What do you suggest he do... nuke North Korea today? They are a sovereign country and have a right to do whatever they want within their borders (just as the US does). They fully understand that attacking a neighbor will result in their own destruction.

Yawn....stupid North Korea. They are just throwing another tantrum.

Tell them to do 50 more tests and render the country unusable and unlivable.

AMEN!

You mean like the leader we just got out of office that obviously allowed them to aquire this technology??? It isn't like they pulled this together in the last couple of months so you can clearly blame the last administration for allowing it to happen.

GetaLife2; You mean like the administration before Bush. The administration that sold N.Korea nuclear reactors, is that one your referring to?

Some of you really are unbelievable.You try to blame Obama for this when he has been in office for 4 months.

If this is Obama's fault then 9/11 is Bush's fault plain and simple.

Bush was in office for 9 months and you claim it was Clinton's fault for 9/11,you can't have it both ways.

Well Ed,. evidently your not aware of Clintoon striking a deal with NK selling them nuclear reactors and the rods to produce atomic grade plutonium. Providing they used it for only " Peaceful" means . No Ed, I'm not blaming this on Obama but I am laying it at the foot of Clinton and Bush

Ed it is obama's fault becuase whenever they try some antic like their "satellite" missile. What did Obama do? NOTHING.

All Obama ever gives them are words like " i am disappointed in you". They know he is weak.

North Korea and Iran need to be taken out!!!!! Wake up people!! They dont care! This Earth that we so much love will not be the same!
Take Action!

NK tested a nuke a couple of years ago. What did shrub do? nothing.

Maybe world war should have been started!! Dont you see the end result?

hahaha,

I just had to see how long it took for someone to make this about Obama - done in one. So very predictable.

Here's my thoughts on the nuclear test; Big Deal

Seriously, the North Koreans have pulled this kind of stuff before during the previous two administrations as well. They do this kind of stuff to get the world's attention, and they've been doing it for years. They use it as a bargaining chip to begin talks and gain benefits for their own country. That and no doubt Kim Jong-Il and his inner circle use it to as a propaganda tool to consolidate their power within their own borders - they'll say it's an act of defiance against their many external enemies and that the test was an exercise of their sovereign right.

They know that if they tried anything against South Korea or Japan, they would be levelled in kind. Let's face, in light of all the many problems facing the world, North Korea isn't near the top, not by a long shot.

Is North Korea worth going to war over, in order to undertake another pre-emptive "regime change" invasion? I'd say the costs involved far outweigh any potential benefits to anyone, especially at this time. Think about it; the U.S. still has a heavy presence in Iraq and a growing one in Afghanistan - and the other NATO countries have either withdrawn from those conflicts or are in the process of disengaging from them, there is no public will for yet another conflict. Then there is the issue of Iran, which may quickly become the U.S.'s problem if Israel decides to act unilaterally... There are other options with regard to North Korea, of that I'm sure.

I shouldn't be surprised though that people would immediately seize on this and simplified it in order to advance yet another obvious partisan attack rather than try to view the event in it's proper context.

You people are pathetic. This is serious stuff and you talk like you know what's going on, but you don't have a clue.

so shallow!

Ed it is obama's fault becuase whenever they try some antic like their "satellite" missile. What did Obama do? NOTHING.

And besides putting N Korea in the infamous "Axis of Evil" just what was it that W did??????When they tested that bomb just last year what was it that W did???When they told us they were going to restart enriching what was it that W did????

Anytime you have an answer for me that isn't about your own political feelings then be my guest to share it with the rest of on here.

Every US leader since the 50's is just as much to blame as the others.

To the people who are saying to just bomb them.Have you given any thought to this or is that your standard answer for everything you disagree with -Bomb them till they agree with us.

It won't work,you will never be able to get all the weapons they have by now and what happens then?

Any answers to that one??

If you could just put yourself in their shoes for one question- If you were them and you just saw what we did in Iraq and Afghanistan do you have any other real choice but to get nuclear weapons to defend yourself from us? Nuclear weapons are the only way to keep your nation sovereign in this day and age otherwise you have to bow to the big powers.

remember during his campaign, Obama down played North Korea as a threat because it's just a little country, said the same thing about Iran.

How's that HOPE and CHANGE working out for you, america?

So, just WHEN is the current administration going to start leading our country. According to you liberal hypocrites anything prior to 2000 never happened! Everything bad on this planet has occured ONLY in the past 8 years.

Just because you don't like the direction he's taking the country doesn't mean he isn't leading sir.

No motorcity I never claimed Clinton didn't make a mistake.There are several things I dislike about Clinton's 8 years like NAFTA for example.

Can I ask you what in your opinion that Bush had done wrong in his 8 years because I have an awfully long list in my mind,and the way he went about Iran and N Korea are in the top 5-6.

If we had taken Bush's approach during the cold war we would have all died decades ago duing the Cuban missile crisis.You need to talk to your enemies to settle differences not ignore them and just hope they go away.If I remember Reagan had many high level talks with the Soviets and nobody called Reagan weak for doing it did they??

Captain Marvelous

You remind me of Chicken Little running around yelling "The sky is falling","The sky is falling".

Get a hold of yourself and realize this changes almost nothing unless you actually feel that N Korea is going to commit suicide by attacking us.

We went through this for the past 60+ years and we will still get through this as long as we can keep fanatics from getting these weapons we will be ok.

No wonder these other countires think they can push us around when cowards are crying about us being beaten by these realitively small threats like Al Queada and N Korea.

N Korea wants money. That is it in a nut shell. One can build a rocket and one can build a bomb but the trick is putting the two together. With that said it is time for the CIA hit squad to be reactivated.

Waah Waaah! N. Korea is testing nukes!

So what. If the rest of the world cares so much, we can sqeeze them even harder with embargos.

If we and other countries can have nukes, then so can they.

N. Korean leaders realize that the moment they fire off a nuke at somebody offensively, they will have signed their country's death warrant. I doubt they want to commit suicide. They obviously like being in power and living well while their people suffer.

There are 2 concerns about North Korea having nuclear weapons:

1) a high level defector in the 90s stated that N. Koreas long term plan is to develop nuclear weapons and missiles that can carry them to Japan. They would then work on their conventional force and eventually conduct a lightening convetional invasion to capture South Korea in the name of reuniting the 2 Koreas. Once South Korea was taken, they would ask for peace and threaten to nuke Japan if any nation (i.e. US) tried to retake the South. Pretty good strategy.

2) the other concern is that N. Korea will share their technology with other nations or groups. They already appear to have established a facility with the Syrians which was destroyed by the Israelis last year. Also, N. Korea might just sell a nuke or nukes to terrorists. North Korea needs money badly and sanctions will just heighten that need.

So, to those who say its nobody's business that they are developing these weapons, this is why we are concerned. Also, the Non-prolif and test-ban treaty prohibit the development and testing.

Yep, hope and change. Hope we don't get nuked before we can change who is the POTUS

The good news, Mrs. Pelosi is in the area! Send her to the Norks. She can share her feelings about the Bush administration with the great leader.

Our President will run to the UN, then give a nice speech and hope Iran tests a bomb soon.
This way he can be the popular guy always saying the right things.
Oh, I forgot, it is of course the fault of the Bush administration.

I too wish we had a true leader in the White House. All the talk of Obama and his desire to reach out to the rouge nations, assigning special envoys ... and look at the results.... For years the democratic neighbors of N. Korea have been talking, and with no results...

Wake up Obama... No, we do not have to go and nuke them, but please... stop wasting time while N. Korea and Iran, and who knows who else is rapidly making nucelar weapons...

The problem with North Korea having nuclear weapons is that the threat of retaliation is not effective when all indications are that Kim Jong Il is not rational. Put him and Ahmedinejad in a room and it would look like an episode of Batman. What a world!

I'm glad we finally have a leader that wouldn't fit in as the third stooge.

Yeah its sad that Bush ignored this madman for eight years and treated him like a child. North Korea built its nuclear arsenal during the bush years set off its first nuke during the bush years and what did bush do? He invaded Iraq looking for weapons of mass destruction guess we now know where they were all along, great leadership.

I'll bet H Clinton is really disappointed now. I guess its time for another strongly worded letter to NK. Yeah, that's the ticket.

So North Korea is acting like they will always act, and most in this thread sit back and kick Obama, Bush, and Clinton around as it being "their fault".  You all need to get a grip.  Does anyone remember the Korean war at all?  Do you remember how many died and how horrible that war really was?... sorry, it wasn't a war.  If not, read a history book! North Korea is a pain in everyone's butt, but what, really, can we do about it?  I know one thing:  we can't go around the world and take unilateral "action" against everyone we perceive to be a threat or evil or against our oil interests, etc., etc.

The ONLY real chance we have in the "big picture" is to MAKE the U.N. work.  Oh, yea, Obama's not "leading" because he's not being pupetted by Cheney and doesn't "take out" NK's nuclear facilities.  Personally, I don't want him to.  I want him to make the U.N. thing work as well as it can, whether sanctions, embargos, you name it.  But DO NOT go spend more of our kids lives and American resources and money on ridding ourselves of a "splinter" of a country.

Obama... its a good start, but grab the rest of the world by the collar and make the U.N. work... soon!

petyob:

Sure NK could invade and conquer SK. Then they would tell the rest of the world just how dangerous it would be to fool with them. But. . . . GUESS WHAT?? Maybe you would be kind enough to explain how the NK would even FEED those they have counquered as we all know they can't even feed the folks in NK.It is nice to have a zillion drones dress-up in uniforms and goose-step at parades before their leaders, display empty missiles, take a dump when they're told to, and scream that they would die for the little midget who runs the country. Then they would sooner or later have to get a ride on the airship from Oz back to Kansas and reality.

I thought Obama was going to sit down and talk things over with the rogue leaders of the world, at least that's what he said. Maybe he can talk things over in a little game of one on one, show them his hang time.

