North Korea Mega Thread

[Shadows]

“I will surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire,” Kim said in the rare direct statement carried by the KCNA state news agency, referring to Trump. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho was asked what Kim might do and said Pyongyang could consider a hydrogen bomb test on the Pacific Ocean of an unprecedented scale, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-usa/north-koreas-kim-says-will-make-deranged-trump-pay-dearly-for-u-n-speech-idUSKCN1BW1ZZ

Rocketman has got insane at Trump's comments. Whatever stupid shi* strategy Trump is taking, it seems to enrage Rocketman more. Maybe you should just call the fat kid & calm him down & have a discussion.


Soon, apparently - in New York on Thursday, Pyongyang Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho threw out a boast that the North might test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean. "I am now thinking hard about what response he could have expected when he allowed such eccentric words to trip off his tongue," Kim said in an official statement that was accompanied by a picture of him sitting at a desk - thinking hard.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/north-korea-crisis-us-hints-at-plan-b-as-kim-official-threatens-hbomb-test-20170922-gymng4.html

[Beet]

Notice that Kim didn't threaten to turn the U.S. into a "sea of fire" or a "pre-emptive strike" or use any of the standard propaganda lines put out by state-run news agencies. There seems to be a difference between those lower-level threats and direct statements from leaders. If you compare the news agency language versus Trump's, the news agency language is more aggressive; but if you compare the language of the two leaders Trump and Kim, Trump's language is more aggressive.

[GeorgiaModerate]

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[GlobeSoc]

Notice that Kim didn't threaten to turn the U.S. into a "sea of fire" or a "pre-emptive strike" or use any of the standard propaganda lines put out by state-run news agencies. There seems to be a difference between those lower-level threats and direct statements from leaders. If you compare the news agency language versus Trump's, the news agency language is more aggressive; but if you compare the language of the two leaders Trump and Kim, Trump's language is more aggressive.

Ironically, him toning down the rhetoric like that might be more alarming if anything.

[Beet]

Full speech (and video) of North Korean FM Ri Yong Ho's speech before the UNGA:

https://defpost.com/north-korean-fm-ri-jong-hos-speech-un-general-assembly/

Three times, he refers to North Korea's nuclear capability as a "deterrent", and says the North Koreans do not "have any intention at all to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against the countries that do not join in the U.S. military actions against the DPRK." Again, very different tone than NK's propaganda statements.

Reading this speech you can definitely see how DPRK is a far left state, especially, but even before, he calls out support for the governments of Cuba and Venezeula.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/25/we-have-right-to-shoot-down-strategic-us-bombers-even-if-they-are-not-in-north-korean-airspace-nk-foreign-minister-says.html

[JA]

North Korea accuses Trump of declaring war

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[Dr. Arch]

North Korea accuses Trump of declaring war

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I just hope this is more posturing.

[BudgieForce]

North Korea accuses Trump of declaring war

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I just hope this is more posturing.

Of course it is.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

WH downplaying it http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/25/north-korea-no-war-declaration-white-house-243110

Any bets on how long before the Twit-in-Chief does a 180 on that and says something else to escalate the situation?

[KingSweden]

North Korea accuses Trump of declaring war

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I just hope this is more posturing.

Since we technically never stopped being at war in Korea, it's absolutely posturing.

[Beet]

This is becoming very concerning. The Trump administration has to sh**t or get off the pot. Every day they don't attack, North Korea gets more powerful. On the other hand, if they're not going to attack, they should just admit it. All their posturing and threats haven't deterred Kim Jong Un. Does anyone really think more threats, posturing, and sanctions are going to work? If they are not going to attack, then they should take that option off the table and admit that North Korea is already a nuclear power, which we have no choice but to negotiate with them on that basis. The North Koreans want a peace treaty, which should not really be a problem. After that, they will want to develop their economy, which actually gives the U.S. some leverage, unlike now.

