Message from North Korean missile over Japan 'loud and clear' - Trump

[webfact]

Message from North Korean missile over Japan 'loud and clear' - Trump

By Susan Heavey and Jack Kim

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a long and medium-range ballistic rocket launch drill in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on August 30, 2017. KCNA/via REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that all options are on the table for the United States to respond to North Korea's firing of a ballistic missile over northern Japan's Hokkaido island into the sea in a new show of force.

 

The missile test further increased tension in east Asia as U.S. and South Korean forces conducted annual military exercises on the Korean peninsula, angering Pyongyang which sees the war games as a preparation for invasion.

 

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of U.N. sanctions, but firing projectiles over mainland Japan is rare.

 

Trump, who has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States, said the world had received North Korea's latest message "loud and clear".

 

"Threatening and destabilising actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table," Trump said in a statement.

 

Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke and agreed that North Korea "poses a grave and growing direct threat" to the United States, Japan and South Korea, the White House said.

 

Investors flocked to safe-haven assets after the missile firing.

 

The dollar fell to its lowest in more than 2-1/2 years against a basket of major currencies but then rebounded, while benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note yields fell and the price of gold hit more than a nine-month peak. U.S. stocks recovered from a sharply lower open.

 

Interactive package on North Korea's missile capabilities - http://tmsnrt.rs/2t0oSv7

 

INTERMEDIATE RANGE

 

Initial assessment indicates the North Korean missile was an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), the Pentagon said in a statement. Two U.S. officials said it appeared to be a KN-17, or Hwasong-12.

 

North Korea's Kim guided a launch of its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile on Tuesday in a drill to counter the joint exercises by South Korean and U.S. militaries, the North's official KCNA news agency said on Wednesday.

 

"The current ballistic rocket launching drill like a real war is the first step of the military operation of the KPA in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

 

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Robert Manning said diplomacy was still Washington's preferred option with Pyongyang.

 

North Korea was defiant.

 

"The U.S. should know that it can neither browbeat the DPRK with any economic sanctions and military threats and blackmail nor make the DPRK flinch from the road chosen by itself," North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun said, using the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

 

The North vows to never give up its weapons programs, saying they are necessary to counter hostility from the United States and its allies.

 

The United States has said before that all options, including military, are on the table, although its preference is for a diplomatic solution.

 

The United States is technically still at war with the North because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. Relations worsened last year when North Korea staged two nuclear bomb tests. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the launch was "absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible" and that the Security Council now needed to take serious action.

 

Saying "enough is enough," Haley said she hoped China and Russia would continue to work with the rest of the Security Council when it meets on Tuesday afternoon to discuss what more can be done about North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

 

The Security Council earlier this month unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea after it staged two long-range missile launches in July.

 

In response to Trump's statement that all options are on the table, Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters: "It's troubling, because tensions are high and whose nerves are stronger, we don't know."

 

A U.S. official denied a report by Japan's Nikkei newspaper that the United States and Japan will call at Tuesday's meeting for an international embargo on oil exports to North Korea. Securing diplomatic agreement to such a ban would likely be extraordinarily difficult.

 

Diplomats say China and Russia typically only view a test of a long-range missile or a nuclear weapon as a trigger for further possible U.N. sanctions. Negotiations on the past three substantial U.N. sanctions resolutions have taken between one and three months.

 

The United States has proposed that the Security Council adopt a statement on Tuesday condemning North Korea's ballistic missile launch and imploring "all states to strictly, fully, and expeditiously implement" U.N.

sanctions on Pyongyang, according to a copy of the draft statement seen by Reuters. 

 

The draft statement does not threaten new Security Council action against North Korea.

 

In China, North Korea's lone major ally, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the crisis was "approaching a critical juncture", but it might also be a turning point to open the door to peace talks.

 

The launch was North Korea's second since U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared to make a peace overture last week, by welcoming what he called the restraint Pyongyang had shown by not conducting tests for several weeks. Trump also expressed optimism last week about a possible improvement in relations, saying of North Korea's Kim: "I respect the fact that he is starting to respect us."

 

Some experts in Asia said Kim was trying to pressure Washington to get to the negotiating table with the latest missile tests.

 

"(North Korea) thinks that by exhibiting their capability, the path to dialogue will open," said Masao Okonogi, professor emeritus at Japan's Keio University.

 

Graphic on North Korean missile trajectories, ranges -

 

HIGH-FLYING MISSILE

 

South Korea's military said the missile was launched from near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT on Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,680 miles), reaching an altitude of about 550 km (340 miles).

 

Four South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday after President Moon Jae-in asked the military to demonstrate capabilities to counter North Korea.

 

South Korea and the United States had discussed deploying additional "strategic assets" on the Korean peninsula, South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving more details.

