2 Female US journalists on trial in North Korea

[Godsdarling]

Great now they have hostages. Saw on another news report stating North K is invading SK waters. What now? This is escalating into a nightmare scenario, it was reported that NK has rockets that will reach Alaska.

So how do y'all think this should be handled?


North Korea's top court began hearing the case Thursday of two American journalists accused of crossing into the country illegally and engaging in "hostile acts" — charges that could draw a 10-year sentence in a labor camp.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090604/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_journalists_held

 

[Eldritch]

Great now they have hostages. Saw on another news report stating North K is invading SK waters. What now? This is escalating into a nightmare scenario, it was reported that NK has rockets that will reach Alaska.

So how do y'all think this should be handled?


North Korea's top court began hearing the case Thursday of two American journalists accused of crossing into the country illegally and engaging in "hostile acts" — charges that could draw a 10-year sentence in a labor camp.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090604/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_journalists_held

The likelyhood that North Korea would be willing and able to launch a nuclear missile at Alaska are not very good. A more direct up front scenario is that they would pummel South Korea with more conventional arms and nuke our military forces in Japan. This is why Japan is so worked up about the missile tests in their backyard. Japan and Korea have never gotten along very well.

 

[Godsdarling]

The likelyhood that North Korea would be willing and able to launch a nuclear missile at Alaska are not very good. A more direct up front scenario is that they would pummel South Korea with more conventional arms and nuke our military forces in Japan. This is why Japan is so worked up about the missile tests in their backyard. Japan and Korea have never gotten along very well.

It is just the fact that they let everyone know they can reach Alaska. They just keep pushing, at us, at SK, Japan. Things are going to get worse when someone tries to push back.

 

[cardinal03]

NK has been kidnapping Japanese nationals and forcing them to assist with infiltration for decades. It's hard to be surprised or alarmed about this. The US needs to shove it's size 12 Uncle Sam boot up NK's ass.

 

[some_random_guy]

problem with north korea is that we let a tyrant barbarian lead a whole country, rather than starting a war with iraq, which was never a threat, he should have fixed the north korea issue, which is as you can see a major threat to everyone, kim jong il is like a 10 year old trying to rule the play ground, its ridiculous

 

[CHUM]

.. kim jong il is like a 10 year old trying to rule the play ground, its ridiculous

he's on his way out (medical)....it's been announced his youngest son will be 'heir'.....this could get a lot worse.......

 

[Godsdarling]

My theory is the guy is dead. There was a rumor to that effect last year. His son took over and now this mess because he is a spoiled brat puffed up on his own power. Everything has been quite until the past two months. What changed? But it is only my theory.

 

[theAmazingKickstand]

is fidel castro dead?

 

[Climber]

We should just have a rule that once a tin-pot dictator goes over a threshold of killing a certain number of their own people, we just take them out.

These two-bit thugs always end up with titanic ego's once they get it in their head that they can kill their own people with impunity. Better to nip that shit in the bud because the longer you wait the worse of a problem they become. I think that a cruise missile up their ass would do the trick.

 

[mlm]

Not offerring any support for NK, but it sounds to me like they WERE in NK. Just look at the facts:
1) They were detained by NK guards (after being told to stop filming)
2) Their cameraman and guide managed to "escape"
3) The border was a river
4) The reports say the details of their arrest are "hazy"...nobody seems to recall what side of the border they were on...just that they were near it.

Also interesting how some of the same people who claim invading Iraq was stupid are suggesting we do the same to NK.

 

[Climber]

If you're referring to my post, that's not what I'm suggesting. Just knock the dictator off and let the nations people figure out who they want next. It only creates a power vacuum if you leave them in power for too long.

 

[Godsdarling]

Yes mlm and those two idiots that got caught are now hostages in a political hot spot. It was an amazingly stupid move. But they had to do it for the story right? Whatever, its handcuffed us and gave NK the lead in this chess game. If you are going to send in journalist to get a story on a country is all out for war, then send someone in that has some capabilities to take care of themselves, like the camera man. I just think it was a dumb move when negotiations are so hostile right now. Think about your country and the position you are going to put them in if you get caught.

 

[afm199]

A. Rule one for journalists: Stay the fuck away from borders of hostile countries. They are not in the US and there ain't no constitution. ( I talked back to an East German border guard once and spent an afternoon in detention and interrogation. It became abundantly clear to me that had I kept my mouth shut I would not have been there..)

B. The North Koreans don't have capability to nuke anyone. Much less the US.

C. The largest concentration of large artillery in the world is in North Korea, aimed at South Korea, and THAT is what stops any action. The US could nuke five major North Korean cities and they NK army would still destroy most of urban South Korea.

 

[mlm]

If you're referring to my post, that's not what I'm suggesting. Just knock the dictator off and let the nations people figure out who they want next. It only creates a power vacuum if you leave them in power for too long.

If not hypocritical, it's at least naive.

Iraq was an open society compared to NK. What you suggest (above) isn't even remotely feasible. As someone suggested, he might already be dead. Whose to say Kim Jung III isn't already in power?

As for just nuking them, bombing, attacking, etc...those are the same bullshit populist strategies offerred up time and time again. Suppose our wildest dreams cam true and we managed to defeat the NK army in a day. How would that be any different than the aftermath of Iraq?