Right now, the Trump administration sounds like it is going to wait until the last possible minute to attack, at which point North Korean forces will be at maximum capability, but will attack nonetheless, which is the course of action guaranteed to maximize a nuclear exchange. In other words, the worst possible option. My view is the same as Steve Bannon's - if we really think about it, there is no military option. If Bannon can say it, mainstream politicians can, too.

[TheSaint250]

This is becoming very concerning. The Trump administration has to sh**t or get off the pot. Every day they don't attack, North Korea gets more powerful. On the other hand, if they're not going to attack, they should just admit it. All their posturing and threats haven't deterred Kim Jong Un. Does anyone really think more threats, posturing, and sanctions are going to work? If they are not going to attack, then they should take that option off the table and admit that North Korea is already a nuclear power, which we have no choice but to negotiate with them on that basis. The North Koreans want a peace treaty, which should not really be a problem. After that, they will want to develop their economy, which actually gives the U.S. some leverage, unlike now.

Right now, the Trump administration sounds like it is going to wait until the last possible minute to attack, at which point North Korean forces will be at maximum capability, but will attack nonetheless, which is the course of action guaranteed to maximize a nuclear exchange. In other words, the worst possible option. My view is the same as Steve Bannon's - if we really think about it, there is no military option. If Bannon can say it, mainstream politicians can, too.

We haven't threatened a nuclear exchange in any other way but to fight back against an attack.  The North Koreans are the ones who are likely to attack to appear strong.

[Beet]

The Trump administration has been threatening an attack since April, when it started emphasizing that "all options are on the table, including military options." All military experts agree could result in a nuclear response by North Korea, and Trump has implied that he would "totally destroy" North Korea, which again, can only be done by nuclear canvass. This is not a realistic option and I wish the administration or someone in mainstream US politics would say so, so we could have a debate about it. Even Bernie Sanders is only saying more sanctions and pressure.

The sooner we realize we have no leverage over North Korea on this issue, the sooner we can start to think realistically about our options, rather than hoping for some extremely unlikely sudden North Korean change of mind. It's amazing that after 14 years of castigating Hillary Clinton over her vote for AUMF and regretting the Iraq war, now that we are faced with regional nuclear armageddon, actual nuclear war, not a single mainstream member of Congress has stood up and been vocal to say that war is not an option.

[TheSaint250]

The Trump administration has been threatening an attack since April, when it started emphasizing that "all options are on the table, including military options." All military experts agree could result in a nuclear response by North Korea, and Trump has implied that he would "totally destroy" North Korea, which again, can only be done by nuclear canvass. This is not a realistic option and I wish the administration or someone in mainstream US politics would say so, so we could have a debate about it. Even Bernie Sanders is only saying more sanctions and pressure.

The sooner we realize we have no leverage over North Korea on this issue, the sooner we can start to think realistically about our options, rather than hoping for some extremely unlikely sudden North Korean change of mind. It's amazing that after 14 years of castigating Hillary Clinton over her vote for AUMF and regretting the Iraq war, now that we are faced with regional nuclear armageddon, actual nuclear war, not a single mainstream member of Congress has stood up and been vocal to say that war is not an option.

"Totally destroy" the nation if it attacks us. And saying all options are on the table is logical. If they are to threaten us, we need to think of all the options and, eventually eliminate some.

[Beet]

Trump has never said that he would only attack them if they attacked us first. There's no American in the world who would disagree with that statement. Specifically, he's been threatening a pre-emptive attack that risks nuclear war. He needs to decide whether this is the path he wants to pursue or not, and say so openly. He thinks keeping his decision making process opaque will 'scare' Kim, but it's not working. Furthermore, it's cutting off public debate in the U.S.

[TheSaint250]

“The US has great strength and patience,” Trump said. But he added: “If it is forced to defend ourselves or our allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.”

But whatever you say.