Realistic Ed

Leaders of countries are just like individual bullies; they will push for an advantage until they are stopped. The Berlin wall is a perfect example of what happens when the US leadership falters and does not take decisive action. When the wall was built the instructions were to stop and pull back if the Allied forces took steps to confront the building, we did not act and the wall was built with thousands suffering as a result. Contrast that to the Cuban missile crisis where we did take decisive steps including physically confronting Russian ships.

The leaders of Iran and North Korea understand that we have elected a leader who has zero experience in the conduct of foreign affairs and will continue to test that knowledge until they get bloodied (either physically or economically) and the longer it takes the more serious the consequences will be.

FYI: I think that GB was one of the worst Presidents and if the Democrats had had the sense to put up a moderate candidate, he probably would not have had a second term.

Clinton's Fault,Bush's fault,Obama's fault..... Its NOBODY'S fault but N.Koreas. They want to get everybody's attention and squeeze more money out of them. "Here take another billion dollars just dont work on those nukes anymore" BS Kim Jong is like a spoiled little kid. He shows his ass cause he knows it will get him his way again.

Jeez these guys cant get a missile to fly straight and we are worried about them building a nuke. Hell they will blow themselves up first! Which might be a good thing.

Why do we have to be the World Police? With all the problems we have in our own country maybe we should try ignoring the rest of the worlds idiots and work on our own problems.

Kris B - There were 8 years of bellicosity from N Korea on Bush's watch, despite (or maybe partially because of) Bush's bellicosity toward them. Then Bush tried nice-nicey, and the result, except for that bizarre dismantling and then rebuilding of a nuclear facility, seems to have been the same.

So, if Mr. Leadership wasn't able to affect their behavior in 8 years of threats, diplomatic initiatives, and meetings, why do you fault Obama for failing to do so in the first 4 months of his presidency?

The consensus here from the right wingers who bemoan that there is no leader in the White House is this: Only an angry, belligerant response will work in any relationship with anyone for any situation or any reason.

This is the reasoning of the former Vice-President Cheney and his minions. They turn President Kennedy's maxim on its head. While Kennedy said 'Let's never negotiate out of fear, let's never fear to negotiate.' Cheney and his hosts of right wingers say 'always fear to negotiate, never talk to anybody. Let's in a world of fear, distrust and hate and please, let's never try to change all this.'

It's regrettable that this tiny divided nation needs to show its strength by testing nuclear weapons. We did this for a generation until the 1980s. I believe this is more of a sign of weakness and a sure sign that North Korea is about to collapse. I am sure that President Obama has an intelligent and productive response that will render our nation and our world safer.

We haven't a leader, no Sec of State either. Both talk the talk but will not walk the walk. The U.N. is of little or no use. Israel will have to take care of the problem as soon as they get the ok from China and Russia....which may not take too much longer.

"If North Korea carried out a nuclear test, it would clearly violate U.N. Security Council resolutions,"

Ho hum. I'm sure they care about these "resolutions". Saddan Hussein also ignored U.N. Security Council resolutions, and I'm sure North Korea doesn't feel threatened by anything Obama says, knowing he will not actually do anything except talk, and China will make sure no sanctions will work.

Get a Life2

"It isn't like they pulled this together in the last couple of months so you can clearly blame the last administration for allowing it to happen."

You might want to read a little more deeply into the past and see the agreement Bill Clinton made with the North Koreans to find out who really allowed them to develop nukes.

Anything and everything that comes of this will be on BO. He has exhibited his lack of knowledge and understanding as he has toured the world trying to impress others. He thinks he can run the world the same way he learned from his associates in Chicago. Those who think he's going to 'save' anything or anyone are going to be terribly deflated because all his actions show everyone that he is a 'paper donkey'... not even rising to the level of a paper tiger! Dragging his teleprompter to the UN and always reading from it will mean nothing, no matter what he says. The UN stating they will not stand for NK doing this will mean no more than the paper it's written on because it will be flushed down the toilet when he finishes using it.

BO is the biggest mistake this country has ever made, and it appears to be a suicidal mistake concerning the Constitution and the future of the US. One does not kick a friend and then expect that friend to remain loyal. One does not pony up to enemies and expect them to become loyal. BO has done both.

Maybe Obama has taken a line from a fellow fore-more Democratic President

"If you can't convince them, confuse them."
- Harry S. Truman

The little weasel must think he's not getting enough attention in the world's media! Unfortunately, as long as he is confining his tests to underground in his own country, there is not much the rest of the world can do about it.

Let's see now. A slimeball dictator who has regularly threatened to attack his neighbors sets off a nuclear device and most of the posting here are arguments about GWB and BHO. What a joke. North Korea has been a rogue state since the 50's when the attacked South Korea. Take your pick between Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama as to who is responsible for the current situation. All of them or none of them make about as much sense. Obama has the least amount of culpability since he is just taking office. Unfortunately he may well be in the most critical point in time in dealing with the North Koreans. Having nukes is not a joke. So, if you want to foolishly point fingers at whomever based on your political persuasion go ahead but the real enemy here is the North Korean government and their insane leader.

Maybe you would be kind enough to explain how the NK would even FEED those they have counquered

If the North Koreans attacked South Korea, they wouldn't worry about matters like that. They'd simply announce that if other countries didn't provide enough food, the South Koreans would starve and it would be the fault of the international community for letting it happen. A society that deludes itself into believing that the "dear leader" makes the flowers grow is capable of any twist of logic.

Kris, you mean like Bushy ? IMAO ! wake up kid !!!!

Kris,

You mean a leader like Ronnie Reagan would have cut and run at the first sign or resistance? Or maybe a George W. Bush who would have reacted to a North Korean launch by invading, say, Brazil (and losing)? Give us all a break and drop the trolling just like the country is dropping the GOP.

LostYankee,

You're still lost. The 1994 Clinton (actually Bill Richardson) "deal" was to exchange, kilowatt for kilowatt, with most of the financial financial backing from South Korea and Japan, that it would provide two light-water nuclear reactors for electricity, send a large supply of fuel oil, and that it will not invade North Korea. Light water reactors cannot be used to make nuclear weapons. Period. The reactors would have been French-made since American (GE) reactors do not meet international safety standards. There would have been a large number of strings attached --- nuclear inspections, dismantlement of all fuel reprocessing facilities, complete disclosure of the nuclear program, destruction of all reprocessed fuel, etc, etc.

George W. Bush cancelled the "deal" during his first State of the Union address and officially cancelled it in October 2002, leaving North Korea to resume the program that had been halted since October 21, 1994. Bush and Rove were unable to ever give any coherent reason for cancelling the deal which had been thus far verifiably working for seven years. China, Japan, and South Korea, who had invested trememdous political capital in the "deal" were dismayed and the South Korean government, which had been very U.S.-friendly fell to a "reformist" government. Likewise the U.S.-friendly Japanese government lost its majority in the Diet.

So, my Republican friend. You can blame it on Clinton. But history blames it on W. Every time you people tell one of these lies, you need to be called out. This is exactly why the GOP is continuing to lose ground every day. You cannot tell a lie often enough to make it the truth (though that seems to be the only Republican strat3egy they can think of at the moment.)

Do you not remember 2006? It wasn't nuclear. It was just a large underground explosion with some radioactive material throw in to make it look like one. The only one who says they have had a successful nuclear explosion is N Korea. They claim its was Hiroshima like, But yet no one outside the country saw the mushroom cloud or had seismic meters pick up that large of explosion. Remember this is Lil Kim. Lil Kim be Krazy. This is propaganda and your believing it. If he says he's learned to do magic are you going to believe that too?

Don't worry folks. Obama is making arrangements to fly right over there and apologize.

Well, it looks like that little weasel Kim is not getting enough attention from the international media again, so he's upping the ante again. The big problem is that as long as his nuclear tests are undergroung and on his own turf, there is not much the international community can do about it. All they can do is shake their fingers at NK and say "bad boys, bad boys!"

Accidently repeated myself. Did not realize the previous post #1.44 had posted.

.

NO Barrack came to the right gate, at Toledo Machining plant in Perrysburg Ohio, I think North Korea is trying to get Snow`s attention by Snow not asking North Korea to become part of Ceribus, nothing like feeling left out. I mean afterall he is showing the world what Barrack had to give up just to run for office, his stocks in Sattelittes,,, so what I am getting out of this is I`ll give up mine, satellittes now where is our investments at???(interest in Ceribus)

THI: They do not have the right to do anything they want within their borders. That is where you liberals are dead wrong. That is how Hitler came to power and started a war that claimed over 60 million people. We have the moral obligation to respond...militarily if necessary.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The answer is isolationism! We have ALL the resources we need for ourselves, let the rest of the world do what they wish. Take care of ourselves and keep our fingers on the buttons, if they make a move in our direction, turn their countries into self illuminated glass parking lots. Concentrate on building a REAL missile defense system. Let them kill each other off, then take what we need from the ruins. It's the easiest, and most importantly, the least expensive way to go both in money and lives (our lives of course).

President Obama is calling for international action in a statement from Washington. "North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security."

How stupid is our current president? North Korea has nuclear weapons and is testing them they are not ATTEMPTING TO DEVELOP THEM, they have them. But maybe he is unaware of this also. That is his normal excuse. He was unaware that Reverend Wright hated America even though he attend church there for almost 20 years, he was unaware that some of his friends committed acts of domestic terrorism, he was unaware that his aunt lived here illegally, Unaware that his brother lives on pennies a day in hut in Kenya, (But he was not born there, he is aware of that just cannot offer proof), he was unaware that five of his nominees were cheating of their taxes, unaware that his nominee for the EPA was under investigation for mismanaging 25 million in EPA funds, and the list goes on and on.

My grandfather has alzheimers and is more aware of what is happening around him then this idiot.

President Obama's new book will be called the Audacity of Unawareness....

Motorcity Rock - You fear your government? You are wise to do so, and so should everybody else. Thomas Jefferson said "When the people fear a government, that is tyranny. When a government fears the people, that is a democracy." It's time to make the government fear the people. We need to start to seriously begin to form militias in every state from coast to coast. Many states have already taken this step and the rest NEED to follow suit. Please take a look at some very basic information on the subject on how to begin that I have posted at> www.blogtalkradio.com/Barrett-Man Pay close attention to what our founding fathers had say about the need for we the people to have and maintain militias. They were WISE and knowledgeable men who knew all to well about the nature of men with power. Lets see how long it will take for the libtards at MSNBC to remove my link to very important information that does not advocate their liberal mind set.

