North Korea Calls Hawaii and U.S. Mainland Targets

[Paul E Ester]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by NancyBlueINOklahoma (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: NYTIMES

North Korea’s military said it put all its missile and artillery units on “the highest alert” on Tuesday, ordering them to be ready to hit South Korea, as well as the United States and its military installations in Hawaii and Guam.

The threat from the North’s Korean People’s Army Supreme Command came only hours after President Park Geun-hye of South Korea warned that the North Korean leadership could ensure its survival only when it abandons its nuclear weapons, long-range missiles, provocations and threats.

North Korea said on Tuesday that all of its strategic rocket and long-range artillery units “are assigned to strike bases of the U.S. imperialist aggressor troops in the U.S. mainland and on Hawaii and Guam and other operational zones in the Pacific as well as all the enemy targets in South Korea and its vicinity.”

“They should be mindful that everything will be reduced to ashes and flames the moment the first attack is unleashed,” the North Korean command said in a statement carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/world/asia/north-korea-calls-hawaii-and-us-mainland-targets.html?_r=0

[Paul E Ester]

1. North Korea says ready for combat as sanctions tighten

The Pentagon condemned North Korea's rhetoric, saying it was designed to "raise tensions and intimidate others."

"They need to stop threatening peace on the peninsula. That doesn't help anyone ... and we stand ready to respond to any contingency," Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters.

The Pentagon has declined to define the range of North Korea's rockets, saying it is classified. But Admiral James Winnefeld, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged on March 15 that one type of North Korean missile likely had the range to reach the United States.

South Korea's defense ministry said it saw no sign of imminent military action by North Korea and most military analysts say Pyongyang will not risk a conflict with the United States that it would lose.

South Korea and the U.S. military are conducting military drills until the end of April, which they have stressed are strictly defensive in nature. The North accuses Washington of war preparations by using B-52 bombers which have flown over the Korean peninsula as part of the drills, and it has abrogated an armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

The Pentagon said there have been three such flights by U.S. B-52 bombers since March 8, with the most recent one on Monday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-korea-north-combat-idUSBRE92P0V220130326

[Paul E Ester]

2. US flies B-52s over South Korea amid North rhetoric

The US is flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea, in what it says is a response to escalating North Korean rhetoric.

US officials said the B-52 flights demonstrated "extended deterrence capabilities" amid rising tension on the peninsula.

The aircraft, which can also carry conventional weapons, flew on 8 March, with another mission set for Tuesday.

Regional tension remains high after the North's third nuclear test last month.

This is not the first time that B-52 bombers have been used as part of regular military drills between the US and South Korea.

"We're drawing attention to the fact that we have extended deterrence capabilities that we believe are important to demonstrate in the wake of recent North Korean rhetoric," US Pentagon press secretary George Little said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21840215

[Paul E Ester]

3. Pentagon Condemns North Korean Threats

The Pentagon is warning North Korea to stop threatening to fire artillery at South Korea and U.S. bases in the Pacific. U.S. defense officials say U.S. forces are ready to respond to any aggression by the North.

North Korea’s statement said it is assigning rockets and long-range artillery to attack U.S. targets in places like Hawaii, Guam, and South Korea is rhetoric of the type that has been heard before. But Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters the Defense Department is taking the threats very seriously.

“North Korea’s bellicose rhetoric and threats follow a well-worn pattern designed to raise tensions and intimidate others," said Little. "North Korea will achieve nothing by threats or provocations, which will only further isolate North Korea and undermine international efforts to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia.”

Little said U.S. forces are ready to respond to any contingency.

http://www.voanews.com/content/us-condemns-north-korean-warning-of-attacks-on-us/1628981.html

[jberryhill]

4. Because attacking Hawaii is such a great opening move

Well, I think the Koreas should be united now that the North has proven it can copy the Japanese as well as the South can.

[davidpdx]

6. Yeah I was going to say

How well did that turn out for the Japanese?

In the short run, it was pretty devastating for them. Over the long haul, it might have been the best thing they did give how far them have come as an industrialized nation.

[Hekate]

5. Those guys are batshit crazy. Maybe Anonymous would like...

... to hack North Korea? It might be a good use of their time.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. China is doing a facepalm right now.

[Peace Patriot]

8. Is the MIC paying North Korean leaders to say things like this?

I feel much more like I'm being gamed than being threatened--gamed out of my tax money; gamed out of money for social programs, education, public works, real honest-to-God universal health care, and everything else that decent societies provide...in order to pad the pockets of war profiteers.

Anybody else feel like this?

[sakabatou]

9. Given their testing and firing of rockets

I doubt that they could make it that far.

[OKNancy]

10. duplicate topic - locking

Please add this to the previous post on the same topic: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014435072