 

Earlier this month, North Korea threatened to fire four missiles into the sea near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam after Trump said it would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.

 

North Korea fired what it said was a rocket carrying a communications satellite into orbit over Japan in 2009 after warning of its plan. The United States, Japan and South Korea considered it a ballistic missile test.

 

The latest missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (735 miles) east of Hokkaido, the Japanese government said.

 

In many northern Japanese towns, sirens wailed and loudspeakers urged residents to take precautions, sending some scrambling to leave their houses while others confessed they had no idea what they should do.

 

Kim's new act of defiance - http://tmsnrt.rs/2gl7lfy

 

(Additional reporting by Soyoung Kim in Seoul, Malcolm Foster, Chris Gallagher, Chang-ran Kim and Linda Sieg in Tokyo, Idrees Ali, David Brunnstrom, and David Alexander in Washington, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Nick Macfie and Alistair Bell; Editing by Paul Simao and James Dalgleish)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-30

[lovelomsak]

It looks to me like Kim wants to be remembered in history as the man from a little country in Asia who bombed America.  His legacy will be about bombing America and probably Japan.

[sweatalot]

Paper tiger Trump talking instead of acting - again.

[maoro2013]

8 minutes ago, sweatalot said:

Paper tiger Trump talking instead of acting - again.

You have got to be kidding right?

 

There is an answer and NK would be knocked out by the US within hours.

 

However DT is trying to  circumvent  nuclear war which in my opinion has serious advantages.

[boomerangutang]

On the one side is a nut-case.  On the other side is a different type of nut-case.  Not encouraging.  I think Trump will do a pre-emptive strike with a hundred cruise missiles, and several dozen bombing runs.  He's too immature to not take the bait.  It will be costly in money and lives and re-building - both physical things (infrastructure/buildings) and psychic costs for those in the line of fire.     

 

 

[boomerangutang]

Look at that photo with the OP.  Message to NK brass: Laugh when Fat Boy laughs.  Don't laugh, and risk prison or worse, for you and your family.   

I never knew pressing a button for a missile launch could be such a thrill.  Different strokes for different folks.  Personally, I prefer taking a solar shower on my sun deck, 2 hours after the sun goes down, and then gazing at the night sky.

[sawadeeken]

2 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

On the one side is a nut-case.  On the other side is a different type of nut-case.  Not encouraging.  I think Trump will do a pre-emptive strike with a hundred cruise missiles, and several dozen bombing runs.  He's too immature to not take the bait.  It will be costly in money and lives and re-building - both physical things (infrastructure/buildings) and psychic costs for those in the line of fire.     

 

 

I think IRAN is watching closely......... if NK can get away with it then Iran will attempt the same.......

If NK is shut down then Iran will not test us any further..................

[honu]

No matter what military actions would be taken Seoul is going to be vaporized; it's just too close and too easy a target, and North Korea isn't going down without taking millions of people with them.  

 

The next question is if North Korea really can destroy a Japanese or US city at present.  Probably not the latter, but it doesn't look good for Japan.

 

Trump really shouldn't be trying to escalate the threats, or conducting lots of additional military exercises, and South Korea shouldn't be starting into bombing.  Look at that guy in the picture; does he look so stable that he's definitely not going to decide to go out with a bang?  The same guy that just had his half-brother executed?  I get it that within another year or two he really will be able to destroy a couple of US cities on the way out but pushing towards nuclear bombs destroying Seoul and Tokyo isn't a conceivable outcome.  It sucks that there is no fix but what can you do.

[sawadeeken]

I don't understand the 'mechanics' of how it works but I thought it was in the news alot over the past couple years that the US was providing and installing 'Missile Shields' in South Korea..... With my very limited understanding of how it works, I somewhat think it is 'Our Own Missiles that can be fired at and take down other missiles that are in flight...... 

Don't we presently have technology to be aware the split second that NK fires a missile??? If we do then why aren't our Guided Missile Destroyer in the 'international waters' near NK and blow away all his 'test firings'...... and show him that there isn't going to be any of his missiles leave his soil or territory.........

As I say, I don't understand the 'Mechanics' of it's workings...... But if something like that is within our capabilities then maybe it will be starting soon.........

Then I'd like to see a smile on his face.........

[sweatalot]

27 minutes ago, honu said:

No matter what military actions would be taken Seoul is going to be vaporized; it's just too close and too easy a target, and North Korea isn't going down without taking millions of people with them.  

 

The next question is if North Korea really can destroy a Japanese or US city at present.  Probably not the latter, but it doesn't look good for Japan.