As with the middle east and Afghanistan, the US Congress will pussyfoot around this issue, declare sanctions and nothing more. They couldn't win a war against a wet paper bag. Don't get all upset about this, because there's nothing you or I can do about it. Our Congress will see fit to spend more money on airports to nowhere, bailouts to everybody but who needs it, and declare it's for the "good" of the country. It's change. It's what we voted for. Sit down, hang on, shut up and enjoy the ride!

Our government is afraid to step up and be recognized by the world. THEY think we have a bad reputation in diplomacy. I would much rather have that reputation than a radioactive crate inside the boundaries of the US. But, it's just me. There are a whole lot more doves in the US than there are hawks anymore. We live in the era of wanting to be liked vs being respected. And our President will make sure that we build partnerships with every axis of evil country he can muster, because he's just that kind of a guy.

Hey David - Since no one here seems to know what's going on (according to you), perhaps you'd like to share your knowledge of the whole situation with us.

And while David picks his own brain, to the rest of you, please remember that NK is a small country - yes? And half the people are starving to death. Even they have enough smarts to know that if they drop the big one on us they'll still be toast. We have a lot more surface area and a lot more crazy people here in places even we don't know about. So, chill out.

And as for blaming the old administration for the mess - well we all know that just aint so. It took a lot more than just the Bush administration. Just the same I'm glad Bush didn't get my vote. But neither did Obama. Since Bush ran with the middle east problem and the 911 thing, we really needed a "real" military guy like McCain. I know, I know - the Palin thing. Well, I guess we'll never know. But we all know, or will soon find out, Obama might have been the exotic choice last November, but his long range plans are too many and too complex to reach fruition. I could be wrong, but doubt it.

So America, basically we just need to cross our fingers and hope that if those pesky North Koreans get out of line - that exotic man every one was so enamored with has the stones to get us through what ever mess we get into further. Remember, he's not exactly a military man. He and the missus are just another couple of lawyers like the Clintons.

And like Bush, I say somebody had to vote Obama in - like ACORN and others. I sleep well at night knowing I didn't vote for either one - Bush or Obie. Ah, the life of the independent voter. Let's hope America's independence hold's out too.

North Korean is more likely to use a nuclear weapon on China than anyone else. It is the Chinese Government that should be dealing with this situation.

Iran has been practicing how to launch a nuclear Electro-Magnetic Pulse attack on the U.S., a former science advisor to President Reagan warned the House Armed Services Committee on July 10. An EMP attack involves the detonation of a nuclear weapon at high altitudes which would disable electricity and equipment dependent upon modern technology. Such an attack, warned the expert, could cripple the infrastructure of the United States.

“I’d have to say that 70 to 90 percent of the population would not be sustainable after this kind of attack,” warned Dr. William Graham during his testimony. Graham also heads a government commission to study the EMP threat.

Should such an attack be launched, telecommunications, automobiles, and the infrastructure to deliver water, gas, electricity, food and government services would be shut down, he said.

Graham testified that the commission viewed copies of Iranian military texts that discussed the use of an EMP attack to strike at the United States. Recent Iranian missile tests involving the launching of ballistic missiles from ships can only be explained as preparing for this scenario, Graham said. Launching such a weapon from a ship makes it far more difficult to prevent, eliminates the need for advanced long-range missiles that can reach across continents, and makes it more difficult to identify the attacker.

Graham warned that, in addition to Iran, potential enemies such as China and possibly North Korea could have similar capabilities by 2015. Representative Roscoe Barlett, R-MD., also said that Russia had developed a “super EMP” weapon.

DefenseNews.com reported that only a “handful” of the members of the House Armed Service Committee attended the session, and most did not stay until the end.

“No one seems to be concerned about it,” the report quoted Rep. John McHugh, R-N.Y., as saying after noticing that few seats weren’t vacant.

So what would the response be if NK or Iran did this? Better end there capability now there almost in position to carry it out.

I'm assuming you mean that Bush/Cheney constituted leadership, right? Hmmm, what did they do about N. Korea besides call them evil? Not a damn thing. Now there's leadership!

SNAPPA - He invaded Iraq looking for weapons of mass destruction guess we now know where they were all along, great leadership.

GET A CLUE. H.R.4655, Declaration of current War At Iraq, 1998. This could not be done because while declaring the War At Iraq the President demanded a Reduction In Force that cut the US Military to the bone and a significant loss of capabilities resulting in these capabilities being taken over by the US Civilian Contractors like Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater (Xe), Triple Canopy, etc..

The first use of the misnomer term Weapons of Mass Destruction, November 1998. Misnomer due to the uses, deployments, effects, etc. of the individual types, Nuclear, Biological, Chemical.

docroc - So, if Mr. Leadership wasn't able to affect their behavior in 8 years of threats, diplomatic initiatives, and meetings, why do you fault Obama for failing to do so in the first 4 months of his presidency?

Because he tried what you wanted him to do, touchy feely, feel good, and it failed, now the current administration is doing the same thing and apologizing to everyone. The President irregardless of which party is the "fall guy", as soon as he becomes the President it is his "watch".

Bob-774591 is absolutely correct all of this has been going on since the 1950s. The problem is how to stop it and not the blame game.

Chris-537131 please stop trying to act like you know about nuclear reactors. Do you know what the minimum conversion process is for turning a light water reactors into heavy water reactors. Ask Savannah, Illinois (all that I can say pertaining to my previous training, during the "Cold War" (1950s - 1990s) before SALT and START put us out of business, and I got redesignated into Special Warfare).

MotorCity Rock - pertaining to post#1.54 I would have voted for it more than once, this is the second vote.

dongle - North Korean is more likely to use a nuclear weapon on China than anyone else. It is the Chinese Government that should be dealing with this situation.

The Chinese and Russians could care less due to the fact of where the Nuclear and Missile Designs came from. It is more a matter of if the North Koreans will sell the built weapons to the highest bidders.

notavoter - Electro-Magnetic Pulse as a weapon has been known since the 1960s. It was the US that figured this out and did almost nothing about it, and in fact made more of the infrastructure suseceptable to EMP/EMR. While the other Countries purposely built EMP resistant redundant technologies, including retaining vaccum tubes that are immune to EMP/EMR effects (example the vaccum tube electronics in the MIG-29/MIG-35). Considering the the current US Military Equipment is designs from prior to the 1990s and the current Russian and Chinese are 2000s.

Momus2009 JB-784265 knows more about History than you do. Especially, the redirecting of the US Military Forces from the "European Theater" to the "Pacific Theater" to conduct Operation Downfall (Operation Olympic and Operation Coronet)(the WWII Invasion of Japan). In the event the implosion weapon and the rapid assembly gun type nuclear weaponss did not work in causing the Japs to surrender.

And about the President Roosevelt not getting into WWII. He would have found a way to get the isolationist US into the War At Europe as demanded thru Ambassador Joseph Kennedy by Winston Churchill after Dunkirk and British Intelligence finding out about Operation Sealion (German Invasion of England). The recently declassified documents indicate that he allowed Pearl Harbor to occur, resulting in the Congressional exoneration of the Pearl Harbor Commanders, Kimmel and Short. This is why the President ordered US Forces to instigate War by having MacArthur at the Philipine shootiing at Jap Destroyers going to China 1940s, and the Flying Tigers at China, 1940s. It was later disclosed recently the President knew about PH 1940

add to above.

The unfortune reality based on the recently unclassified documents the events both economic and political prior to the Jap Attack of Pearl Harbor indicate that the United States forced the Japs to do it.

First, William Randolf Hurst, convinces the President not to give the Japs the Oil and Coal that they paid millions USD for (equal to Billions USD today), "let them stinking yellow bastards freeze to death". Being that W.R Hurst did get him the Presidency the President agreed. So W.R.Hurst and Standard Oil of California got free Jap money.

Second, 1939, the Jap Embassy in the Dutch West Indies was captured, the encyption/decryption machine was captured before it could be destroyed. A copy was given by the British to the Americans, who immediately tapped into the Jap Embassy in DC. A series of diplomatic messages detailing the Military Plans from Yamamoto were transmitted and intercepted by the US, to retailiate for the Oil and Coal that they were ripped off for. These were called the "Winds Messages".

Third, the President of the US, is informed by Winston Churchill, that the US must get into "the War" or Great Britain will fall, this is after Dunkirk, and after Winston Churchill finds out about the Planned German Invasion of Great Britain, "Operation Seawolf". This message was sent thru Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, father of John and Robert. The sailor that transmitted the encrypted message was later stripped of his diplomatic immunity and sent to the British for imprisonment after he tried to warn Congress that the President actually wanted to enter the War, eventhough, the gave speeches constantly on "Isolationism". The Sailor spent 40 years imprisioned by the British under the "British Official Secrets Acts" in a 8x10 foot cell. He recently passed away. Plans were made in attempts to get the US into the War. First sent was General MacArthur to shoot at the Jap Destroyers going to China. The Japs invaded China to get Oil and Coal that they got ripped off of by the US. Next the Flying Tigers was sent to shoot down Jap Planes in China. The Japs ignored them.

Fourth, At Pearl Harbor, which was considered as a place of no strategic value, all the "obsolete" coal buring 1911-1917 Battlerams were sent. Upon learning about the Jap Attack Plans, the Military was directed to perform air attack excercises, to indicated if an air attack would fail or succeed. Numberous excercises indicated that the defenders would always lose, and the attack would come from the North.

Fifth, In 1940 the President in the White House during dinner indicated that the US is going to enter "the War", the next day he went to Congress and gave his famous speech on the US remaining Isolationist, sworn written testimony from a relative at the dinner table. It was indicated that after knowing the actual date of the Jap attack that the factors of Sunday during the Winter were also factors that may have added to the decision to let it occur, by the President. Sunday would mean most Christians would be at "off ship" services. Winter, most would be on pass, or leave for Christmas. The only sailors below decks would be Negros with the coal furnaces. Unfortunely, the President underestimated how many were practicing Christians or how many would actually leave "Paradise" for the cold winters at home.

