KittenofDoom posted:

How often does this happen? Their threats always seem Super Serious You Guys! but then nothing major comes of it.

Traveller posted:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34254634

Spooky reactor is back up, it seems.

Cliff Racer posted:

It should tighten sanctions on North Korea and the North Korean officials who work for the agencies responsible both for the nuclear program but also for political repression. It should draw up a list of banks which choose to help those individuals and organizations avoid sanctions and sanction them as well. Unlike the fickle nature of regular sanctions enforcement, that is easy to do as the dollar is the one currency of international banking. Any bank in the world could be a valid target and, as the dollar is the only currency that matters in international finance the bank would not be able to hide behind local officials or corruption. Then you do nothing, you just sit and wait, never negotiate and wait for bad things to happen in the north.


What will actually happen? Nothing. A little speech here or there, scowls from certain house committees, a wacky Kim story on the morning drive.

Halloween Jack posted:

Grouchio, every time North Korea does anything you come here and ask if it's the prelude to war.

North Korea's entire foreign policy is based on hoping that world leaders are as dumb and panicky as you are, and trying to manipulate them. Now stop asking.

Cliff Racer posted:

They don't know poo poo and they are never, ever going to just start a nuclear war over nothing with the current power structure in place. Feel free to never bother asking uless KJU is deposed.

Rappaport posted:

In last night's debate, Ted Cruz made a big deal about North Korea launching a satellite with a nuke on board precisely to EMP the eastern coast, maybe he got to Grouchio

mediadave posted:

North Korea has just tested a large and powerful new rocket engine. Probably not intended for their ICBM programme - actually too powerful for those, but maybe a new space launch vehicle. Perhaps for their intended moonshot. (Yes, North Korea plans to land..something on the moon in the next ten years)

http://38north.org/2016/09/jschilling092116/

Ceramic Shot posted:

Is it ridiculous? Asking in earnest.

The NY Times Article says: "In a 2007 diplomatic cable made public through WikiLeaks, the American Embassy in Seoul reported rumors that Mr. Choi “had complete control over Park’s body and soul during her formative years and that his children accumulated enormous wealth as a result.”

I mean, that's a bona-fide cult leader with (apparently?) a huge amount of influence on the president of a country.

edit: Man, Korea seems to have some big problems with cults. The Sewol ferry sinking where hundreds of children died was also linked to a cult leader.

Jazerus posted:

quote:

North Korea has accused US and South Korean agents of plotting to kill its Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un.

A North Korean referred to only as "Kim" was paid to carry out an attack with biochemical substances, the ministry of state security said.

The plot was foiled, it said, but gave no details on the fate of "Kim". The CIA declined to comment and South Korea has issued no statement so far.

The North's claim comes amid continued high tension on the Korean peninsula.

US President Donald Trump has promised to "solve" North Korea and stop it developing nuclear weapons.

WarpedNaba posted:

You've been playing a little too much Modern Warfare.

They gotta blow up above the visual horizon to do that crap, for a start.

A GIANT PARSNIP posted:

Trump administration declares victory in Chicago war on crime.

Burt Sexual posted:

How do people not understand this?

aware of dog posted:

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/895043109519855617

Fojar38 posted:

You are overestimating North Korean military capabilities. The absolute worst case nightmare scenario right now is North Korea manages to nearly hit a couple of targets in East Asia and the pacific with Nuclear Weapons. This would be the first usage of nuclear weapons in combat since 1945 and would result in millions of casualties. But it would not be Fallout 5 and North Korea is not capable of hitting entire countries with a spread of nuclear weapons.

How and when North Korea might even use nukes is still up in the air, because they know that the moment that they use them it's game over. In the event of a war they may not even be able to depending on how the initial allied barrage goes (not just destroying every launcher and nuclear facility that they can find but also cutting off communication so if Kim orders a launch the order never gets through, or folks ignore the order and just surrender to save their own hides.)

Finally, all of this is academic. Trump made an off the cuff remark whose only difference from a theoretical President Clinton would be is tone, not substance (the substance being "if North Korea nukes someone we'll gently caress them dry") and it does not indicate that a war is imminent.

Samurai Sanders posted:

I am operating under the assumption that they understand all the implications of what they are doing other than the ones that are literally unknowable by anyone, like what exact stupid thing Trump will say next.

Also it wouldn't be the first time they have fired missiles over Japan.

Mr. Nice! posted:

They're saying if DPRK fires that missile at Guam they're not going to step in to stop the USA from stomping the Kim regime into the dirt.

If the USA strikes first, though, china will retaliate in support.

quote:

President Trump on Friday sought to calm frayed nerves over his war of words with North Korea, saying “hopefully it will all work out.”

Trump spoke after meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, national security adviser H.R. McMaster and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley at his New Jersey golf club.

The president said he wants a peaceful solution to the nuclear standoff with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

He said he would be speaking Friday night with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the situation.

Fojar38 posted:

Less than twenty four hours ago everyone was panicking that he was going to start a war, now we're critical because it looks like he won't?