US flies bombers over South Korea in show of force against North

[webfact]

US flies bombers over SKorea in show of force against North 
LEE JIN-MAN, Associated Press

 

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AP) — The United States on Tuesday sent two nuclear-capable supersonic bombers streaking over ally South Korea in a show of force meant to cow North Korea after its recent nuclear test and also to settle rattled nerves in the South.

 

The B-1B bombers, escorted by U.S. and South Korean jets, were seen by an Associated Press photographer as they flew over Osan Air Base, which is 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with North Korea, the world's most heavily armed. The bombers were likely to return to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, without landing in South Korea.

 

Such flyovers are common when always high animosity rises on the Korean Peninsula, which is technically in a state of war as there has never been a peace treaty to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War.

 

South Korea does not have nuclear weapons and relies on the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" as a deterrent to North Korea. Washington also stations more than 28,000 troops in the South, and tens of thousands more in Japan.

 

North Korea is keenly aware of the U.S. presence on the peninsula and of what it considers the U.S. nuclear threat. It uses such flyovers and the American military influence in the South in its propaganda as alleged proof of U.S. hostility that it claims as the reason it needs a nuclear bomb program.

 

Last week's nuclear test, the North's fifth, was its most powerful to date. Pyongyang's claim to have used "standardized" warheads in the detonation makes some outsiders worry that it is making headway in its push to develop small, sophisticated warheads that can be mounted on missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland.

 

Nuclear expert Siegfried Hecker, who has regularly visited the North's nuclear facilities, estimates the North may have enough nuclear fuel for about 20 bombs by the end of 2016 and the ability to add about seven new bombs a year.

 

"Left unchecked, Pyongyang will likely develop the capability to reach the continental United States with a nuclear tipped missile in a decade or so," Siegfried wrote on the North Korea-focused website 38 North. He said that more troubling was the recent test successes may give Pyongyang a false sense of confidence.

 

Six-nation diplomatic talks aimed at ridding the North of its bombs have been stalled since the last round of meetings in late 2008. Since then, Pyongyang has ramped up both its ballistic missile and nuclear bomb development, despite an increasing raft of sanctions.

 

After the test, the North's nuclear weapons institute said it will take unspecified measures to further boost its nuclear capability, which analysts said hinted at a possible sixth nuclear test.

 

South Korea's Defense Ministry said Monday that South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities believe North Korea has the ability to detonate another atomic device at any time at one of its tunnels at its main Punggye-ri nuclear test site, where the five previous atomic explosions took place. Ministry officials refused to say what specific evidence pointed to another possible nuclear test.

 

Seoul, Washington and their allies have vowed to apply more pressure and sanctions after the test, the second this year.

 

"The United States and (South Korea) are taking actions every day to strengthen our alliance and respond to North Korea's continued aggressive behavior," Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, said in a statement.

 

Sung Kim, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean policy, met South Korean officials in Seoul on Tuesday and said that Washington is working closely with other nations to work out new, stronger sanctions on North Korea.

 

In yet another tough statement against North Korea, South Korea's President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday ordered her military to be ready to "finish off" North Korea should if it fire a nuclear missile toward South Korea. She already said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's "mental state is spiraling out of control" and that his government shows "fanatic recklessness."

___

AP writers Foster Klug, Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this story.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-09-13

[lovelomsak]

America does not care if North Korea sends nuke missiles. they will protect America with anti missiles  in Canadian air space and let Canada deal with the nuclear fallout. Even if North Korea sends them they will not make it to America it will be Canad'a problem and America knows this but keeps on pressuring North Korea.Sure let us be your full body armour thanks a lot neighbour.

[tonbridgebrit]

Washington, can you please not bother to put on these macho displays of combat aircraft in South Korea.

YOU can have lots of combat aircraft, but it makes little difference to North Korea's nukes. YOU can have a dozen combat jets, or one hundred combat jets, it makes little difference to the nuclear threat that South Korea faces from North Korea. It's not a case of having more combat jets in South Korea will mean that Kim's nukes are useless.

