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N. Korea to launch suspected orbital weapon; world set to fall apart in aftermath
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From CNN:
This is the bare bones of the situation. It makes it sound like Korea just declared war on the world, but read on. Korea insists that it is not only doing nothing wrong, but that it's not doing anything that we should even think is wrong.
The North Koreans insist that this is just a commercial satellite, but unless they either back off the launch or satisfy the United States that the rocket is no threat, this could be a major shitstorm whether it's a weapon or not. Our government might decide to go in pre-emptively, or the Koreans might just get pissed when we shoot down their satellite on launch.
The Russians are also getting involved, in the sense that they've issued a statement that the DPRK should reconsider the launch. Do they actually care? Probably not.
China hasn't, to my knowledge, issued an official statement on this, which is unsurprising. But China hasn't exactly been helpful and cooperative lately, and they've been stepping up military spending drastically. We haven't reached 1961 tensions, exactly, but if this fiasco opens the door to a reunification war, I don't think they'll be happy with such a close US ally getting complacent right at their doorstep, and it definitely wouldn't help our countries' relationship.
But the most insidious (I so strategically use the word insidious, because it's definitely not the most dangerous issue but it is the most insidious) is the Japanese show of force. The missile shield is entirely appropriate, but the destroyers set a worrying precedent.
Their motives here seem sincere, but regardless of the way this goes, are we going to let them start doing this kind of thing all the time?
This situation could just blow over. It probably will. North Korea might decide to back off, or we might determine that it is in fact a commercial satellite. But the situation also might mushroom.
Is there anything we can do to make sure it doesn't? And if it doesn't, how can we help to lower tensions and work with other nations to make sure they stay low, not just between Asia and the western world, but between Korea and Korea, Korea and China, China and Japan, Japan and Korea, and elsewhere in the world?
TOKYO, (CNN) -- Japan is mobilizing its missile defense system, and U.S. Navy ships are deploying to the Sea of Japan, as North Korea prepares to launch a rocket that is expected next month, officials said.
This is the bare bones of the situation. It makes it sound like Korea just declared war on the world, but read on. Korea insists that it is not only doing nothing wrong, but that it's not doing anything that we should even think is wrong.
North Korea says it will launch a commercial satellite on top of a rocket sometime between April 4 and April 8. But other governments fear the North Koreans will actually put a long-range missile on top of the rocket.
The United States and Japan have been stepping up pressure on North Korea, hoping to head off the launch.
The North Koreans insist that this is just a commercial satellite, but unless they either back off the launch or satisfy the United States that the rocket is no threat, this could be a major shitstorm whether it's a weapon or not. Our government might decide to go in pre-emptively, or the Koreans might just get pissed when we shoot down their satellite on launch.
The Russians are also getting involved, in the sense that they've issued a statement that the DPRK should reconsider the launch. Do they actually care? Probably not.
China hasn't, to my knowledge, issued an official statement on this, which is unsurprising. But China hasn't exactly been helpful and cooperative lately, and they've been stepping up military spending drastically. We haven't reached 1961 tensions, exactly, but if this fiasco opens the door to a reunification war, I don't think they'll be happy with such a close US ally getting complacent right at their doorstep, and it definitely wouldn't help our countries' relationship.
But the most insidious (I so strategically use the word insidious, because it's definitely not the most dangerous issue but it is the most insidious) is the Japanese show of force. The missile shield is entirely appropriate, but the destroyers set a worrying precedent.
Japan's military has two-pronged orders: to move destroyers carrying air-to-sea missiles to the Sea of Japan, which separates Japan and North Korea, and to send land-to-air missiles to northern Japan.
However, the probability of a missile successfully hitting a moving target without a known trajectory -- as in the case of debris -- is very low, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshitada Konoike said earlier this week.
Their motives here seem sincere, but regardless of the way this goes, are we going to let them start doing this kind of thing all the time?
This situation could just blow over. It probably will. North Korea might decide to back off, or we might determine that it is in fact a commercial satellite. But the situation also might mushroom.
Is there anything we can do to make sure it doesn't? And if it doesn't, how can we help to lower tensions and work with other nations to make sure they stay low, not just between Asia and the western world, but between Korea and Korea, Korea and China, China and Japan, Japan and Korea, and elsewhere in the world?
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Unless by "commercial satellite" they mean a giant orbital "EAT AT JOE'S" sign or something, I'm pretty sure they don't have the capacity to build a satellite without outside help.
