Korean combat likely, defense expert says

[Makalakumu]

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2013/04/05/7042067.htm

Apr 05, 2013 (The Honolulu Star-Advertiser - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- An East Coast defense expert says there's a 90 percent chance that North Korea will start a shooting exchange with South Korea that will result in a cycle of successively larger retaliations by both sides -- a scenario that could draw the United States back into conflict on the peninsula.


John Pike, director of think tank GlobalSecurity.org, said it has become "quite clear" that North Korea's young "supreme leader," Kim Jong Un, "needs to be seen as the public face of a successful military confrontation with the Americans." North Korea is running out of "nonkinetic," or nonwarfare, moves, Pike said.

"So they are going to have to start shooting as they have done in the past," Pike said. "I don't know exactly what they are going to shoot at, but they are going to find something in South Korea to shoot at." Pike said he doesn't know when that will happen, but suspects the South Koreans "aren't going to stand for it, and they will hit back -- only harder." The North will then respond in kind, he contends.


"Kim Jong Un's challenge is to demonstrate that he is the iron-willed commander, that he will not flinch in the face of adversity," Pike said by telephone Thursday.

I read this in the paper today...

 

[DennisBreene]

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2013/04/05/7042067.htm



I read this in the paper today...

And how will the world powers align themselves over N. Korea's ill conceived PR attempts. I don't see China rushing across the border to save N. Korea when the US has become one of it's biggest customers.

 

[Big Don]

 

[arnisador]

Now that's funny. The situation isn't, but that is.

 

[Jaeimseu]

Or they may wait until the joint US/SK military drills are over and then claim to have "stood down" the oppressive American regime and their SK puppets.

 

[Big Don]

Or they may wait until the joint US/SK military drills are over and then claim to have "stood down" the oppressive American regime and their SK puppets.

Kinda reminds me of Baghdad Bob...

 

[arnisador]

Kinda reminds me of Baghdad Bob...

Worked out well for him. Oh wait, no...

I have to believe this is all about a show for his internal audience, but the chance of a small misstep blowing up is large.