What you should do, is accept that North Korea has got those nukes because THEY feel threatened by South Korea and by YOUR soldiers in South Korea. North Korea is also likely to want to use their nukes as a bargaining chip for negotiations regarding aid. How about this, you (Washington) and South Korea, throw in Japan as well, you simply give North Korea a load of rice and oil, and encourage them to scrap their nukes. Or just get them to stop detonating anymore.

 

 

[tonbridgebrit]

1 hour ago, lovelomsak said:

America does not care if North Korea sends nuke missiles. they will protect America with anti missiles  in Canadian air space and let Canada deal with the nuclear fallout. Even if North Korea sends them they will not make it to America it will be Canad'a problem and America knows this but keeps on pressuring North Korea.Sure let us be your full body armour thanks a lot neighbour.

Hello Sir.
I think there's no need to worry about Kim's nukes going to Canada or the USA. I'm certainly not worried about Kim's nukes getting to Europe. His nukes can't go all the way to Canada or Europe.

Kim's got his nukes, that's his way of saying to Washington and South Korea "don't attack or invade my country, you might have more tanks and helicopters than me, but I've got a few nukes, invade me, and I'ill nuke South Korea, so don't attack me".

I think Kim's also hoping to get some rice and oil. It's petty cash for Washington and South Korea to buy some rice and oil. They should do it. Do it for world peace.

 

Edited September 13, 2016 by tonbridgebrit
spelling mistake on "should".

[bendejo]

They're trying to make the kid shit his pants.  He's not the "great man who dies for his country" type, he'll snivel and lick boots to avoid death.  As Worf would say "he is without honor."

 

 

[lovelomsak]

1 hour ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Hello Sir.
I think there's no need to worry about Kim's nukes going to Canada or the USA. I'm certainly not worried about Kim's nukes getting to Europe. His nukes can't go all the way to Canada or Europe.

Kim's got his nukes, that's his way of saying to Washington and South Korea "don't attack or invade my country, you might have more tanks and helicopters than me, but I've got a few nukes, invade me, and I'ill nuke South Korea, so don't attack me".

I think Kim's also hoping to get some rice and oil. It's petty cash for Washington and South Korea to buy some rice and oil. They should do it. Do it for world peace.

 

So you are saying the only threat is to South Korea. So what the hell business is it of the USA they should get the hell out of there and mind their own business

 2 small countries way up north fighting let them duke it out or does America have other issues or agendas?

[jcsmith]

2 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

So you are saying the only threat is to South Korea. So what the hell business is it of the USA they should get the hell out of there and mind their own business

 2 small countries way up north fighting let them duke it out or does America have other issues or agendas?

 

See here's where I have a problem with your posts. South Korea wants America there. America provides them with protection, and it is a relationship that has lasted for many decades. Of course if it were your country in danger of being invaded or nuked, I'm sure you would be more than happy to have their protection.

 

Does anybody really like the idea of North Korea having nuclear weapons? World wide it is condemned by pretty much everyone with the exception of China. If you want to beat up the anti-american drum as usual, it seems like your picking a peculiar case to do it in. 

 

No matter what America did you would make some post about them having agendas and looking for their own self interests. Of course they do, all countries are going to look for their own self interest. That does not mean that partnerships can not be mutually beneficial, if they were not there would be no reason for anyone to work together. Unless you want anarchy, this is how the world works. Welcome to reality.

Edited September 13, 2016 by jcsmith

[Rancid]

5 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Washington, can you please not bother to put on these macho displays of combat aircraft in South Korea.

YOU can have lots of combat aircraft, but it makes little difference to North Korea's nukes. YOU can have a dozen combat jets, or one hundred combat jets, it makes little difference to the nuclear threat that South Korea faces from North Korea. It's not a case of having more combat jets in South Korea will mean that Kim's nukes are useless.