As for Japan: Korean and Japan have a pretty nasty history that goes back at least a thousand years, and the Koreans just through a ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan a decade or so ago as a giant "fuck you." The tension from the Japanese is entirely understandable.
We need more orbtial death satellites...
North Korea launched a laser death satellite in Goldeneye?
I suspect it will be more like You Only Live Twice.
Wikipedia - Die Another Day (2002) is the twentieth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. In the pre-title sequence, Bond leads a mission to North Korea, during which he is found out and, after killing a rogue North Korean colonel, he is captured and imprisoned. More than a year later, Bond is released as part of a prisoner exchange, and he follows a trail of clues in an effort to earn redemption by finding his betrayer and learning the intentions of billionaire Gustav Graves, who turns out to be the same colonel he supposedly killed. Bond pursues the colonel to stop him from using a satellite to reignite the war between North and South Korea.
Real satellite.
Oh
Well there was also an orbital death laser in Goldeneye
In Goldeneye it was an EMP
And to the topic at hand, we shot down a NK rocket back in 06. This is really nothing new
You're forgetting Japanese tech is way ahead of ours.
So, how are they launching orbital satellites (with or without weapons attached)?
Even if this is just a satellite, I have a feeling it'll go up and just come right back down again. Hopefully without doing any damage.
Answer: Because the people in charge there are batshit insane.
This is just a demonstration of a bargaining chip that the north koreans intend to barter away, albeit at as steep a price as they can squeeze us for.
If you want to worry about nuclear brinkmanship, follow Pakistani politics.
He said "Your going to leave South Korea when your contract is up right? Since North Korea has nukes and is gonna blow up Seoul" or whatever else half correct info he heard about it.
My answer: "When the South Koreans I see every day start worrying, I'll worry".
After that, I told one of my co-workers about my friend/family worrying about North Korea, and she laughed.
So ya. whatever they launch will crash into the East Sea and do nothing. And then they will come back to the talks and say "Give us oil and rice, we gots rockets!"
PSN: Corbius
Satellites are not difficult technology anymore. Hell, Universities build them as student projects. You can do it with off-the-shelf technology.
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/kim_jong_il_announces_plan_to
Only time to get really worried is when the Chinese actually feel they have been pushed in a corner. But till that point, they won't start anything. Even in the recession there is way to much money to be had by not trying to take over the world with your military.
So that's all sorts of fun to be dealing with.
I know it's ruled with an iron fist but usually these sorts of governments have a pretty short life expectancy. How long can you run a country with no medical care, pandemic hunger, organized rape and such like before shit finally just falls apart?
I'd imagine it becomes easier when you blame your problems on South Korea/the US. Also, when you have managed to basically enshrine your leaders as godlike figures (The Great Leader)
PSN: Corbius
It'll be interesting when he finally dies. Hopefully he gets replaced by a cabal of less crazy jackasses. That, or warlords.
PSN: Corbius
The last I heard the thought was that one of his equally crazy sons would take over, but likely as a pure figurehead, with the country actually run by high ranking Party members.
Which makes sense, if you consider that officially, Kim Jong Ill's dead father is still the leader of the country.
PSN: Corbius
As for how serious this 'satellite' launch is, well, it's not. This is just the regular petulance of a child-like North Korean state. None of my friends in the RoK (Koreans and Waeguk) are particularly worried about this, and I figure the Japanese aren't either.
Corbius, have they had the spring air raid drill yet?
PSN: Corbius
Were they poorly photoshopped?
Or like, is there serious satellite death ray technology? :shock:
Hey man, in the 80's we wanted to launch laser satellites into space. Project Star Wars, don'tcha know.
But they were based around being anti-missile defense. And I doubt Korea has the funding to make such a thing.
Yeah, it ain't to bad, just don't try and walk/drive anywhere while it's happening. It's just funny how serious the people pulling it off are, and how much everybody else doesn't care about it.
Hoping it blows over. Otherwise, given the history Japan and Korea share, not to mention China's current shifty activities, things could get really bad, really fast.
Because whenever it gets bad enough we just give them free food.
they do shit like this everytime we stop paying attention to them.
They are not going to do something intentionally dangerous because they know they'd be right fucked if they did.
Japan and America are just using this as an attempt to puff our their chests.
but what if they are secretly building a giant robot or something
Its North Korea, not Japan.
if NK builds a giant robot it'll probably have one leg and its main weapon would inadvertently shoot itself in the face.
And be made of the bones of all the North Koreans who've died of starvation or execution.
And look like Kim Jong Il.