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[rooster59]

Mattis, in Seoul, says U.S. can't accept nuclear North Korea

By Phil Stewart

 

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis (L) and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo visit the truce village of Panmunjom, South Korea October 27, 2017. Yonhap/via REUTERS

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Saturday that he could not imagine United States ever accepting a nuclear North Korea, warning that its rapidly advancing nuclear and missile programs would undermine, not strengthen, its security.

 

Mattis has been at pains during his week-long trip to Asia to stress that diplomacy is America's preferred course, a message he returned to after top-level military talks in Seoul on Saturday and at the tense border area with North Korea on Friday.

 

Still, he warned Pyongyang that its military was no match for the U.S.-South Korean alliance, and that diplomacy was most effective "when backed by credible military force."

 

"Make no mistake - any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated. And any use of nuclear weapons by the North will be met with a massive military response that is both effective and overwhelming," Mattis said.

 

Mattis's South Korean counterpart, Defense Minister Song Young-moo, dismissed the idea of deploying tactical nuclear weapons to the peninsula as a response to the North's advances.

 

But the U.S.-Korean alliance had the ability to respond, even in the event of a nuclear attack from the North, Song added.

 

Tension between North Korea and the United States has been building after a series of nuclear and missile tests by Pyongyang and bellicose verbal exchanges between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.

 

The CIA has said North Korea could be only months away from developing the ability to hit the United States with nuclear weapons, a scenario Trump has vowed to prevent.

 

Mattis, too, said Kim's behavior had left no room to imagine accepting Pyongyang's nuclear status.

 

"I cannot imagine a condition under which the United States can accept North Korea as a nuclear power," Mattis told a news conference.

 

Trump - who has threatened to destroy the North if necessary - leaves on his first trip as president to Asia next week, including a stop in South Korea to meet President Moon Jae-in.

 

Moon, after talks with Mattis on Friday, said the "aggressive deployment" of U.S. strategic assets in the region, which have included overflights by U.S. bombers, had been effective in deterring the North Korean threat.

 

DENUCLEARIZE?

 

U.S. intelligence experts say Pyongyang believes it needs the nuclear weapons to ensure its survival and have been skeptical about diplomatic efforts, focusing on sanctions, to get Pyongyang to denuclearize.

 

Mattis suggested, however, that Pyongyang needed to understand that its weapons programs would not strengthen its defenses. The North says it wants a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the United States.

 

"If it remains on its current path of ballistic missiles and atomic bombs, it will be counter-productive," Mattis said, adding North Korea would be "reducing its security."

 

Still, any attempt to force the North to denuclearize could have devastating consequences, thanks in part to the large amount of artillery trained on Seoul.

 

During Mattis' trip to the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Friday, he was briefed on the posture of North Korean artillery.

 

Defense Minister Song suggested that U.S. and South Korean missile defenses simply could not stop all of the weapons trained on the South.

 

"Defending against this many LRAs (long-range artillery) is infeasible in my opinion," Song told Mattis at the DMZ, citing a need for strategies to "offensively neutralize" the artillery in the event of a conflict.

 

Mattis replied: "Understood."

 

Still, Mattis reaffirmed to reporters in South Korea that military options do exist to deal with the North Korean threat that spare the South's capital, Seoul. Mattis, who has made such assurances in the past, did not disclose what those options were.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-29

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Defense Minister Song suggested that U.S. and South Korean missile defenses simply could not stop all of the weapons trained on the South.

And its answer is to ignore the South Korean capital’s 3,200 emergency bomb shelters. They are understocked and 74% of Seoul residents aren’t sure where their nearest one is or even what the shelter signs mean. 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/seoul-bomb-shelters_us_59927081e4b09071f69c2539

When Mattis says "Understood" he means that collateral civilian deaths in an attack is a given and not his concern if it's not South Korea's concern. Meanwhile the US should warn American civilians to move out of Seoul as a potential precursor to war.

[boomerangutang]

"mattis-in-seoul-says-us-cant-accept-nuclear-north-korea"

 

Duuhuuh, ...talk about stating the obvious.  On a side note, Mattis said he can't accept shards of broken glass in his cheerios.

[sawadeeken]

6 hours ago, Srikcir said:

And its answer is to ignore the South Korean capital’s 3,200 emergency bomb shelters. They are understocked and 74% of Seoul residents aren’t sure where their nearest one is or even what the shelter signs mean. 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/seoul-bomb-shelters_us_59927081e4b09071f69c2539

When Mattis says "Understood" he means that collateral civilian deaths in an attack is a given and not his concern if it's not South Korea's concern. Meanwhile the US should warn American civilians to move out of Seoul as a potential precursor to war.

It is beyond me to figure how some of you draw rediculous notions after reading something, like that article.........

quite a few posters always try to be the first to post on a subject just to run up their 'like' scores...... I observe quite a few of the same names try to get the first post in, and sometimes run up thier score of likes.......... LOL..............

With regard to the OP let me say as an American, That our military are not 'novices'..... We have a decent record of 'covering our butt' when it comes to defending ourselves........There is 'NO WAY' that our country can let the crazy guy in NK have the ability to do as he says he will do.... NO WAY.......

America has an obnoxious buthole as it's leader for the next 3 years, But let me remind you that his power can be controlled..... NOT SAME with KIM..... He has the final word and has shown his intent..... Now it is up to the US to stop him 'before we lose it'.....

I am not trained in war tactics and don't claim to be an expert..... BUT knowing the ability of the US Military Planners..... I can just make a guess that those guns in the DMZ which are trained on Seoul will be gone in the first 10 minutes.... North Korea may have 20, possibly 30 minutes before it is 'Neutered' (de-nutted)...

Do you think that 'our' US military who has just moved the 3rd (powerful) 'Carrier Group' into position in the area of NK, Don't have a plan??????       I'm thinking they have a plan......  Can you just imagine the fire power in those 3 'Carrier Groups'????? And with several different possible attack scenario's including those 3 'Carrier Groups' and bombers from stations at Guam and South Korea and Japanese forces..... Probably British/Aussie assistance....... His 'fat little butt' has 30 minutes or less...... AND with all the 'bunker-buster' conventional ordinance available...... we may not even resort to use of 'nuclear' bombs hoping to prevent pollution to neighbors...... 

If his 'fat little butt' doesn't find it's way to a negotiating table soon you may 'soon' see some of the above happening............

Don't believe for a moment that 'our' Military is just 'killing-time' drinking coffee, with 3 'Carrier Groups' in the region and jointly planning together with the local air bases and ground troop...........