What you should do, is accept that North Korea has got those nukes because THEY feel threatened by South Korea and by YOUR soldiers in South Korea. North Korea is also likely to want to use their nukes as a bargaining chip for negotiations regarding aid. How about this, you (Washington) and South Korea, throw in Japan as well, you simply give North Korea a load of rice and oil, and encourage them to scrap their nukes. Or just get them to stop detonating anymore.

 

 

No expert on Korea, but do wonder are all those US troops there primarily to protect Sth Korea or for other reasons like being near China and Russia. Really seems a bit of a stretch that Nth Korea somehow forgot that nuclear armed USA parked on their border is the most powerful military on the planet, and they need see a couple of bombers to jog their memory.

[Kabula]

7 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

America does not care if North Korea sends nuke missiles. they will protect America with anti missiles  in Canadian air space and let Canada deal with the nuclear fallout. Even if North Korea sends them they will not make it to America it will be Canad'a problem and America knows this but keeps on pressuring North Korea.Sure let us be your full body armour thanks a lot neighbour.

When you refer to America who are you referring too?

 

The former U.S., the acting government that is provoking war, or the citizens?

 

Obviously you were never in the military, nor trained in nuke missiles.  No anti missile system is 100% effective.

 

N. Korea as most countries would fire many nukes at once aimed at many large cities and military bases.

 

Some would get through, start WWIII, crash markets worldwide, close borders, currencies would be devalued with some crashing and millions would die!

 

Canada is in the N. American Union as well.  You will also be targeted.

 

If I told you how many ballistic missiles are in subs around the world you would not believe me.

 

One over reaction, could end life on planet earth as we know it.  The next war would be fought with sticks and stones!

[Hayduke]

7 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

America does not care if North Korea sends nuke missiles. they will protect America with anti missiles  in Canadian air space and let Canada deal with the nuclear fallout. Even if North Korea sends them they will not make it to America it will be Canad'a problem and America knows this but keeps on pressuring North Korea.Sure let us be your full body armour thanks a lot neighbour.

 

This is absolute nonsense. The US and Canada have a fully integrated air defense system. If Mr. Kim actually had weapons capable of reaching North America they would be treated as a threat to the system, not a threat to one country or the other.

[rijb]

6 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Washington, can you please not bother to put on these macho displays of combat aircraft in South Korea.

YOU can have lots of combat aircraft, but it makes little difference to North Korea's nukes. YOU can have a dozen combat jets, or one hundred combat jets, it makes little difference to the nuclear threat that South Korea faces from North Korea. It's not a case of having more combat jets in South Korea will mean that Kim's nukes are useless.

What you should do, is accept that North Korea has got those nukes because THEY feel threatened by South Korea and by YOUR soldiers in South Korea. North Korea is also likely to want to use their nukes as a bargaining chip for negotiations regarding aid. How about this, you (Washington) and South Korea, throw in Japan as well, you simply give North Korea a load of rice and oil, and encourage them to scrap their nukes. Or just get them to stop detonating anymore.

 

 

 

How do you know what N. Korea wants?  Do you speak Korean and understand their culture?

 

Don't you think South Korea knows what they're doing? 

[tifino]

and, don't be surprised that there's a 24/7 fleet of X-45 Space-X killers,

already swarming near the NK border, ready to play arcade laser games upon any aggressive missile

[lovelomsak]

1 minute ago, Hayduke said:

 

This is absolute nonsense. The US and Canada have a fully integrated air defense system. If Mr. Kim actually had weapons capable of reaching North America they would be treated as a threat to the system, not a threat to one country or the other.

I think I expressed the threat to Canada the fight would be in Canadian airspace not even make it to the USA. Not much comfort in that. Knowing the USA feels a need to  fight in Canadian airspace  to protect us both. Better USA not go around picking fights with guys who do not coward to them.and bring the fight to North America as a system as you put it.