Sixth, the Govenment sent people to tap into the Jap Embassy Messages at Hawaii. All information was not to be shared with Kimmel and Short, the Officers incharge of the US Military at the Territory of Hawaii. The messages that were intercepted on January 1941, indicated Pearl Harbor was the target and the date and time, that the attack would be in retribution for what the US did to the Japs (Coal and Oil, MacArthur, Flying Tigers). The information was sent electronically encrypted to Washington. This verified previous inteceptions at the Washington Jap Embassy. Washington advises the USN Commander to conduct extended excercises of the new ships. The Battlerams are moored.

Seventh, the aftermath, Kimmel and Short are criminally blamed for Pearl Harbor. W.R.Hurst persudes the President to in act the Executive Order confiscating all property and money of Americans of Jap Ancestory. All of Southern California that used to be desert until the Japs used intensive farming techinques to turn it into what it is today. All of this was sold with the majority of the profits going to W.R Hurst (Billions USDs). The Americans of Jap Ancestory were sent to Concentration Camps and let to die during the Small Pox outbreaks, while the vaccines were in buildings outside the gate. Those stong enough to fight were given the choice, die in the camps or fight the NAZIs at Europe, or become Military Intelligence interpretors. WR Hurst became known as the "King of California""Kingmaker"(if you wanted to become President, you needed to know him). Patty Hurst became the "Princess of California", when she found out about what was done by WR Hurst she went nutcase, joined the SLA and started robbing WR Hurst's Banks. After being aprehended she was locked away in a Psy Hospital. The decendents of Kimmel and Short eventually have Congress acknowledge that they were not to blame for Pearl Harbor, however, they have still not be criminally absolved. The Americans of Jap Ancestory were given $2000 for the suffering but never given back the property, businesses, nor all the money that was confiscated (all of Southern California). During the televised, 911 attacks, a certain Senior Senator of the Intelligence Commitee, privilaged to very classified information, including those recently declassified about Pearl Harbor, refered to the attacks of the World Trade Centers as the "Second Pearl Harbor".

And you talk about, not knowing history.

jp-653910

"I'm assuming you mean that Bush/Cheney constituted leadership, right? Hmmm, what did they do about N. Korea besides call them evil? Not a damn thing. Now there's leadership!"

They talked to build international support and pushed for U.N. sanctions, which is what the far-left always insists upon, even though Bush didn't think it would work - and he was right.. I'm sure Obama will do the same. Looks like the Bush haters will criticize him whether he follows their advice or not, but will praise Obama for doing exactly the same thing as Bush.

david-475776

"The unfortune reality based on the recently unclassified documents the events both economic and political prior to the Jap Attack of Pearl Harbor indicate that the United States forced the Japs to do it. First, William Randolf Hurst, convinces the President not to give the Japs the Oil and Coal that they paid millions USD for (equal to Billions USD today),......"

You post might be a little more credible if you learned to spell

ROY WILSON-336103 facts are facts. You want to nit pick about their spelling in the quote is fine with me. As long as you get the facts. Reference - Library of Congress.

Note: I would never have called them a derrogatory name, "Japs", instead of Japanese, that is like calling a black person the "N" word.

and if you want to get nit picky.

it is "your" post not, "you post".

You post might be a little more credible if you learned to spell

David 475776, you better go back and look at the service history of the old battleships that were damaged or sunk at Pearl. There may have been other ships, mostly transports or cargo vessels, that could have been coal fired but the battleships I don't think so. How do you explain that the USS Arizona is still leaking oil after all these years?

North Korean is more likely to use a nuclear weapon on China than anyone else. It is the Chinese Government that should be dealing with this situation.

dongle: I just don't see this happening... China and North Korea are allies. Why would N.Korea bite the hand that feeds them the most?!

Dave-462449, regarding your comment #2:

I think the "provocation" will gain only a limited response and given North Korea's major problems feeding its people it certainly seems "insane" for them to develop and test nuclear weapons. But, I think all war and nuclear weapons are unnecessary. Humans need to find nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts.

If there is a "method to the madness" the quote below from the article may indicate it.

"Their nuclear program does not have military aims — their only aim is to frighten the U.S. and receive more humanitarian aid as a result," said Sergeyev, 24.

Just ignore the little pipsqueak, he's just throwing another temper tantrum.

This guy means to nuke somebody! Even if he accidentally nukes himself..

Let him do all the testing he wants, he is going to run out of fuel, if he doesn't blow himself up first.

Sad fact is that when we went into Iraq and were already in Afghanistan the military kept crying how stretched they were, everyone knows this, so they aren't so afraid as they were when our troops were stationary.

It's rather difficult to ignore a bomb going off over your head! It's difficult to ignore a gun pointed at you. I think this guy is insane enough to think that blowing up a city will "win" something. It worked for the US 60+ years ago... of course we also had a huge invasion force ready to decimate the country if it didn't. The real difference is that we used the bomb to end a war and he's appearantly going to use it to start one.

JB,

While you may think that when the US dropped the bomb on Japan if it hadn't worked, "we had a huge invasion force ready to decimate the country", it's evident by that statement alone that you're not not much of a Military History buff are you! The Japanese were more than willing to fight to the death, but the United States didn't have as many reserves as you might think. It would have been a bloody mess on both sides and the Allies in the Pacific, definitely couldn't handle anymore casualties. What dave proposes with his full-scale invasion is just plain crazy. That would be a death wish for the United States if we were to invade North Korea. If you think China and Russia are going to sit idle while we invade North Korea, then you might want to understand the way things have been shaping over the past 20 years since the end of the Cold War.

I think that little man just wants to meet Obama.

I think that little man just wants to meet Obama.

LU-404506: Hell of a way to meet Pres Obama !

Totally agree Amber. Time to stop playing games with the little pot bellied dictator and take him out. Too bad Obamanut wants to " Talk "

Thanks!! We as a nation can not afford this defiant nation! regardless!

I am glad none of you are in charge or else every place beyond the US border would be nuked.

Yes, Amber, every country should just bow to the US as Americans are the only people that matter in the world... just go kill everyone else.

Hey Thi~! Where do you live! In the United States? If you do You must be living here illegally!! Have you served for our nation?

7 years in Iraq and not much improvement there, North Korea has the 4th largest military in the world.

North Korea is the most militarised country in the world today^[3], having the fourth-largest standing army in the world, at an estimated 1.1 million armed personnel, with about 20% of men ages 17–54 in the regular armed forces.^[4] It also has the Worker-Peasant Red Guard, a reserve force comprising 3.5m+ (IISS), 3.8m (USMC) or 4.7m (State Department) militia. It operates an enormous network of military facilities scattered around the country, a large weapons production basis, and an extremely dense air defence system.

Lets take them on too. Our troops can handle 1.1 million armed troops, NOT

We would have our a$$es kicked royally. Our troops are spread to thin now, our equipment is worn out. To equalize , we would have to use nukes and then contaminate everything.

Amber,
Why does THI have to be living in the US illegally?  Maybe THI is just a little enlightened?  It is retoric like this that make large parts of the rest of the world hate the US.  If another country does not agree with the US, well, they are wrong and should be destroyed?  Have you ever been outside North America?  Ever lived outside the US?  There is a big world out there besides the US.  I have lived in England, Australia, China, Thailand, and Malaysia, as well as the US where I was born and raised.  It is amazing how many people in the US have no idea what is going on in the world around them and have the mentality that the US is always right, and can do anything it feels like.

Amber, actually I do not live in the USA, but I am American and was born in America.

Like Jim, I realize there is a world outside the US border. I have lived in the Republic of Georgia, Czech Republic, UAE, New Zealand and Germany... and traveled in about 60 other countries. I probably pay more in tax than you earn in a year, so I feel I am certainly contributing my share and then some.

The reason for the vast hatred of the US around the world is the general American arrogance that the US is always right and the false belief that everyone else aspires to be more like America. It is scary that Americans have this "kill everyone" attitude when they are the last remaining superpower. The US poses a much bigger threat to the world than North Korea, Iran or any other nation.

I dont Know about you, but i think ourselves being American should shut our borders down and take care of our selves for awhile. We can produce our own energy, our own food, our own productions and be so Wealthy in our own country! Why should people use our freedom to go over seas? Nike goes over seas to have third world children build our shoes and paying them cents an hour! and then we as Americans buy them for 180.00 Go figure! How Long As Americans Are We Going To Put Up With This?

I really think that people who are americans and have the oppurtunity to go to school and create a billion dollar business (because of school and citizenship) should keep their business in the country that gave them that!! Ya! You Bill Gates! Why when I have a problem I'm talking to phillipines or india? You, my friend started your buisness in United States.........Keep it here~

Most Americans I know have a "let them just kill themselves" attitude. America shouldn't be world cop, they don't appreciate it anyway. If anyone ought to be in a mad panic, China should be - with Pakistan and N Korea for neighbors. And with China's imbalance of women to men, due to get even more pronounced in the next 10 years, they'll have plenty of cannon fodder - let China be world cop.

amber-1123019

You're absolutely right, lets shut the borders to everything. Do you have a bicycle to get to where you're going? You're going to need it because when the oil stops, your car stops, you will need a wood burning fireplace. We import most of our oil.

And Bill Gates still has Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

Russia has lots of nuclear weapons, that does not automatically make it a superpower. China has fewer weapons and has much more economic and political power. Also, Russia briefly invaded Georgia recently, yet America has led two very large scale wars in the past decade. Shutting the border is not the answer, the answer is stop trying to be the policeman of the world.

Amber, so don't buy Nike shoes. I live in the Mid East and mostly wear leather sandals like everyone else here. I bought mine from a Pakistani guy in a Pakistani-run shop here... the sandals were made in Pakistan and I paid about $9 for the pair. Companies leave the US because it is a free market and they are going to produce things where it is most cost effective.

