US flexes its muscles in North/South Korea showdown

[Tender Branson]

U.S. Begins Stealth Bombing Runs Over South Korea



SEOUL, South Korea — The American military made a rare announcement that two nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers ran a practice bombing sortie over South Korea on Thursday, underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend its ally amid rising tensions with North Korea.

The two B-2 Spirit bombers made a nonstop round trip from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, demonstrating the United States’ ability to “provide extended deterrence to our allies in the Asia-Pacific region” and to “conduct long-range, precision strikes quickly and at will,” the American command in the South Korean capital, Seoul, said in a statement.

It was the first time the American military publicly confirmed a B-2 mission over the Korean Peninsula. As the bombers dropped inert munitions that they carried 6,500 miles over the Pacific to an island bombing range off South Korea’s west coast, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel conferred with his South Korean counterpart, Kim Kwan-jin, on the phone, reaffirming the United States’ “unwavering” commitment to defend the South.

After suffering from the American carpet-bombing during the 1950-53 Korean War, North Korea remains particularly sensitive about American bombers. It keeps most of its key military installations underground and its war cries typically reach a frenetic pitch when American bombers fly over South Korea during military exercises. The resulting fear and anti-American sentiment is used by the regime to make its people rally behind the North’s “military-first” leadership.

Both B-52 and B-2 can launch nuclear-armed cruise missiles. The Pentagon used their training sorties over the Korean Peninsula to highlight the role the long-distance strategic bombers play as part of Washington’s “nuclear umbrella” over South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, North Korea’s successful launching of a three-stage rocket in December and its nuclear test last month were unsettling enough that several right-wing politicians began calling on their government to build nuclear arms.

A news release from the South Korean Defense Ministry on Thursday said that the “extended deterrence” Mr. Hagel reaffirmed for South Korea included “nuclear umbrella” and “missile defense capabilities.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/world/asia/us-begins-stealth-bombing-runs-over-south-korea.html

[k-onmmunist]

the americans don't even make up excuses for their imperialism anymore do they? at least in iraq they gave us a reason, even if it was a phoned-in one.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

the americans don't even make up excuses for their imperialism anymore do they? at least in iraq they gave us a reason, even if it was a phoned-in one.

I agree that we should reduce troop levels in the Korean peninsula- but North Korea as a regime is indefensible... I know you are not defending them, but rather disagreeing with US policy- however, I have no problem with using long range aircraft based in the US to deter North Korea from launching a nuclear attack. This is a regime which has no redeeming qualities- it treats its people like cattle, constantly threatens its neighbors, and now threatens us

[k-onmmunist]

the americans don't even make up excuses for their imperialism anymore do they? at least in iraq they gave us a reason, even if it was a phoned-in one.

I agree that we should reduce troop levels in the Korean peninsula- but North Korea as a regime is indefensible... I know you are not defending them, but rather disagreeing with US policy- however, I have no problem with using long range aircraft based in the US to deter North Korea from launching a nuclear attack. This is a regime which has no redeeming qualities- it treats its people like cattle, constantly threatens its neighbors, and now threatens us

north korea has been just as much threatened by america, and far more so - there's little north korea can do to seriously pose a danger to america. the u.s. military presence is massively unpopular in south korea because of the way it supported brutal fascist dictators such as syngman rhee and crushed any chance at democracy in korea in the 1940s in the form of the people's republic of korea (which despite the name wasn't communist, though it was somewhat leftist).

america also basically signalled it would do nothing to defend the south while encouraging them to keep a small military force and then intervened at the last minute at pusan, and when against north korea, looked the other way as the south korean regime massacred hundreds of thousands of communists and social democrats who were uninvolved in the action, not to mention what happened on jeju. and to top it all off? the americans wouldn't even remove the japanese administrators who had basically colonized and exploited korea for the past 30 years. in fact, they rearmed them in many cases because communism was seen as the greater threat.

i'm not defending the dprk and there's no doubt they're a militarist state, but it's worth examining why - they're scared of the americans doing what they did to iraq, libya and any other country that gets in their way.

if you want to know why the koreans resent american presence, both in the north and the south, there's a long history of it and it continues to this day.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Your history is correct and your opinions are well stated- I believe that regardless of how we've come to this situation, it is now a choice between taking this threat seriously or not- the North Koreans seem determined to use nuclear weapons- even as a response, this is unacceptable to me. Losing Seoul or Tokyo would be a tragedy... as would losing Honolulu, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. To me....avoiding the possibility of any of those things is crucial-

You make particularly valid points about certain things we- the US- have allowed to occur or supported... but I doubt any come close to the systematic abuse each North Korean receives at the orders of their dictator. The fact that North Korea is perhaps the worst nation in the world when it comes to human rights IN ADDITION to the fact that they have continuously threatened us and our allies with nuclear war is enough for me to support a swift end to that regime

[Sbane]

If South Korea is ok with this, I don't see anything wrong with it. If South Korea, or Japan, need help, then the US Air force should bomb the sh**t out of North Korea.

This isn't Iraq. This is not the case of a wannabe Texas cowboy trying to show he has balls (which he didn't). North Korea is a country with nuclear weapons and the US has to show that it will defend its friends in the region. It's as simple as that. If North Korea messes up, it knows what it has to deal with.