[yardrunner]

4 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

So you are saying the only threat is to South Korea. So what the hell business is it of the USA they should get the hell out of there and mind their own business

 2 small countries way up north fighting let them duke it out or does America have other issues or agendas?

The same attitude most American citizens had in 1939, and guess what the result of that was,  PEARL HARBOUR

[Hayduke]

31 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

I think I expressed the threat to Canada the fight would be in Canadian airspace not even make it to the USA. Not much comfort in that. Knowing the USA feels a need to  fight in Canadian airspace  to protect us both. Better USA not go around picking fights with guys who do not coward to them.and bring the fight to North America as a system as you put it.

If you look at a map you'll see that any projected missile trajectory originating in NK crosses the US (as in Alaska) long before even approaching Canada.

 

Edited September 13, 2016 by Hayduke

[jcsmith]

6 hours ago, car720 said:

 

I don't think that it is beyond belief to believe that America has agendas everywhere.  The question that people are beginning to ask is just why their interests are more important than other's interests.

 

They certainly do, along with every other country (be it trade partnerships, diplomatic agreements, military treaties, etc). Their interests aren't more important than other's interests, but they aren't just taking things (with the exception of Iraq which was pretty undefensible). They are providing support (financially, militarily, trade wise) in exchange for things that further their own interests. Both parties agree to these things. American interests may not line up with interests of some other nations, but countries (and people in general) are going to go with the option that they feel is the best deal for them. Everyone plays the same game.

Edited September 13, 2016 by jcsmith

[thaihome]

11 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Washington, can you please not bother to put on these macho displays of combat aircraft in South Korea.

YOU can have lots of combat aircraft, but it makes little difference to North Korea's nukes. YOU can have a dozen combat jets, or one hundred combat jets, it makes little difference to the nuclear threat that South Korea faces from North Korea. It's not a case of having more combat jets in South Korea will mean that Kim's nukes are useless.

What you should do, is accept that North Korea has got those nukes because THEY feel threatened by South Korea and by YOUR soldiers in South Korea. North Korea is also likely to want to use their nukes as a bargaining chip for negotiations regarding aid. How about this, you (Washington) and South Korea, throw in Japan as well, you simply give North Korea a load of rice and oil, and encourage them to scrap their nukes. Or just get them to stop detonating anymore.

 

 

 

I think you will find that attempts to negotiate with N. Korea on its nuclear weapons program go back to 1985. 

 

threats

The United States has pursued a variety of policy responses to the proliferation challenges posed by North Korea, including military cooperation with U.S. allies in the region, wide-ranging sanctions, and non-proliferation mechanisms such as export controls. The United States also engaged in two major diplomatic initiatives in which North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons efforts in return for aid.

https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/dprkchron

TH

[Johpa]

13 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

America does not care if North Korea sends nuke missiles. they will protect America with anti missiles  in Canadian air space and let Canada deal with the nuclear fallout. Even if North Korea sends them they will not make it to America it will be Canad'a problem and America knows this but keeps on pressuring North Korea.Sure let us be your full body armour thanks a lot neighbour.

 

Well once upon a time, when I was still a young lad, your beer was better than our beer.  But Canada failed to keep up with the times in the age of craft beers and so now, other than the few lingering hockey fans, nobody south of the border cares anymore about the hosers to the north.

[Publicus]

 

The Thaad anti-missile system is positioned in Alaska (Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense) for a number of years now. The new thing about the Thaad system is that it can take out a missile going up as well as coming back down. Lots of 'em in fact.

 

There's a Thaad on Guam and one in Japan. In July President Obama signed off on a Thaad for South Korea after a year of intense pursuit of it by Seoul which already has the Patriot 3 antimissile missile (as does Japan).

 

Xi Jinping is hopping mad at Seoul and Washington for the Thaad being installed in S Korea because now his own missiles in CCP China get detected moments quicker than the Thaad on Guam detects 'em, which makes a difference. Xi harangued Obama strongly against Thaad in S Korea but bad CCP behavior is not about to be rewarded either. And Xi has been a bad boy from North Korea and Japan in the East Sea to Taiwan and on to Asean in the South China Sea. Hence Obama's kick to Xi's gut.