Starbuck ... Amber has a point. A lot of people suffer when high paying jobs are sent overseas ... and Microsoft as well as other large companies do an aweful lot of it.

alright, everyone is comfortable!!! God bless America is on hold Again!! Until some dumb ass & org.. will strike again! My cousin of 20 years old fought for a very good cause! He died for Iraq and their people to have democracy and freedom. I will never forget his actions to have a country be rid of a dictator! I am sure Iraqes citizens hopefully live on the principles of freedom and hope to live their life to the maximum. Women are key!
They are responsible for raising their children, making sure everything is provided for and to have that taken away from Taliban..........Taliban....You are pussy! Al Queda....you are puke!!!

Osama Bin LAden- U. S. will get you !

Why are we trying to force democracy upon Iraq and not Burma, Fiji, Mauritania, Guinea, Burundi, Madagascar, Comoros, Sudan, Somalia,North Korea, Zimbabwe or any of the other 100+ non-democracies in the world?

Cuz the ain't got that bubblin' crude!

Amber: you say one thing and then you go and say the complete opposite.

Which is it? The US should take care of the US? Or go and "liberate" places like Iraq and "spread democracy" ?

Iraq wasn't about saving a people or country from an evil dictator. There are plenty of other countries that have more people dying every day from miltary juntas and "evil dictators". Why didn't the Bush Admin. go "liberate" some of those people?

It's nice that you believe your family member/friend went to Iraq for a noble or just cause.

Realists like me don't buy into the BS about Iraq. The Bush Admin. had no reasons other than greed, revenge and a power trip to invade Iraq. There were plenty of other countries that had more deadly WMD's and terrorists/insurgents operating within.

Saddam kept the insurgents and terrorist groups like Al Queda in check while he was in power. He was also the best deterrent to Iran in the area.

Ain't it fishy that the Gimo detainees were interrogated so harshly and the most predominant questions were about trying to link Saddam with 9/11?

If the Bush Admin. had really wanted to get Saddam, he'd be dead or captured by now.

I don't blame GW for everything. He was just a figurehead. I blame Cheney, Rumsfield and others who stood to make money off of the Iraq "war" much more than Bush.

correction. I meant to say:

If the Bush Admin. had really wanted to get Bin Laden, He'd be dead or captured by now.

To much time watching MSNBS for you, time to turn off that crap and go outside.

Wow, some of you anti Obama people just can't read? North Korea tested its first nuke in October of 2006, who was president then? And how did that president respond? He negotiated and gave them tons of concessions. Yeah, that worked out good, George W. Hell, I live here in South Korea now, been here for over two years. This has nothing to do with Obama. This now is one big hissy fit by the North cause they're pissed off at the South Korean president for not giving in to their every demand (like the ex pres. that just killed himself, did). Now, if you want to talk truth, the person who was in office when it all started was Bush. If you wanted war, or to nuke them, well, you should have bitched about it back in '06 (which was also before the Republicans lost the majority in Congress as well, so there's no excuse).

Anyway, like I said, they're mad at S.K. President Lee, since he got elected in Dec. 2007, the North is always threatening us (the people that live in So. Korea) with destruction every month. "We will reduce Seoul to ashes", "We will annihilate everyone", blah, blah, blah. The South Koreans don't care cause they know if the North ever did attack, they'll slaughter them once they cross the border. However, the cost will be high as Seoul and its highly populated vicinity will be pretty much wiped out.

Just make sure you know what you're talking about and lay the blame where it belongs. 2006 would have been the time to have been hardlined. Little too late now cause they think if it worked the first time, why not try it again.

Personally, I think we (the US) and the South shouldn't give them a thing until we are allowed in to inspect. This year is a great opportunity to show them as it's supposed to be a terrible harvest for the North this Fall, especially with the South greatly limiting how much fertilizer it's sending. Let them find out now that their scare tactics won't work again. Appeasing them for humanitarian reasons will only continue this sort of behavior.

Anti-Obama people don't need to read to get their opinions; that's what the radio is for.

...because we are so peaceful, negotiable and whatever...Amber

We started 2 wars on Bush's watch -- one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq -- because of actions taken by 19 Saudis.

Never mind the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Under Bush's watch we threatened, sanctioned, and condemned.

How does this make us "peaceful, negotiable"?

Probably Obama should also apologize to the North Koreans for our arrogance and for being dismissive like what he did to Europe. They might stop building nuclear weapons. He goes around the world apologizing and telling everybody how bad we are anyway. His wife is not even proud to be an American until his husband became president. I guess we will just watch the whole world nuclearize until the next president gets elected, if his aplology strategy doesn't work.

Doc you want to knows the funny thing, Bush's 2 wars were the only wars started by a republican President in the last century. WWI, WWII, Korean and Vietnam all by Democrat Presidents. President Bush's war cost almost 4000 American lives and was considered a failure by Democrat standards. Even though the estimates before evading Iraq was put at 25000-40000 combat losses just to secure Baghdad and that was voted on and approved by congress and many of the same Democrat senator still in office today who call it a failure. Can you image the reaction FD Roosevelt would have received if combat losses were reported with in hours of D-Day.

Under Bush the military has had the most successful military operation in its history. Combat losses were at less then 10% of projections, Iraq was taken over in less time then in took Janet Reno under Clinton to resolve the Branch Davion crisis and we all know how that ended.

Looking at that history I would prefer if my child served in the Military to serve under a Republican Commander in Chief then a Democrat. But then again I am only looking at facts and history not emotion...

russ,

The United States didn't start WWI first of all. In fact, the United States didn't even enter the War until it was almost finished. The United States more than likely would have done the same during WWII had Roosevelt not had the excuse given to him when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Even still, those wars you mentioned under the Democratic Presidents weren't exactly un-winnable wars, with the exception of Vietnam. You can't fight an ideology with war. That's why the Cold War was so important. It should have been a learning tool to show how war for the sake of war is never the answer when it comes to nations facing off with each other, because it only begets more war in the end. Why is it that all of these years after the Korean War ended, most North Koreans and Americans still hate each other although we don't even know each other?

Also, russ, if you want to get really nitpicky, we were in Viet Nam during the Eisenhower era...sigh, so much history, so little attention span...

THI - Why are we trying to force democracy upon Iraq and not Burma, Fiji, Mauritania, Guinea, Burundi, Madagascar, Comoros, Sudan, Somalia,North Korea, Zimbabwe or any of the other 100+ non-democracies in the world?

That you know of.

The reason for the vast hatred of the US around the world is the general American arrogance that the US is always right and the false belief that everyone else aspires to be more like America.

This is almost US Policy. And if you do not support US Policy then you do not support the "American Way of Life".

I also have lived around the World (years in many countries, not just visiting). And yes, the US has significant (counterproductive) arrogance. This too is the "American Way". It can be also said however many countries have their own "Nationalism".

American Lobo (American Lobotomy), docroc (crock of feces) - H.R. 4655, 1998, Declaration of current War At Iraq.

David-717708 don't volunteer us to invade North Korea. We are facing a 10% Budget Cut.

amber-1123019. We do need to slam our borders shut. But first we must, repeal (revoke, eliminate): Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 and reinstitute the Glass Steagall Acts (Laws to prevent another 1907 Depression and 1929-1939 Great Depression). Get rid of the 1994 NAFTA, CAFTA, and other "Free Trade Agreements" and Ammendments, also tell the World Trade Organization to "f" off and leave the US. Use US NORTHCOM to seal the US Borders North and South (since the States cannot effectively accomplish this), sweep the US from North to South and clean out all ILLEGAL Immigrants. NOTE UNLESS YOU CONDONE ILLEGAL (Criminal), don't say squat. And if you do condone Illegal, you might want to look at March H.R. 1955 and S.1959 (along with the reinstituted, signed by current President, Patriot Acts) as to weither or not you can also be arrested.

why would you ignore them? So you and your family can be shot in the back?

I highly doubt that anyone in North Korea is going to come shoot me in the back. Americans are indoctrinated with fear tho, so it seems natural that the boogy man is out there.

The Boogie man is now the President. You'll realize it before too long

ditto

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me

Thats not the way shrub remembers it.

"There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on --shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again."

MotorCity, perhaps if we stopped pissing off the world and trying to bomb everyone, people would not hate us. Why do you think they attack the US and not Canada, New Zealand or Japan?

THI, blaming the US for 9-11 shows your ignorance.

I don't know... Japan is still pretty hated in Asia. Japan is about as popular in Asia as Israel is in the middle east. Alright I exaggerated, but not by much. Considering both Japan and Israel are close allies of US, then you know exactly why "they" attacks US. It's imperial foreign policy 101. Find the parahia in a region, throw your support behind them so they can dominate the region. Because they are dependent on your support they have to do what you say. Imperialism and subjugation of a lot of countries without actually having to fight everyone of them in wars.

David, it is a fact that US foreign policy inspired the 9/11 events. If the US had not had a presence in the Middle East it would not have happened. It has nothing to do with our freedoms and way of life, and everything to do with how we conduct ourselves on the world stage.

This is not to excuse the hijackers, but people do not do things for no reason.

THI ... what inspired the embassy bombings and the 1993 bombing of the trade center? What exactly about the US having a presence in the middle east gives good reason to bomb a civilian target?

Well anyway, since you live in the middle east you are going to see things differently than us americans and you are entitled to that opinion. As far as I'm concerned, there was no good reason whatsoever for those animals to bomb us, either in 1993 or 2001. But again you are entitled to your opinion, just stay were you are.

I don't think bombing civilians is ever justified, but putting myself in their shoes, I can see the logic and desperation behind it. The US has been imposing itself in the Mid East since at least 1953 when it overthrew the democratic government of Iran and installed the Shah (a dictator). These people have few other options to respond against a superpower. I don't think the US would tolerate the reverse... having Mid East countries setting up bases in the USA.

BTW: They see no good reason for the US "animals" to be bombing targets (including civilian ones) in Iraq and Afghanistan. It goes both ways and has been a low-level war for decades.

