a large scale.

Problem is, their weapons delivery and production capability doesn't need reliability nor large scale. They can screw up a lot of countries as is with that they currently have even in with half-assed reliability and 1 or 2 sitting around to use.

 

[Andy44]

"Hey, Osama! Long time no see! I have a few nukes lying around, you want one?"

A common scare scenario put forth by warmongers, but highly unlikely. States with fixed, easily targeted assets that build nuclear weapons do so at considerable expense, and do not just hand them off to stateless terrorists, many of whom are as much a threat to that state as they are to that state's enemies.

Saddam Hussein, for example, would've never in a million years given or sold any nuclear weapons (which he was not building) to such a F-wit as bin Laden, since bin Laden was a huge threat to the Iraqi state and to Saddam's regime.

In addition, giving such a weapon away to such an irresponsible terrorist would almost certainly result in its being used on someone like, say Isreal or the US, and if it was traced back to him he knew damn well there'd be hell to pay.

The North Koreans are no different; they won't do anything that threatens their regime.

 

[Notebook]

Certainly not getting any calmer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8069457.stm

N.

 

[RisingFury]

"Hey, Osama! Long time no see! I have a few nukes lying around, you want one?"

My thoughts exactly........

Al Queda has proved to be quite an effective delivery method...

 

[tl8]

The North Koreans are no different; they won't do anything that threatens their regime.

Are you sure?

 

[simonpro]

Their missiles are reportedly pieces of garbage (reported so by Middle Eastern countries that bought them), unlikely to be real accurate.

Their more modern weapons delivery systems are pretty accurate. Not as good as western ones but pretty good nonetheless.
I find it interesting how so many people are cracking jokes about this. a state that effectively treats it citizens as prisoners, a state that refuses to take part in the diplomatic process has proven to the world that it has an effective nuclear deterrant and a lot of people don't seem to realise just what a headache that is.

 

[Urwumpe]

The good thing is, North Korea also managed to get China alienated. Chinas support for North Korea is currently not more than preventing two things: Many refugees coming into China suddenly, and American troops at the border.

---------- Post added at 10:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 AM ----------

Additionally: North Korea's military announced today, that they don't feel bound by the armistice of 1953 and can't guarantee for the South Korea shipping on the west coast. As South Korea is not much better in that context (the biggest opposition party is deeply anti-North-Korean and will have good chances after the suicide of Roh), we can maybe soon enjoy another war, unless the rest of the world appeases North Korea once more, so they can keep the whole Korea population hostage once more....

 

[SiberianTiger]

 

[MJR]

This is what I think should happen if they were to launch nukes or whatever they have. Send more ships with interceptor missles and when they launch the nukes, it should bring it down. I do not know that would work out though. They are just trouble and think that they can do what ever. They are the real enemies of today as you can tell from their stupidity.

What I also would like to know is why they say that they have nukes, but no one knows a single thing about them. I mean at least Russia have ICBMs as well as we do. We do not even know the wuality of their weapons and what not. It is just very confusing.

 

[simonpro]

What I also would like to know is why they say that they have nukes, but no one knows a single thing about them.

Because it's impossible to get in to their country, let alone find out what the hell is going on. All knowledge we gain is based on third party sources such as defectors, seismic readings or satellite data.

 

[MJR]

So what does our "reliable" sources say about the ballistic missiles? I assume we are guessing at this point.

 

[SiberianTiger]

So what does our "reliable" sources say about the ballistic missiles? I assume we are guessing at this point.

There's a 50/50 chance they can haul a working nuke atop a short to medium range missile already. There is a 100% certainty that they can build and test a working ICBM able to reach the mainland USA, given some time for that. There is an assumption that they have weapon-rate Plutonium reserve enough for producing 6 to 7 several kt charges.

 

[MJR]

I wonder what the U.S. will do about this. Launching mass numbers of nukes at them will not help, but it seems like we are option less.