 

Trump really shouldn't be trying to escalate the threats, or conducting lots of additional military exercises, and South Korea shouldn't be starting into bombing.  Look at that guy in the picture; does he look so stable that he's definitely not going to decide to go out with a bang?  The same guy that just had his half-brother executed?  I get it that within another year or two he really will be able to destroy a couple of US cities on the way out but pushing towards nuclear bombs destroying Seoul and Tokyo isn't a conceivable outcome.  It sucks that there is no fix but what can you do.

 

It sucks but it has to be done - with as little collateral damage as possible

No way to let this madman get nukes and more control over other countries 

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, sawadeeken said:

I think IRAN is watching closely......... if NK can get away with it then Iran will attempt the same.......

If NK is shut down then Iran will not test us any further..................

Iran just said no to UN requested visits to military sites.

 

Time to get tough with these nations or one day, possibly, the unthinkable might happen.

[sawadeeken]

3 minutes ago, sweatalot said:

 

It sucks but it has to be done - with as little collateral damage as possible

No way to let this madman get nukes and more control over other countries 

Yes, use some time for the strategic planning, then do it....... don't give him much more time to complete more 'nuclear' arms......... Take time to try to find a few places where he hides and take out many of them first.

[sawadeeken]

3 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Iran just said no to UN requested visits to military sites.

 

Time to get tough with these nations or one day, possibly, the unthinkable might happen.

Yes..... I just read that same article about Iran..........

[Crossy]

Madman he may be, but the Japanese are taking it seriously (note "adult" language [in English]).

 

 

 

[ilostmypassword]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Iran just said no to UN requested visits to military sites.

 

Time to get tough with these nations or one day, possibly, the unthinkable might happen.

Except that no such request was made.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

Except that no such request was made.

http://www.dw.com/en/tehran-shuns-us-call-for-un-inspection-of-military-sites/a-40285725

 

[ilostmypassword]

16 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

http://www.dw.com/en/tehran-shuns-us-call-for-un-inspection-of-military-sites/a-40285725

 

Let me spell it out for you. No request has been made by the IAEA to Iran. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran was violating the agreement. The US State Dept and intelligence services disagree. He has no new evidence and without that the IAEA won't make such a request. Is that clear enough?

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

Let me spell it out for you. No request has been made by the IAEA to Iran. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran was violating the agreement. The US State Dept and intelligence services disagree. He has no new evidence and without that the IAEA won't make such a request. Is that clear enough?

Ummm...that's what the article says. The US doesn't believe Iran so wants some inspections. Is Iran afraid they'll find something?  History does repeat itself.  LOL

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction

 

After the IAEA voted in a rare non-consensus decision to find Iran in non-compliance with its NPT Safeguards Agreement and to report that non-compliance to the UN Security Council,[26][27] the Council demanded that Iran suspend its nuclear enrichment activities[28][29] and imposed sanctions against Iran[30][31][32][33] when Iran refused to do so.[34] Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad argued that the sanctions were illegal.[35] The IAEA has been able to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran, but not the absence of undeclared activities.

[Gene1960]

 
Time to get tough with these nations or one day, possibly, the unthinkable might happen.

The problem is how tough is tough and what's left of the world if it's tough enough.

[ilostmypassword]

12 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Ummm...that's what the article says. The US doesn't believe Iran so wants some inspections. Is Iran afraid they'll find something?  History does repeat itself.  LOL

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction

 

After the IAEA voted in a rare non-consensus decision to find Iran in non-compliance with its NPT Safeguards Agreement and to report that non-compliance to the UN Security Council,[26][27] the Council demanded that Iran suspend its nuclear enrichment activities[28][29] and imposed sanctions against Iran[30][31][32][33] when Iran refused to do so.[34] Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad argued that the sanctions were illegal.[35] The IAEA has been able to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran, but not the absence of undeclared activities.

How anybody could be so gullible as you is beyond me. When Trump signed off on the agreement he said he didn't believe that Iran was complying.  His Secretary of State, his Secretary of Defense, and his national security advisor all disagreed with him. And not only them. Israel intelligence services, too. On the other hand, Trump did have the backing of Steve BAnnon and Sebastian Gorka. And now And now Trump is pushing for a second team to come up with evidence to support his contention. Shades of George Bush and Dick Cheney!

And what makes your support even more clueless is that Trump's defiance of the evidence actually harms the case for having North Korea agree to give up its nuclear weapons.. Why would anyone believe that the USA under Trump will honor an agreement with North Korea when it's clear that Trump is looking to undermine a nuclear control agreement that's already in place?

[metisdead]

This topic is about North Korea and their threats of nuclear strikes, the topic is not about Iran's weapons of mass destruction.  If the discussion continues about Iran, posts and replies will disappear from this topic:

 

7. Please do not post off-topic responses in an attempt to hijack the thread. Such posts will be deleted.