We don't bomb civilian targets. Once al-quaida is on premises, it is a military one. Its not our fault that al-quaida soldiers are fags and hide behind women and children. You obviously hate the US. That's your right and freedom to do so. You are entitled to your opinion, but to call our military animals is offensive and to say that we bomb civilian targets is incorrect. You can come up with whatever propaganda and justifications you want, but the US is on the side or morally right in this war and the terrorists are wrong. BY the way, Osama is a piece of sh it.

Hmm... I seem to remember a bomb dropping on a wedding in the not too distant past... I also seem to recall that there was no al-qaida there either... I also seem to recollect that the US Military admitted to it and apologized for it.... It was in some country called Afghanistan... ring any bells?

Danger - that's a big difference than purposefully targetting a civilian building with absolutely no military value just in order to kill thousands for some sort of sick self-glorifying act like Osama did on 9-11. It's memorial day here in the US, so I am saluting those fallen and saying a big fu ck you to some other people.

Then thank ME for MY service in the USAF ;)

As for Osama and 9/11...

Go to the FBI's website, look at the 10 most wanted list, take a look at Osama's spot on it, now look at the crimes he's wanted for.... see 9/11 on there? No! Why? Because they don't have any evidence to link him to it. Do you find that odd? A war just for him and his cronies... yet there's no evidence?

I think David must be off his rocker if he believes the US only responds defensively and is always the good guy riding in on a white horse to save the little people.

The West(US/UK/USSR) has been trying to monopolize resources(oil) in the Middle East since they had the means to do so. I bet we haven't heard more than a fraction about the bombings, coups and Western backed insurgencys that have gone on over there.

You think our CIA is just about protecting US soil? They've been trying to expand our influence by subversive means since they were formed.

When the CIA sets up a coup and thousands of civilians die somewhere in a third world country, there's not much difference than people bombing us to try and get revenge.

Not that I condone terrorist attacks, but they obviously have a reason for attacking us.

I don't believe it's religion either. Their religious leaders use religion as an excuse to rally/excite them into doing crazy sh*t, but I doubt that is their underlying reason for wanting to attack us.

Danger-D ... let me get this straight, you are saying that Osama bin Laden had nothing to do with 9-11? As for your service, I really don't know you so I can neither thank you nor condemn you for the mistakes of our military that you have pointed out.

Lobo, you are just loco ...

So, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not civilian targets? I thought civilians lived in cites. Guess I was wrong... only America has civilians, all other countries are just targets.

David, If Osama was linked to 9/11 the FBI would know that... and they don't. You figure it out.

THI, Unfortunately that seems to be the thinking around here.

THI ... Japan attacked us and we went to war. The bombs were dropped after Japan was warned and yes, the cities were military targets, that's were they we producing weapons, planes among them, that were killing US soldiers. Since you obviously are so smart ... why don't you figure out the difference between 9-11 and WWII and while you are at it, figure out whether 9-11 is a response to our bombing of the Japanese. The US has nothing to be sorry for in WWII. We were attacked and we fought back and won.

Danger, I really don't know what to say ... if Osama had nothing to do with 9-11, then we'll have to keep looking for those who did. Just because you are retired USAF or discharged, honorably or not, doesn't make you an authority on what is going on with the current wars.

My point is that the US attacks civilian targets when it deems necessary... just as Al Qaeda does.

David,

I never claimed to an authority on the current wars... are you?

As for the difference between 9/11 and Hiroshima/Nagasaki... that's 3000 dead compared to approx. 220,000 dead respectively.

danger-d,

You know as well as anyone that if the bombs weren't drop on Japan millions would have been killed in a full scale invasion... The Japanese would have fought till the last man dropped...

As for Arabs,they are just cowards and hide among their woman and children...Say it isn't so THI....

"The Japanese would've fought till the last man"

You do realize that was pure propaganda, right? We wanted to test the new weapon we had spent millions on developing. Period.

As for Arabs being cowards... atleast they're involved in the fight. What are you doing besides sitting on the sidelines and commentating? If they piss you off so much how about putting your money where your mouth is? Or are you just a f*cing chickenhawk?

Most people do not realize that using nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was totally elective. It's against US Mythology to think we were doing anything but saving lives by obviating the need for an invasion.

US Mythology... i'm stealing that phrase... sorry! ;)

I read the article - there is much left out - I looked at the references "Japan's Decision to Surrender" by Robert J.C. Butow. Stanford University Press, 1954.
'The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II', by Robert J. Cressman, Naval Historical Center, rev 1999 -

A document from the heart of the Cold War and an "Official Chronology" There just might be an agenda there, no?

The atom bombing of the Japanese cities has been described as a message to Stalin; in other words the first shot fired in the Cold War.

Because my Dad was scheduled to ship to the Pacific (He fought in France) I always assumed if not for the A bomb I might never have been born and thus grudgingly accepted it as necessary. I was more than surprised at what was really went on. At best, you can say the US handled the matter with indifference to human life.
Give thanks we survived (humans, that is.)

Danger D, Not too long ago I watched a documentary on the Pacific. They interviewed a Japanese woman who was in her teens when we dropped the bombs. She said that every citizen-man, woman and even children were being trained to fight the coming allied invasion. Even if all they had to fight with were sharpend sticks and stones. You obviously don't understand that warrior culture that was in Japan at that time. They would defend their homeland and the emporer or die.

they have a missile that can reach japan and the western us.

Who would you rather be the worlds sheriff, China, Russia, or perhaps Iran? If we're not ,someone else will be, believe it.

It's only because S. Korea, Taiwan and Europe are under the protection of the American nuclear umbrella that Russia and China didn't take them out years ago.

Your 100% correct Motor. Maybe our great leader will thank all of the Memorial day veterens ( that are still with us today ) like he did last year. Freaking sap didn't even know the difference between Veterans day and Memorial day. Some President.

Bigbrother China will put the pressure on the pipsqueak before he goes wild. China doesn't like him with nukes either.

I agree this should not be another problem for us, but unfortunately we have insured that we will either deal with it or loose face. The concern lies in other countries methods of handling situations of tug of war. We are far more tolerant than other countries and less likely to do something drastic.

They have a couple possible nukes we have multiple thousands read for activation. There isn't any clear and present danger. Chill out a little, keep the concern and be mindfull.

There isn't any clear and present danger.

The problem with waiting until there is "clear and present danger" is that it is often too late to resolve the problem without actions that are drastic and expensive (in terms of lives).

When Hitler marched into the Rhineland in violation of treaty, there was no "clear and present danger" to the rest of Europe. But, if Britain and France had stopped Germany then, it is quite likely that Hitler would have amounted to nothing more than a minor name on the historical list of German Chancellors.

No Dayne, Obama will say he inherited this mess from the previous administration ignoring the fact while he was preaching disarmament N. Korea was firing a missile.

yankee my point was obama would not do anything. This mess may have existed but he showed them he is not going to do anything with the missile test and how he deals with iran. obama has emboldened north korea and iran with his lack of action.

Emboldened Iran and North Korea?

Who told you that, the news media? You don't actually believe the news is the truth, do you?

Ok neocons, put up or shut up. Tell us what we should do and the consequences of such actions, detailed.

For my part, let them do what they want. They are not going to bomb Japan, they would cease to exist. Their "dear leader" wants money and food.

For my part, let them do what they want. They are not going to bomb Japan, they would cease to exist.

The problem with using the promise of massive retaliation as a deterrant is that it assumes that we (the US, Japan or South Korea) would be willing to accept a first strike if that's what it came down to. In a democracy, that's vey unlikely. All the North Koreans have to do is act even slightly crazy and they'd be able to blackmail us with their nuclear weapons because we couldn't take even a small chance that they might be nuts enough to actually launch a missle.

As for those who claim that there's nothing to worry about because the North Korean's don't have an effective delivery system: how are you going to deal with the problem once they perfect their missiles and there's no long an obstacle to an attack?

I'm not advocating an invasion of North Korea, but people who believe that there's nothing to worry about have their heads in the sand. Let's deal with the problem while it is still relatively contained.

We ARE dealing with the problem. Diplomatically. Instead of running around in a panic, think. NK will not attack Japan, or anyone else. It's a bluff, same as it ever was. My head is not in the sand. So what's the answer? Seriously, if you don't advocate an invasion, what more can be done? All we can do is talk, hope for Kims demise soon, and maybe, just maybe get someone in there with a little more sense.

What more can be done? Tighten sanctions, shut down all financial transactions, stop and search every ship heading for North Korea, permit the delivery of nothing but food and medical supplies.

Yeah, if they are not in total agreement with the US they should be destroyed, right?

THI

Half of the US population of the USS is in disagreement with the US, should they be destroyed? Canada and Mexico disagree with us from time to time, destroy them too?

If we destroyed everybody that disagreed with us, we would be the only nation on the planet.

You missed the sarcasm. :-)

Got it, sorry

It DID happen on shrub's watch, NK set offa nuke and shrub did nothing.

On October 9, 2006, North Korea's Korean Central News Agency announced that it had successfully conducted an underground nuclear test. The test was reported to have taken place at 10:36AM, local time, in Hwaderi, near Kilju city, in North Hamkyung province. According to the KCNA statement, no radioactive leakage had taken place as a consequence of the test.

What's Cheetah going do about this one?

What would you guys have the Obama do? Bomb NK? What do you think would happen? Instant war, they would nuke Seoul. It would be a huge bloody mess. If you thought Iraq was a mess, NK would be even a bigger one. Then maybe we could bomb Iran, and fight there. And also those pesky Pakistanis are not doing much, so we should bomb their country more and invade.... When does it stop? Just how thin would you have us stretch ourselves?

MotorCity Rock

North Korea is the most militarised country in the world today^[3], having the fourth-largest standing army in the world, at an estimated 1.1 million armed personnel, with about 20% of men ages 17–54 in the regular armed forces.^[4] It also has the Worker-Peasant Red Guard, a reserve force comprising 3.5m+ (IISS), 3.8m (USMC) or 4.7m (State Department) militia. It operates an enormous network of military facilities scattered around the country, a large weapons production basis, and an extremely dense air defence system.