 

[vaara]

As for just nuking them, bombing, attacking, etc...those are the same bullshit populist strategies offerred up time and time again. Suppose our wildest dreams cam true and we managed to defeat the NK army in a day. How would that be any different than the aftermath of Iraq?

It would be very different, actually. North Korea -- unlike Iraq -- is ethnically and religiously homogeneous, so there's very little potential for the sort of gang warfare that has plagued Iraq since 2003. And we wouldn't be trying to rebuild North Korea single-handed... that's what China and especially South Korea are for.

 

[mlm]

Yes mlm and those two idiots that got caught are now hostages in a political hot spot. It was an amazingly stupid move. But they had to do it for the story right?

A couple other facts:

1) They were (supposedly) told several times by guys with guns to stop filming.
2) They were warned to stay clear of the border.
3) They had already interviewed numerous NK defectees.

Yes, I'd say they were idiots. Note that the reporter's last words on Twitter were: "Hope my Kim-chee breath keeps me safe"

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_...two_american_journalists_for_current_tv_.html


FWIW: I do support and value the contributions of media, but explain why they didn't stop and leave when told to stop filiming? Sounds to me like they pushed their luck with an amazing ignorance to the risks they were taking. Not to mention the extra shit our own state department has to go through to get them back.

It would be very different, actually. North Korea -- unlike Iraq -- is ethnically and religiously homogeneous, so there's very little potential for the sort of gang warfare that has plagued Iraq since 2003. And we wouldn't be trying to rebuild North Korea single-handed... that's what China and especially South Korea are for.

I'm sure you're old enough to remeber the conventional wisdom after the first Gulf War. Remeber...all the calls to finish the job. How Iraqis wanted to be free and everything would work out just fine if we'd only get rid of Saddam?

When did knocking off a dictator ever fix a problem?

 

[m_asim]

B. The North Koreans don't have capability to nuke anyone. Much less the US.

Errm no. They have the capability to nuke Alaska and most of Washington state. The question is are they crazy enough to do this? I would say no. The Ill family is running the country as their own fiefdom. They don't want to rock the boat.

Now on to the journalists. They are local to LA so I have sympathy for them. However I have no sympathy for their idiotic forray into North Korea.

These girls illegally entered a country (they didn't have visa or any permission) and expected a red-carpet reception?

 

[insyder]

...Whatever, its handcuffed us and gave NK the lead in this chess game...

Tragically true, though it shouldn't be. Idiot journalists.
I'm sure this Ling sister was just trying to "one up" her sister, who has already done a full story as an invited guest of NK.

 

[afm199]

You guys might want to read up about the NK army and its capability before you go invade.

Seventy percent of their active force, including approximately 700,000 troops, over 8,000 artillery systems, and 2,000 tanks, is postured within 90 miles of the Demilitarized Zone.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/army.htm

It's pretty much a given that NK could kill hundreds of thousands to millions of South Koreans in a massive artillery attack. Most of their artillery is underground.

Here is their premier artillery unit:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/620-corps.htm
It is estimated that NK can fire several THOUSAND rounds a MINUTE at SK.

According to one report, a South Korean security analyst suggested that DPRK artillery pieces of calibers 170mm and 240mm "could fire 10,000 rounds per minute to Seoul and its environs." The number of Koksan guns is not publicly reported, but it is reliably reported that North Korea has about 500 long-range artillery tubes within range of Seoul, double the levels of a the mid-1990s. Large caliber self propelled artillery pieces typically have a sustained rate of fire of between four and eight rounds per minute. This suggests a total rate of fire of artillery alone of between 2,000 and 4,000 rounds per minute. The DPRK's two hundred 240mm MRLs fire either 12 or 22 rounds, providing a maximum single salvo of no more than 4,400 rounds.

 

[some_random_guy]

My theory is the guy is dead. There was a rumor to that effect last year. His son took over and now this mess because he is a spoiled brat puffed up on his own power. Everything has been quite until the past two months. What changed? But it is only my theory.

Actually, I hear his assistant was doing everything for him, making deciscions and such, obviously, she denied it, but most likely its true, his son is puffed up with power, food, and gambling/drinking addictions

is fidel castro dead?

not yet lol

You guys might want to read up about the NK army and its capability before you go invade.

Seventy percent of their active force, including approximately 700,000 troops, over 8,000 artillery systems, and 2,000 tanks, is postured within 90 miles of the Demilitarized Zone.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/army.htm

It's pretty much a given that NK could kill hundreds of thousands to millions of South Koreans in a massive artillery attack. Most of their artillery is underground.

Here is their premier artillery unit:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/620-corps.htm
It is estimated that NK can fire several THOUSAND rounds a MINUTE at SK.

According to one report, a South Korean security analyst suggested that DPRK artillery pieces of calibers 170mm and 240mm "could fire 10,000 rounds per minute to Seoul and its environs." The number of Koksan guns is not publicly reported, but it is reliably reported that North Korea has about 500 long-range artillery tubes within range of Seoul, double the levels of a the mid-1990s. Large caliber self propelled artillery pieces typically have a sustained rate of fire of between four and eight rounds per minute. This suggests a total rate of fire of artillery alone of between 2,000 and 4,000 rounds per minute. The DPRK's two hundred 240mm MRLs fire either 12 or 22 rounds, providing a maximum single salvo of no more than 4,400 rounds.

one nuke, thats all it takes, just one nuke and he's gone