 

Xi seems to be losing on all fronts. CCP Dictators in Beijing have never wanted a nuclearised Korean peninsula. That's where Pyongyang and Beijing parted company. So Pyongyang has not invited Xi to visit, nor has Kim Jong Un cared to visit Beijing even if he were to be invited, which he certainly will not be. Each one is keeping his distance. Xi meanwhile had a successful visit to Seoul and President Park had a successful visit to Beijing. Xi is definitely having better luck with the South than with the North.

 

As to the six-nation talks mentioned in the OP (N Korea, S Korea, Japan, China, Russia, USA), they've been deceased and interred since 2008 so why even reference them. It was around the time of their collapse that the world decided to stop rewarding bad behavior with only more fuel and food deliveries if the Kim in charge would promise to become a good boy. No more rewards for bad behavior, however, for a long time now. It's become sanctions instead along with a further isolation.

 

Now South Korea gets Thaad which is their strongest defense against a N Korean armed missile. It's also protection of the USA as Thaad in S Korea can take out a N Korean missile 500 feet off the launch pad.

[tonbridgebrit]

14 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

So you are saying the only threat is to South Korea. So what the hell business is it of the USA they should get the hell out of there and mind their own business

 2 small countries way up north fighting let them duke it out or does America have other issues or agendas?

Yeah, why is the USA in South Korea ?  Yeah, they've got their reasons.  A cynic would say that Washington wants to have some soldiers in South Korea, got to be ready to attack China if or when World War Three breaks out.  

 

[tonbridgebrit]

11 hours ago, Rancid said:

No expert on Korea, but do wonder are all those US troops there primarily to protect Sth Korea or for other reasons like being near China and Russia. Really seems a bit of a stretch that Nth Korea somehow forgot that nuclear armed USA parked on their border is the most powerful military on the planet, and they need see a couple of bombers to jog their memory.

+1

Yes, waste of petrol (sorry, jet fuel) flying them combat jets over Korea. Still, got to put on a macho display of the equipment, got to show and justify why the equipment is there. The jets did cost serious money.  

 

[tonbridgebrit]

3 hours ago, Publicus said:

 

The Thaad anti-missile system is positioned in Alaska (Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense) for a number of years now. The new thing about the Thaad system is that it can take out a missile going up as well as coming back down. Lots of 'em in fact.

 

There's a Thaad on Guam and one in Japan. In July President Obama signed off on a Thaad for South Korea after a year of intense pursuit of it by Seoul which already has the Patriot 3 antimissile missile (as does Japan).

 

Xi Jinping is hopping mad at Seoul and Washington for the Thaad being installed in S Korea because now his own missiles in CCP China get detected moments quicker than the Thaad on Guam detects 'em, which makes a difference. Xi harangued Obama strongly against Thaad in S Korea but bad CCP behavior is not about to be rewarded either. And Xi has been a bad boy from North Korea and Japan in the East Sea to Taiwan and on to Asean in the South China Sea. Hence Obama's kick to Xi's gut.

 

Xi seems to be losing on all fronts. CCP Dictators in Beijing have never wanted a nuclearised Korean peninsula. That's where Pyongyang and Beijing parted company. So Pyongyang has not invited Xi to visit, nor has Kim Jong Un cared to visit Beijing even if he were to be invited, which he certainly will not be. Each one is keeping his distance. Xi meanwhile had a successful visit to Seoul and President Park had a successful visit to Beijing. Xi is definitely having better luck with the South than with the North.

 

As to the six-nation talks mentioned in the OP (N Korea, S Korea, Japan, China, Russia, USA), they've been deceased and interred since 2008 so why even reference them. It was around the time of their collapse that the world decided to stop rewarding bad behavior with only more fuel and food deliveries if the Kim in charge would promise to become a good boy. No more rewards for bad behavior, however, for a long time now. It's become sanctions instead along with a further isolation.