Lets take them on too. Our troops can handle 1.1 million armed troops, NOT

Our troops are spread to thin now, our equipment is worn out. To equalize , we would have to use nukes and then contaminate everything.

Ignore the pipsqueak, he has no delivery system, the missile he recently fired was confirmed by norad to have failed in the upper stage and crashed short. The one he fired to orbit a satellite never acquired orbit. He's just throwing another tantrum. Maybe he wants something else given to him at the upcoming negotiations. He does something like this before every talks.

Everytime the runt wants something , he rattles his sword a little. No, we did not consider Germany,Japan and Italy pipsqueaks in WWII.

Big brother China is not going to let him do anything but boast and stick his chest out. China has to much to lose by letting him set off his nuke.

What would you do about it? Nuke NK and have the world condem us? Not to mention, SK would be vaporized too.

Just out of curiosity does anyone here seem to forget Vietnam?!

As previously mentioned the US forces are simply stretched out!!

To start another involvement the US would have to bring back the draft and I don't really see that happening unless the US was attacked by an actual country and not an organization.

Small country and a lot of people ring a bell?!

Fact: NK has

Active personnel
1,190,000

Reserve personnel
7,700,000

US:

Active personnel
1,454,515

Reserve personnel
848,000

Do you really want to have a pis*ing contest at the moment?!

Let's not forget Iran. Already two nations are being "occupied" by the US in the middle east. Even more fuel for suicide bombers and mind like individuals.

Iran:

Active personnel
540,000

Reserve personnel
350,000

CONSEQUENCES:

1. The Vietnam War cost the United States 58,000 lives and 350,000 casualties. It also resulted in between one and two million Vietnamese deaths.

2. Congress enacted the War Powers Act in 1973, requiring the president to receive explicit Congressional approval before committing American forces overseas.

It was the longest war in American history and the most unpopular American war of the twentieth century. It resulted in nearly 60,000 American deaths and an estimated 2 million Vietnamese deaths. Even today, many Americans still ask whether the American effort in Vietnam was a sin, a blunder, a necessary war, or a noble cause, or an idealistic, if failed, effort to protect the South Vietnamese from totalitarian government. ()

You be the judge.
Sound similiar to the current mess we are in?! (Iraq, Afghanistan)

Tell you what MotorCity: If you want to invade someone so badly, you join the Marines so you can be the first to land and fight over there(NK).

I keep seeing you spout off a bunch of crap in your posts. You learn all of it from watchin Dirty Harry or John Wayne movies?

Stop tryin to compare apples and oranges(Nazi Germany/Japan and NK).

Alright, MotorCity, what do you want to do? If they did a successful nuclear test, what do you want us to do?

Invade North Korea? Bomb their country?

You tell me, what is the course of action here?

Ignore the pipsqueak, he has no delivery system

Then, what do we do when he gets one? Who would've thought that an impoverished country that can't feed its own people would've ever gotten a nuclear weapon? I wouldn't underestimate their ability to build a credible missle.

You don't read, do you?

I asked you what the course of action should be?

And all you wrote was pretty much junk.

So, I'll ask again: What is the course of action to deal with North Korea?

By the way Mak Manto wrong President as far as the current War At Iraq.

H.R.4655, 1998:

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world," and when I say to him, "You have used weapons of mass destruction before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again. - President Clinton

add to post #12.15.

Notes (how wrong the President's speech was):

Kurdistanis, aka Kurds (Indo European, Shiites), were never Iraqis (Arab, Sunnis). Their Country, Kurdistan, was dissolved by the UN Treaty of Luasanne. They are made up of two major Warlords that have long standing "blood feuds" against each other. They were promised by the Iranians (Persians, Shiites) that if they fought against the Iraqis during the Iran Iraq Wars that the Iranians would reinstate their country (Southern Turkey, Northern Iraq, Syria).

The use of Chemical Weapons did end the Iran Iraq Wars. The probable source of these Chemical Weapons, since the Iraqis at the time did not have Chemical Weapons production capabilities.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/steel_box.htm

The Iraqis Nuclear Technology was destroyed northwest of Baghdad, Israelis Air Strike, 1981.

I like the fact that it's illegal... it adds a cetain flavor of danger to the bud...

or maybe that's just the lie i tell myself.

I agree with ya on that one.

Whether you're incredibly ignorant or just unbelievably naive, your capacaty to be incorrect is simply astounding.

Yawn.... since you live your life in fear, if you must fear a nuclear nation fear the Russians. They're the ones with 12000 warheads. Oh, and most of them aimed right at you. lol

And if you're not American then I would fear the Americans. They're the only ones crazy enough to use them which they've already proven.

I am an American... and I fear Americans above all others!

Amen to that! We are our own worst enemy.

yeah:)

We are our own worst enemy

Anthony Adams: You're right! Most of Americans in this country voted for Obama!!!

BS and excuses, you're a Republican, right?

Where's the evidence of WMD's? If he had them, why would he let his country be destroyed and not use them against us. After the Dirst Gulf war, the nuclear inspectors found remnants of a destroyed wmd program and he never rebuilt it. That's why no wmd's were found after the invasion. Don't try to say he had them moved out of the country before the invasion, spy satellites never saw any movements of this.

Clinton sold nuclear technology for nuclear reactors for electrical power. not for making a bomb. That's why he is just starting to rest them to see if his designs work.

NK has the 4th largest army.

North Korea is the most militarised country in the world today^[3], having the fourth-largest standing army in the world, at an estimated 1.1 million armed personnel, with about 20% of men ages 17–54 in the regular armed forces.^[4] It also has the Worker-Peasant Red Guard, a reserve force comprising 3.5m+ (IISS), 3.8m (USMC) or 4.7m (State Department) militia. It operates an enormous network of military facilities scattered around the country, a large weapons production basis, and an extremely dense air defence system.

AF and Iraq wee pretty beaten up after Russia and the US wars there previously. Bush started out right by going after osama after 911, then got diverted in Iraq with his lies.

So let me get this straight, it's Obama fault if that this happened but it WASN'T Bush's fault when the exact same thing happened in 2006!? because of the tree huggers? give me a break.

You hawks know very well why the Bush Administration never took military action and no it wasn't because of that evil Nancy Pelosi; they were likely told by the Pentagon, advisors, etc. that by getting involved in another conflict, they'd over-extend the U.S. military and provoke a very messy war that could spiral out of control. Iraq was one thing, North Korea is quite another.

Try to forget about the Rambo military fantasies for a second and think about this logically.

Craig you are soooooooooo right. President O'Bama inherited this pile of doo-doo. Do we jump over it, put on waders and hold our noses,or just plain stomp through it and be totally gross.

President Obama will inherite ever thing that come up for the next 3and one half years.Obama is not the blame for anything. If bo (His Little Dog ) @!$%#s in the white house then Obama and the libs will blame that on Bush also. Same story over and over again. It is time he starts acting like a leader(which He is not)All I say is you stupid people ecleted this empty suit so you have to live with him.Bush is out of the white house so it is time to move on .It is time for Your leader to start leading.

I think the biggest problem with NK is that there is a nut job in charge of the nukes there. He would probably launch them much quicker than any other nuke armed country. So you have to be very careful in what you do with them. If they were developing them, but did not have them yet, then it would be a different story. But even then, it would be very messy.

deleted.

Bama:

Do you get scared of your own shadow sneaking up on you when the sun comes shines?

Starbuck49 The only thing I am scared of is this empty suit that you stupid people put into office.

Bama-836911

I haven't voted for any president since Nixon, for the simple reason that EVERY president since Nixon has been my boss. ( commander in chief ) 1969 to present. I take an oath to support him while in office.

By the way Buddy-283638 wrong President as far as the current War At Iraq.

H.R.4655, 1998:

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world," and when I say to him, "You have used weapons of mass destruction before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again. - President Clinton

Notes (how wrong the President's speech was):

Kurdistanis, aka Kurds (Indo European, Shiites), were never Iraqis (Arab, Sunnis). Their Country, Kurdistan, was dissolved by the UN Treaty of Luasanne. They are made up of two major Warlords that have long standing "blood feuds" against each other. They were promised by the Iranians (Persians, Shiites) that if they fought against the Iraqis during the Iran Iraq Wars that the Iranians would reinstate their country (Southern Turkey, Northern Iraq, Syria).

The use of Chemical Weapons did end the Iran Iraq Wars. The probable source of these Chemical Weapons, since the Iraqis at the time did not have Chemical Weapons production capabilities.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/steel_box.htm

The Iraqis Nuclear Technology was destroyed northwest of Baghdad, Israelis Air Strike, 1981.

idiot get a grip stop listening to the main steam media feeding you crap and learn you own truths. Oh I forgot your obviously one of the blame America for everything morons who don't actually have a clue what they're talking about my bad. Maybe you should go back to watching democracy now and leave the world diplomacy to someone that can figure out how to move out of their moms basement.

Endo

If anyone can buy a nuke, where is the store? I want one because I don't like my neighbor down the road.

Bin Laden would have already bought one and used it if they can be bought in the black market. Now go put your marvel comics away and go to bed, it's past your bedtime, and give your mommy a kiss goodnight and don't forget to say your prayers.

Maybe both of you are too young (or naive) to remember, but a major US media outlet bought a nuke from a eastern block country and brought it into western Europe where they turned it over to authorities. While I am sure it is much harder to get a nuke now than 10-20 years ago, it is still easy. You just have to ask the US to give you plutonium generating technology for peaceful means and we will give it to you.

You are right, we do not sell weapons to countres around the world. We do not sell nuclear technology to anyone. Hell, we do not even give premade nukes to many countries either. How naive you must be.

I do not blame America for what other countries do to US. I do not blame the US for being attacked on 9/11. It is not our fault that some of the world blindly hates US and sees us as heathens. If you could put your hateful politics aside (politics that are tearing our country in two), you will see this is not what I am saying.

