US tracks North Korean Ship

[AGDee]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. military is tracking a North Korean ship believed to be carrying illicit weapons or technology, a senior U.S. official said Thursday.The ship, the Kang Nam, is a North Korean-flagged ship, according to two senior U.S. officials, and is currently in the Pacific.North Korea has warned that any effort to stop one of its ships would be considered an act of war.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapc...hip/index.html

How big of a threat do you think this is? It seems like North Korea keeps pushing this further and further. CNN is reporting that it is suspected that they've counterfeited large amounts of US money to get around any embargos.

[VandalSquirrel]

I am sure this is related to the situation with North Korea and a potential missile aimed (that wouldn't reach) towards Hawaii for the dates July 4-8.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...DuyRwD98SSVOO1

Seriously, what the hell is North Korea thinking, anything they do that hits Japan is going to cause problems not with just the USA.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

I am sure this is related to the situation with North Korea and a potential missile aimed (that wouldn't reach) towards Hawaii for the dates July 4-8.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...DuyRwD98SSVOO1

Seriously, what the hell is North Korea thinking, anything they do that hits Japan is going to cause problems not with just the USA.

They're smoking the same stuff Iran is smoking. Any nuclear attack by them against any of our allies would mean huge (possibly total) destruction of them. I still think this is politicians grandstanding in front of their people; the leaders of those countries are smart enough to know what awaits them if they use nuclear weapons. Unfortunately the citizens of those countries live in a state completely sheltered from news and conversations in the world around them, and they know no better than what their leaders tell them (maybe Iranians know a little more, but not a lot)...thereby making grandstanding very appealing to the leaders. They're just trying to show off and secure their power in their own countries and regions.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by OTW

I'll be in Michigan at that time.

Still, this stinks.

When I was reading that the information was provided by the Japanese I had a moment where I thought "60+ years ago who would have thought Japan would be helping us prevent an attack on Hawaii?" and "Who thought we'd have two Koreas and one wouldn't be our ally?" Furthermore with the historical issues between Japan and Korea(s) one might think Japan is the real target.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union I am continually confused as to how North Korea can still function (same with Cuba) without the support of the USSR.

ETA: I realize China gives North Korea support, but they've even cut back (they strengthened the border because so many North Koreans were escaping to defect to China) and as much as China likes to be communist and control their people, I think even China is getting a bit fed up with North Korean actions on the global level. If China seems like an awesome place to live with all their regulations, obviously North Korea is really unpleasant.

[texas*princess]

I seriously wish all those crazy ppl would just disappear.

North Korea keeps pushing and pushing, and it doesn't seem like anyone is doing anything about it except giving speeches on how all of that isn't cool with the rest of the world.

I don't think anyone will even do anything until N. Korea actually fires a f'ing missile or something that hurts ppl.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

They're smoking the same stuff Iran is smoking. Any nuclear attack by them against any of our allies would mean huge (possibly total) destruction of them. I still think this is politicians grandstanding in front of their people; the leaders of those countries are smart enough to know what awaits them if they use nuclear weapons.

I kind of agree with this. I mean, I think you're right, but I think in North Korea 's case, they have a history of selling their weapons and technology to other nations, so they might be looking for buyers, and I think that is a good part of the threat, not that the People's Democratic Republic would attack, but that some terrorist organization or other rogue state with less to loose might attack, if not directly on U.S. soil, then at an embassy or one of our Allies' embassies.

[madmax]

Are all the liberals from Hawaii still against a missile defense system?

[texas*princess]

Yipes. No bueno.

North Korea gives threats of war

As tensions continue to sizzle in Iran and the U.S. is still mired in two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, North Korea has threatened to “wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all.” The aggressors being the U.S.

Recent reports out of Japan state that North Korea may fire short to long range missiles toward the island of Hawaii as soon as 4th of July weekend. U.S. military officials continue to closely monitor the situation, but North Korea has gotten more aggressive with its language as of late.

An official from the North Korean Central News Agency states that North Korea will consider an interception of any of its ships by the U.S. military as a declaration of war.

[Kevin]

Point of fact... we're still officially at war with North Korea, right? Never signed a treaty or ceasefire? So wouldn't a declaration of war be somewhat unnecessary?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Point of fact... we're still officially at war with North Korea, right? Never signed a treaty or ceasefire? So wouldn't a declaration of war be somewhat unnecessary?

I have no idea of this exact point, but it would be kind of superfluous compared to the "Bombing -> Bombing -> Bombing -> Bombing -> Japan in ruins -> Thanks Ronald Reagan!" sequence an actual war with North Korea would entail.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Point of fact... we're still officially at war with North Korea, right? Never signed a treaty or ceasefire? So wouldn't a declaration of war be somewhat unnecessary?

i don't believe so. did we declare or did they recently?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by starang21

i don't believe so. did we declare or did they recently?

No, I think our official status since 1950 is that we're still officially at war.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by Kevin

No, I think our official status since 1950 is that we're still officially at war.

We signed an armistice in 1953, pretty much agreeing we're not fighting a war, but we didn't agree the war was over.

People said a history degree was useless

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Kevin

No, I think our official status since 1950 is that we're still officially at war.

i thought a truce was called like 3 years later

[Xanthus]

We're going to be spreading ourselves way too thin if we get into a war with North Korea. If we do go to war with them, a draft would follow.