Two U.S. bombers hold firing drills with South Korean forces

[rooster59]

Two U.S. bombers hold firing drills with South Korean forces

 

FILE PHOTO - A pair of B-1B Lancer bombers soar over Wyoming in an undated file photo. Staff Sgt. Steve Thurow/U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - Two U.S. supersonic bombers conducted live-fire drills on Saturday in South Korea in a show of force following North Korea's test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the South's military said.

 

The pair of B-1B Lancer strategic bombers flew from a U.S. base on Guam and were joined by U.S. and South Korean jet fighters to conduct the simulated destruction of an enemy ballistic missile launcher and underground facilities, the South's air force said.

 

North Korea announced on Tuesday it successfully test-launched an ICBM, saying the missile was capable of carrying a large and heavy nuclear warhead.

 

Some experts believe the missile has the range to reach Alaska and Hawaii and the test signalled a significant advance in the North's declared intent to build a nuclear-tipped missile that can hit the U.S. mainland.

 

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the test indicated a quicker than expected pace of the North's ICBM programme.

 

The B-1B bombers conducted the live-fire exercise at a range in South Korea's eastern Gangwon province, dropping weapons in a simulated attack on a missile launcher, the South Korean air force said in a statement.

 

South Korean and U.S. fighter jets conducted precision strike drills aimed at attacking enemy targets hidden underground, it said.

 

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the bombers then flew west, hugging the heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) border between the two Koreas, before leaving South Korean airspace.

 

The drill follows a joint artillery and missile exercise by South Korean and U.S. forces a day after the North's ICBM test.

 

TRUMP WARNING

 

Despite the sabre-rattling, the United States and South Korea have said they are committed to resolving the crisis over the North's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile peacefully.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday in Hamburg, where the leaders of G20 nations are meeting, there would not be many good options left on North Korea if the peaceful pressure campaign failed.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on Thursday to confront the North "very strongly" and said Washington was considering "severe things" for the isolated state following the ICBM test.

 

The United States, Japan and South Korea agreed on Friday to push for a quick U.N. Security Council resolution to put new sanctions on North Korea.

 

On the sidelines of the G20 summit, Trump, Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to apply "maximum pressure" to counter the North nuclear threat.

 

North Korea has hailed the ICBM test as marking the completion of is strategic weapons capability that it says includes atomic and hydrogen bombs.

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a mausoleum honouring state founder Kim Il Sun on Saturday, the anniversary of his grandfather's death, the North's official KCNA news agency reported.

 

He was joined by military officials who contributed to the success of the ICBM test, the news agency said.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-08

[phantomfiddler]

This all seems so childish. Just leave L.F.B. alone, don,t even report his silly exercises, as he is just after the publicity, but when he completely steps over THE line swat him like a bug.

[sawadeeken]

I think the N.Korean 'Jerk' is just looking for the US to pay him to shut up.............

[Grouse]

N Korea is using game theory quite elegantly

 

Who is deterring whom exactly?

 

Only realistic option for the West is a waiting game. Corruption will eventually end the man's reign. In the meantime, NK will do nothing. What could they possibly gain.

 

Right now they hold the world in a state of unstable equilibrium.

 

Much as I would like to see the launch and development sites obliterated, there really is no point...

[soalbundy]

Like two men in an argument in a crowd, neither really wants to fight so they shout to their friends ''Hold me back, hold me back''

[boomerangutang]

Saber rattling. Yet nowadays, sabers include ICBM's and B1-B bombers. 

 

If Trump was little bit smart, he wouldn't get sucked into Kim's dangerous game.

 

[Rancid]

What I find interesting is that the countries that border North Korea and who would have the most to lose are pretty much silent over the whole thing. Would it be that they aren't really that concerned about it all, and if so, why is it on the western front pages every day? Cui bono.

[Morch]

18 hours ago, Grouse said:

N Korea is using game theory quite elegantly

 

Who is deterring whom exactly?

 

Only realistic option for the West is a waiting game. Corruption will eventually end the man's reign. In the meantime, NK will do nothing. What could they possibly gain.

 

Right now they hold the world in a state of unstable equilibrium.

 

Much as I would like to see the launch and development sites obliterated, there really is no point...

 

That works out as long as both parties play the same game, or assess the other side's move correctly. Kinda hairy with current stakes. And that's without considering it's not just a two-way game....

[Morch]

4 hours ago, Rancid said:

What I find interesting is that the countries that border North Korea and who would have the most to lose are pretty much silent over the whole thing. Would it be that they aren't really that concerned about it all, and if so, why is it on the western front pages every day? Cui bono.

 

Compared with the Donald, pretty much any responses (other than, perhaps, Kim's) would appear mellow. NK neighbors aren't silent but obviously less gung-ho. Doesn't mean that they are not concerned.

[Grouse]

Kim is not really threatening anyone. He is deterring attack.

 

He just wants to be left with hellish kingdom in tact.

 

We should ask ourselves, what would Kim achieve by launching one or all of his nuclear weapons? Total self anhiliation. Not much of a plan.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

Kim is not really threatening anyone. He is deterring attack.

 

He just wants to be left with hellish kingdom in tact.

 

We should ask ourselves, what would Kim achieve by launching one or all of his nuclear weapons? Total self anhiliation. Not much of a plan.

 

I dunno, do you get the sense that SK is nonchalant about Kim? Not necessarily as vocal as Trump, but then who is?

The trouble with the above is that it doesn't rely on anything concrete - we do not actually know what he wants, or what he considers to be a real threat or that his calculations rest on logic we assume. Taking about Kim here, just to be clear....

 

 

[Dave67]

".......Thursday to confront the North "very strongly" and said Washington was considering "severe things" ..."
 

 

You have to admire his command of the English language

[Morch]

17 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

".......Thursday to confront the North "very strongly" and said Washington was considering "severe things" ..."
 

 

You have to admire his command of the English language

 

The best words...