I do blame the US for our two-face approach to weapons proliferation. We say other countries cannot have weapons, but than sell them to countries whenever we want. We gave weapons to Iraq to attack Iran (You wonder why Iran hates US). We gave weapons for Isreal to attack the arab world. We even sold weapons to Germany during WW1. You are so correct that the US is the land of the all-mighty...All mighty-dollar that is.

If you have ever read a news report in your life you would know that there are still many unaccounted for nuclear weapons from Russia and ex-soviet countries. Where do you think they could be? How do people lose a nuclear bomb? Did any of these bombs get sold to anyone? Many of these bombs were meant to be ultra portable and could fit in a suitcase.

From an ABC report there were 14 confirmed thefts and hundreds of report/attempted thefts nuclear material from the Soviet Union during 1986-1996. While they managed to catch most of these people, they did not catch them all. If this is what they told people about, imagine what they kept secret. While most of the stolen material could not be used to build a major bomb, they could be used to build a dirty bomb.

Shipments of radioactive material have been found going from Uzebekistan to Pakistan illegally. If they found this shipment, imagine how many they did not find.

The russian exile was killed by radioactive materials by who knows who, so nuclear attacks have been proven to work on a small scale. All it takes is one crazy mfer to try it on a larger scale.

If you do not believe that people can buy nuclear weapons from someone or can even steal them, you are very naive. Just because you can buy a nuclear bomb, does not mean you could smuggle anywhere, launch it, or even detonate it.

One more example. Chechen rebels place a container of nuclear material in Moscow park as a threat that they had more and were willing to use it. Whether or not the had more is pure speculation, as the Chechens never tried to use nuclear materials on a full scale.

Either way, what were Chechen rebels doing with nuclear material, and how did they get it. It just goes to show you that if you really want nuclear material you can get it. Whether or not you use it or kill anyone with it has yet to be seen.

On a seperate and funny note, greenpeace invaded a nuclear reactor, just to show it could be done. Needless to say, they succeeeded.

Endo

Where's your proof of that? Just because you say it happened, doesn't make it so. Please provide some evidence of it, like a link.

It just goes to show you that if you really want nuclear material you can get it.

Endo, you've gone from claiming that a nuclear weapon is easy to get (please prove your assertion that a news outlet bought a nuclear weapon) to talking about nuclear material. Which is it?

Invading a nuclear reactor facility is hardly proof that is is easy to build a nuclear weapon. The fuel in use is difficult to get to and, even if waste is stored on-site, difficult to transport. Even then, it is not suitable for a nuclear bomb. I'm not down-playing the risk, after all even spent reactor fuel could be used to build a "dirty" bomb. But, I am disputing your assertion that a nuclear weapon is available to anyone with enough cash. If it were that easy, every terrorist group and two-bit country would have acquired at least one.

I honestly cannot remember the name of the media outlet. Since the internet is useless for finding old information (10+ years), I guess you can ignore that statement. As for the rest of my claims, just goto ABC news and look this up. I am not going to spam this board with links because most of this information can easily be found from ABC news.

Many nuclear reactors have large stores of nuclear waste. If someone invaded 3 Mile Island, dumped half of the waste into the surrounding waters, and blew the other half up, it would create a major disaster for the surrounding populous. If the people with the cunning to create 9/11 (without being caught) put their minds to attacking a nuclear power plant, they could easily create a much larger disaster than 9/11.

I am not saying everyone with money can buy weapons grade uranium, but there are enough missing small nuclear bombs (suitcases) out there that one could potential buy one. There are also enough missing large nukes out there that if you have the money to buy a modern high tech sub and the equipment and money to find it, you could. Although that is way out of the range of even most countries, let alone terrorist groups.

One of the CIAs biggest fears for a nuclear/terrorist attack is a suitcase bomb because they know that Russia is missing some, and there is enough available low grade uranium floating around to build a dirty suitcase bomb. While it will be difficult to bring it from Asia minor to North America without being caught in one of the many stops, all it takes is one success to make it a reality. One of the benefits to Russia also being a target for small scale nuclear attacks is that they have the intel, manpower, money, and desire to stop most proliferation in their area.

In short, I am saying that nuclear material is out there for people to buy. Many seperatists and terrorist groups have shown that they have enough to make (at the minimum) multiple dirty bombs. While nuclear states have gotten better about nuclear control since 9/11, there are enough missing 90's nukes, that atleast one could land in the hands of a seperatist or a terrorist. Also, countries like North Korea and Uzbekistan are poor enough that they may sell it to those with money (although uzbekistan has already been cought selling it illegally to pakistan).

Many nuclear reactors have large stores of nuclear waste. If someone invaded 3 Mile Island, dumped half of the waste into the surrounding waters, and blew the other half up, it would create a major disaster for the surrounding populous. If the people with the cunning to create 9/11 (without being caught) put their minds to attacking a nuclear power plant, they could easily create a much larger disaster than 9/11.

Well then maybe we should have tried to do something about that problem and the ports also instead of just trying to make people safe enough to fly again huh??

Instead of going after phantom terrorists like Saddam we could have spent the money and time on actually doing something to make us safer instead of just propaganda about the TSA.........

Endo

I was at Europe as part of the US INF (Intermediate Nuclear Forces, Special Munitions (Nuclear and Chemical) Officer) before during and after the SALT. After the US Retrogrades of the INF from Europe I was reclassified as Special Warfare (eventhough since the Vietnam Era I was involved in Special Warfare, LRRP/Ranger, and previously trained the Iraqis to fight in the Iran Iraq Wars (including Guerrilla Warfare (Viet Cong Tactics/Stategy) in the event the Iranians overran (won and occupied) Iraq; just like my peer trained the Afghan Muhajeen (not Taliban nor Al Quada) to kill USSR Elite Conventional Forces).

The term for the lost USSR nuclear weapons, was not "suitcase" nuclear weapons. This was Small Atomic Demolition Munitions (SADMs), aka "backpack nukes". The USSR could not account for a few hundred (over two hundred). They also lost some of their Medium Atomic Demolition Munitions (MADMs), and Heavy Atomic Demolition Munitions (HADMs). It is believed that these are in the hands of the former USSR Military, over 101 Divisions, that form the core of the current Russian Mob.

It was CBS, 60 Minutes that proved that they could smuggle in Radioactive (size of a footlocker) materials into the US. Bought in Russia, smuggled into Turkey, from Turkey delivered by ship to a Western US port undetected.

It is not my intent as a US Military Officer to divulge any "classified" information. These are my "opinions" based on detailed research or first hand experience.

To all the "cone heads" out there. Yes, I was also trained on Missiles. It does amaze me that the performance of the North Korean missile resembles something that was previously part of the US INF (Intermediate Nuclear Forces).

No one mentions weither or not the missile was self destructed or shot down after apogee. This would indicate range, West Coast US and if we have intercept capability (ABM).

The article mentions "Miniaturization". This is not necessary depending on function type of the nuclear weapon and the "throw weight" (lift capability) of the missile.

Buddy-283638

Sounds like you, family and friends are right wing extremist militia types. Other wise why would the FBI bother with you? We don't need your radical views on here anyway. Don't let the gate bump you on the bottom.

Not necessarily so - a friend of mine working in a DC computer processing business and his co-workerdecided to hear a live (in person) speech made by the President near the white house. They were way in back of the crowd and could barely see the President.

While waiting for the speech - His co-worker - complaining about his neighbor's dog that barked all night - said "I would like to kill that bastard." - referring to the dog. He was immediately arrested, handcuffed by two Secret Service Officers and taken away. This - when they were so far from the President that they could not even recognize which person on the stage was him.

Otherwise - why would the FBI bother with you? Simply by association. Know someone who is thought to be associated with an Arab suspected of Terriorist Accitivity - did he work with you - do work for you - share a room with you in college? Did you date his sister? Did you rend a room to him?

Remember the guy whose life was ruined before the FBI admitted that they focused on the wrong guy?

From USA Today Web Site:
So this is how his long and winding road ends. He went from anonymous security guard to unlikely hero. From hero to hounded suspect, with a fleet of satellite trucks outside his mother's front door, eager to show the guilty face. From suspect to cleared victim of a rush to judgment. Remember Richard Jewell?
You are NOT anonymous to the FBI, the CIA, or the Secrete Service. When Bush was in office at least three people in this area were arrested for Internet Based Threats.

What is considered a THREAT? Depends on the intelligence and knowledge of the guy reading it.

Buddy - I believe you made all that up. Makes a nice story you can tell - but unless you're a fiction novelist - has no business on this newsvine.

How in the hell did the comments get so far from North Korea's bomb test anyway?

Back on topic, maybe one of these "tests" will create a big sinkhole and the problem of Kim Jong Il will be solved.

Do you work for law enforcement, Chuck? Yes, yes, I know. Law enforcement officers can do no wrong. And when someone makes a legitimate point, someone else calls him a liar. This head in the sand attitude is why americans have lost many of their constitutional rights to an overbearing police state.

And what could ever convince NK to give up its nuclear deterrent? They only have them to protect themselves from US aggression and you can thank your buddy Bush for that. The US doesn't invade nuclear countries, only defenseless ones.

Think about it.

It's a valid response. The fact is the Bush administration had 8 years to deal with this problem. So far, Obama has had what, 4 months?

This exact same thing took place in 2006, when Bush was president, and we didn't hear backhand comments then about how the Bush administration was too weak to do anything about it, mostly because people realized that a military response wasn't feasible.

Flash forward 3 years and you now have many of those exact same people, who were so unwilling to blame Bush for this, blaming Obama for the exact same situation that occured under Bush's watch.

That right there is hypocrisy and it should be called out as such. Do you not think that is a valid response? What are people totally suppose to ignore the previous 8 years from now on - like the right did with Bill Clinton? please

mickar:

You would have made a great secretary of defense for the Woodrow Wilson administration!

China won't want to see us destroyed, we own them to much money.

lol China is not the 'enemy'. They need you as much as you need them. Without the Chinese buying American debt, the US would go bankrupt. And the US provides China with a vast consumer market which fuels its massive economic growth. Plus the money it makes off of Americans, it uses to upgrade its military. In effect, Americans are paying for the Chinese military. Funny huh?