 

Now South Korea gets Thaad which is their strongest defense against a N Korean armed missile. It's also protection of the USA as Thaad in S Korea can take out a N Korean missile 500 feet off the launch pad.

Oh Publicus, once again, creating a non-accurate or mis-leading picture as to what's happening.  

Look, why drag Xi Jinping into this ?  Okay, North Korea Kim is NOT a Beijing puppet. Beijing doesn't want Kim to detonate more nukes, Kim goes ahead, yeah, so Kim is NOT a Beijing puppet. We know that. Beijing is not interested in nuking South Korea or Japan, stop implying Beijing might fire missiles at Korea or Japan. Beijing just wants to export some manufactured goods.

Oh, this THAAD thing again. Hurrah, THAAD is here. No need to worry about Kim's nukes. Kim's nukes can be nuked 500 feet off the launch pad. Brilliant, how much does THAAD cost, Publicus ? And now that there's no need for us to worry about nukes, yeah, we can all sleep better at night.

Actually, not everybody is happy with THAAD. There's people in South Korea who are AGAINST it.  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37086447

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-thaad-protest-idUSKCN10Q0U0


Above are two links about South Koreans who are protesting against THAAD.  Yes, 900 people shaved their heads as an act of protest.
 

[tonbridgebrit]

And, here we see a South Korean bird who has got something against THAAD. Go on people, YOU tell'em how you feel.

 

[Publicus]

 

The usual suspects who always take their stand against the United States in everything will be set back a good one by this....

 

According to a May 2016 think tank poll, nearly 74% of South Koreans support THAAD deployment, up 12.5% from 2015. Deployment received majority support among both conservatives (84% in favor) and progressives (61%). These figures track with the broader strategic outlook of Korean civil society.

 

Many South Koreans are wary of the implications of China’s economic and military rise, and still look favorably on their comprehensive partnership and mutual defense treaty with the US. While several contentious bilateral issues continue to bubble beneath the surface, by and large the US receives much wider South Korean popular support than China, both as cooperative partner and global leader, and the public predicts this gap to widen further going forward.

 

http://www.hancinema.net/most-s-koreans-support-thaad-deployment-91455.html 

 

That's three of every four South Koreans support the decision to deploy Thaad there.

 

Russia doesn't like Thaad in South Korea. But then Russia isn't happy about Thaad in Japan or on Guam either. No matter cause we got it covered on the three major fronts of northeast Asia -- North Korea, Russia, CCP China. 

 

No one should be surprised.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Publicus
Typo and revision.

[metisdead]

A post in violation of fair use policy has been removed as well as a reply. 

[Publicus]

 

Speaking of bull...

[happy Joe]

4 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

And, here we see a South Korean bird who has got something against THAAD. Go on people, YOU tell'em how you feel.

 

 

Not far away in Okinawa, people also give opinion on the street. For those not reading the current Japanese, the signs appear:

 

US go home !

 

 

[Publicus]

PM Shinzo Abe the strong proponent of the Japan-US treaty alliance just won a huge victory in July elections to the upper House of the Parliament.

 

The crowd in the picture makes a snazzy photo but it's hard to get 80 million Japanese into one camera shot. Watch the polling instead.

[lovelomsak]

I have life long friends in Canada from Okinawan originally. They tell me they want America out as do all their relatives back home In Okinawa want. But to hear America tell it people want them there or they were ask to be there. So much American lies people get tired of it.

  America should vote in Hilary she can lie with best of them. and keep the tradition going of lies said enough times people will believe it.

[Publicus]

Not everyone voted for PM Abe or his party, the Liberal Democratic Party. Those who did not vote Abe's party are to be commended for voting. 

 

Okinawa is an island that has the strong presence of a US Marine Corps air base and other things US military. That is what the global right are on about. 

 

No one can defend Kim Jong Un so the global right focus against the United States.