[Beet]

"Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!"
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232

[Ronnie]

"Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!"
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232

Did anyone tell Don that his default mode of schoolyard bully might not work against deranged dictators?

Oh well, if we get into a completely preventable war or (god forbid) nuclear war, I don't think anyone can say we didn't deserve it.  We elected Donald Trump.

[TheSaint250]

"Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!"
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232

And Rocket Man’s thoughts are of attacking the US.

[Beet]

McMaster says NK must accept inspections and give up its nukes before talks can be held. Both are DOA.

He "also said the Trump administration has gamed out “four to five” scenarios in which the North Korea nuclear threat is resolved. “Some are uglier than others,” he said in a speech hosted by the Institute for the Study of War."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-25/mcmaster-says-north-korea-must-accept-inspections-before-talks

This game of holding their cards close to the vest by McMaster is getting tiresome. North Korea has clearly said they will not give up their nukes under any circumstances, although they've also said the reason for their nuclear program is the U.S. "hostile policy", which is actually a contradiction to the first point.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

"Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!"
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232

And Rocket Man’s thoughts are of attacking the US.

Nah, North Korea won't start a war it can't win.  Kim Jong-Un is behaving like a rational actor in the sense that dictatorships which gave up their WMD programs (ex: Saddam, Qaddafi, etc) were ultimately overthrown with military intervention by the West.  Iran and Syria kept theirs and both regimes are still in power.  So if you're Kim Jong-Un, the logical thing is to keep your nuclear weapons program going and adjust your saber-rattling to whatever volume is necessary to match the West's tone.  Honestly, the risk of North Korea pre-emptively attack the U.S. or any of our regional allies is negligible at most.

[TheSaint250]

"Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!"
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232

And Rocket Man’s thoughts are of attacking the US.

Nah, North Korea won't start a war it can't win.  Kim Jong-Un is behaving like a rational actor in the sense that dictatorships which gave up their WMD programs (ex: Saddam, Qaddafi, etc) were ultimately overthrown with military intervention by the West.  Iran and Syria kept theirs and both regimes are still in power.  So if you're Kim Jong-Un, the logical thing is to keep your nuclear weapons program going and adjust your saber-rattling to whatever volume is necessary to match the West's tone.  Honestly, the risk of North Korea pre-emptively attack the U.S. or any of our regional allies is negligible at most.

I agree with you on that. He probably won’t but that’s probably what he would like to do.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

"Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!"
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232

And Rocket Man’s thoughts are of attacking the US.

Nah, North Korea won't start a war it can't win.  Kim Jong-Un is behaving like a rational actor in the sense that dictatorships which gave up their WMD programs (ex: Saddam, Qaddafi, etc) were ultimately overthrown with military intervention by the West.  Iran and Syria kept theirs and both regimes are still in power.  So if you're Kim Jong-Un, the logical thing is to keep your nuclear weapons program going and adjust your saber-rattling to whatever volume is necessary to match the West's tone.  Honestly, the risk of North Korea pre-emptively attack the U.S. or any of our regional allies is negligible at most.

I agree with you on that. He probably won’t but that’s probably what he would like to do.

And I'd like $100 million, but that ain't happening any time soon either

[TheSaint250]

"Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!"
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232

And Rocket Man’s thoughts are of attacking the US.

Nah, North Korea won't start a war it can't win.  Kim Jong-Un is behaving like a rational actor in the sense that dictatorships which gave up their WMD programs (ex: Saddam, Qaddafi, etc) were ultimately overthrown with military intervention by the West.  Iran and Syria kept theirs and both regimes are still in power.  So if you're Kim Jong-Un, the logical thing is to keep your nuclear weapons program going and adjust your saber-rattling to whatever volume is necessary to match the West's tone.  Honestly, the risk of North Korea pre-emptively attack the U.S. or any of our regional allies is negligible at most.

I agree with you on that. He probably won’t but that’s probably what he would like to do.

And I'd like $100 million, but that ain't happening any time soon either

Lol