S. Korea vs N. Korea [Cold war goes Hot]

[SB Shock]

It was only a matter of time. This is going to get worse, I have no doubt.

I agree. NK just attacked basically a civilian fishing village. The question is whether NK is smart enough to stop and wait another 6 months or will they do something stupid like launch a artillery round into Seoul.

and now this

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan called President Barak Obama urgently in the wake of the North Korean artillery attack on South Korea's Yeonpyeong island near the Yellow Sea border early Tuesday, Nov. 23 and demanded a US-South Korean-Japanese military reprisal. Two South Korean marines were killed and 17 injured in the attack.

He also demanded that the UN Security Council be convened immediately on the crisis. He put the same demands to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in another call. Naoto Kan then ordered his ministers to prepare for "unexpected events."

[Maggie]

This after it was revealed that North Korea has another nuclear facility – which it obviously has been operating for some time.

Other countries are going to be watching how President Obama responds to this act of war by North Korea. Unfortunately, this Administration has sent a message that it may not be so comfortable with America’s past unilateral responsibilities to its allies, and may even sympathize with some of the grievances of our purported enemies. Whether this assessment is fair or not, that’s the message they’ve sent. And history has demonstrated the past 90 years or so – when America takes a step back, or appears to be doing so, bad things happen.

[DUShock]

It will be interesting to see if China and Russia (to a lesser extent) can cage the always chest thumping North Koreans. At some point the South and Japan will say "enough is enough" and then it's on like Donkey Kong... :cry:

[Maggie]

I tend to agree with what Krauthammer said the other night – part of this is a typical shakedown by North Korea for more aid. The Dear Leader and his Mini-Me successor obviously believe committing such acts are an easy way to gain cash, attention, and influence otherwise not accorded such a miserable state. As for China if they wanted to they certainly could help; however, right now, they have no real interest in doing so – they use North Korea to cause trouble for us.

I think the real question is: Should the United States be directly involved in North/South Korea anymore? There are valid arguments on both sides of this issue.

[SubGod22]

They're going to get more aid by doing this... U.N. Secretary General Eyes New Aid, Better PR Campaign, for North Korea

[wsushox1]

I think the real question is: Should the United States be directly involved in North/South Korea anymore? There are valid arguments on both sides of this issue.

Definitive No.

[SB Shock]

I think the real question is: Should the United States be directly involved in North/South Korea anymore? There are valid arguments on both sides of this issue.

Definitive No.

And why is it so definitive?

[SB Shock]

There are several pictures that show that the N. Korean artillery fire was not indiscriminate. They were aiming at the S. Korean hardened artillery shelters (and hit them). Which shows their intelligence is pretty good. Also they used MRL artillery.

[Maggie]

I think this post by Victor Davis Hanson and the subsequent discussion is well worth the time to consider (and as you can see not everyone agrees with VDH):

Why American Must Defend South Korea

Whether we continue to be involved in South Korea (or Asia in general) is not a simple issue and in many ways cuts to the core of our foreign policy the last 60 years.

[SB Shock]

from the Wiki leaks:

"The two officials, Chun said, were ready to 'face the new reality' that the DPRK [North Korea] now had little value to China as a buffer state – a view that, since North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006, had reportedly gained traction among senior PRC [People's Republic of China] leaders.

China's vice-foreign minister told US officials that Pyongyang was behaving like a "spoiled child" to get Washington's attention in April 2009 by carrying out missile tests.

[SubGod22]

Mullen: Risk of War Rising on Korean Peninsula

The top U.S. military officer said Monday that the danger of war or hostilities on the Korean peninsula is rising, as North Korea warned that cooperation between its southern neighbor and the United States could trigger a nuclear war.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told troops in Baghdad that North Korea has upped the ante in its aggression against South Korea -- a pattern he said is tied to preparations for Kim Jong Il to pass power to his son.

[SB Shock]

Mullen: Risk of War Rising on Korean Peninsula

The top U.S. military officer said Monday that the danger of war or hostilities on the Korean peninsula is rising, as North Korea warned that cooperation between its southern neighbor and the United States could trigger a nuclear war.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told troops in Baghdad that North Korea has upped the ante in its aggression against South Korea -- a pattern he said is tied to preparations for Kim Jong Il to pass power to his son.

coming into wintertime and would be more ideal for a Northern invasion with the rice paddies getting frozen over.

South Korea has gotten punched in the nose twice now. Once with the torpedoing of their frigate and then the artillery attack. Their intelligence broke down even though they had identified NK artillery being moved into place but ignored it because they didn't think they would do anything. Then their response to the artillery attack was slow and their counter battery fire was not very accurate.

I suspect SK military is just chomping at the bit to save face and are waiting for a provocation.

[SubGod22]

NKorea warns SKorea to stop live-fire drills

North Korea warned South Korea on Friday not to stage artillery drills on a front-line island the North bombed last month, saying it would hit back even harder than in the previous attack that killed four South Koreans.

The North warned the South against similar drills before the Nov. 23 shelling that destroyed homes and renewed fears of war on the divided peninsula.

South Korea has said it plans one-day, live-fire drills sometime between Saturday and Tuesday on Yeonpyeong, a tiny island that is home to fishing communities and military bases and sits just seven miles (11 kilometers) from North Korean shores. Seoul says the drills' timing will depend on weather and other factors and, despite the North's threats, the exercises will go ahead as planned.

I get the feeling the South is hoping that the North will react to this.

[SubGod22]

South Korea Vows to 'Punish' North If It Launches Another Attack

[SB Shock]

S. Korea lights up 30 m Christmas tree near DMZ. The tree hadn't been used since 2004 so as not to offend N. Korea.