[Sbane]

the americans don't even make up excuses for their imperialism anymore do they? at least in iraq they gave us a reason, even if it was a phoned-in one.

I agree that we should reduce troop levels in the Korean peninsula- but North Korea as a regime is indefensible... I know you are not defending them, but rather disagreeing with US policy- however, I have no problem with using long range aircraft based in the US to deter North Korea from launching a nuclear attack. This is a regime which has no redeeming qualities- it treats its people like cattle, constantly threatens its neighbors, and now threatens us

I don't even think we should reduce troops in South Korea. We should definitely reduce our troops in Europe, but we need to keep up the show of force in Korea. North Korea is led by a crazy person.

[Sbane]

the americans don't even make up excuses for their imperialism anymore do they? at least in iraq they gave us a reason, even if it was a phoned-in one.

I agree that we should reduce troop levels in the Korean peninsula- but North Korea as a regime is indefensible... I know you are not defending them, but rather disagreeing with US policy- however, I have no problem with using long range aircraft based in the US to deter North Korea from launching a nuclear attack. This is a regime which has no redeeming qualities- it treats its people like cattle, constantly threatens its neighbors, and now threatens us

north korea has been just as much threatened by america, and far more so - there's little north korea can do to seriously pose a danger to america. the u.s. military presence is massively unpopular in south korea because of the way it supported brutal fascist dictators such as syngman rhee and crushed any chance at democracy in korea in the 1940s in the form of the people's republic of korea (which despite the name wasn't communist, though it was somewhat leftist).

america also basically signalled it would do nothing to defend the south while encouraging them to keep a small military force and then intervened at the last minute at pusan, and when against north korea, looked the other way as the south korean regime massacred hundreds of thousands of communists and social democrats who were uninvolved in the action, not to mention what happened on jeju. and to top it all off? the americans wouldn't even remove the japanese administrators who had basically colonized and exploited korea for the past 30 years. in fact, they rearmed them in many cases because communism was seen as the greater threat.

i'm not defending the dprk and there's no doubt they're a militarist state, but it's worth examining why - they're scared of the americans doing what they did to iraq, libya and any other country that gets in their way.

if you want to know why the koreans resent american presence, both in the north and the south, there's a long history of it and it continues to this day.

If South Korea is actually against current US policy, could you please provide some proof? South Korea turned against American when the joker from Texas was in power but I don't know if that is still the case. South Koreans do support America supporting them in the struggle against the north.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Sbane- the only reason I support reducing troop levels in Korea is due to our long range capabilities... we couldn't send bombers round trip from Missouri even ten years ago- let alone 60

[dead0man]

B2s have been flying sorties out of Whiteman since 1993, and we had long rang bombing capability before that.  Mid-air refueling is awesome.

Also, S.Koreans LOVE America.  From the wiki on US-S.Korean relations.

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And lastly, we have military aliances with S.Korea (and Japan), we have to defend them.  Part of defense is showing your enemy that they don't want to Eff with us.

i'm not defending the dprk and there's no doubt they're a militarist state, but it's worth examining why - they're scared of the americans doing what they did to iraq, libya and any other country that gets in their way.

That perfectly explains why the Norks never did any dicking around before 1991. 

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Except that they don't resent American presence, at least in the South.

[Lief 🗽]

America should preemptively strike and disable as much of the North Korean military as possible, and as soon as possible.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

America should preemptively strike and disable as much of the North Korean military as possible, and as soon as possible.

I agree... we need to ensure their capacity to respond against cities is as close to nil as possible

[Mehmentum]

I tend to lean against military intervention, but this case is pretty clear cut:

1).  North Korea is a nuclear power, a brutal dictatorship, and led by someone who is mentally unstable.

2). South Koreans have a very favorable view of the U.S and want us there.

In other words, there is nothing that I can think of to object to. 

[Silent Hunter]

I tend to lean against military intervention, but this case is pretty clear cut:

1).  North Korea is a nuclear power, a brutal dictatorship, and led by someone who is mentally unstable.

2). South Koreans have a very favorable view of the U.S and want us there.

In other words, there is nothing that I can think of to object to. 

If North Korea attacks South Korea, like they did in 1950, then I have no objection to US involvement or for that matter British involvement.

[Beezer]

Makes you wonder if the NOKO leadership is just sabre rattling or if they are actually crazy enough for some sort of stunt. The leadership has to know though that if they scratch an American soldier, their time in power is over.

[Lumine]

I'm not a fan of US intervention across the world, but there are cases where it could be justified to prevent a bigger threat to world security. While an intervention in Iran (another country with nuclear potential) would be both morally wrong and a major disaster, North Korea needs to be confronted (hopefully not with war) as a real threat. Besides, South Korea is not aggressive and intolerant (I'm looking at a certain US ally...), and really deserves US support.

[Gustaf]

So, apparently North Korea sort of declared war just now. So that sounds a bit worrying.

[Ban my account ffs!]

So, apparently North Korea sort of declared war just now. So that sounds a bit worrying.

The way a tween declares war on his parents when they insist it's time for bed.  The parents had expected this.

[Lief 🗽]

So, apparently North Korea sort of declared war just now. So that sounds a bit worrying.

Haven't they technically been at war since 1950? They never signed a peace treaty, just a ceasefire.