North Korea Problems: President Clinton in Pyongyang

CNN.com

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Monday the country has performed a successful nuclear test.

South Korean government officials also said North Korea performed its first nuclear test, the South's Yonhap news agency reported

According to KCNA, there was no radioactive leakage from the site.

South Korean officials could not immediately confirm the Yonhap report.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun convened an urgent meeting of security advisers over the issue, Yonhap reported.

The North said last week it would conduct a nuclear test as part of its deterrent against a possible U.S. invasion.

The report of the test came as Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Seoul for meetings with President Roh Moo-hyun to address the nuclear issue as well as address strains in relations between the two countries over territorial and historical disputes.

North Korea accused rival South Korea on Monday of committing a serious provocation by firing warning shots during a weekend incident in which the South says soldiers from the communist North crossed over their border.

The border shooting came Saturday. South Korean soldiers rattled off about 40 warning shots after a group of five North Korean troops crossed into the southern side of the no-man's-land separating the divided Korean peninsula, South Korea said.

No one was hurt in the incident.

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...Here we go again...

More opinion as the story develops...

"I am become death, destroyer of worlds."

...If all of the reports are indeed true, as there are contridictions comming online now, this will be a very dark day in current history. There are so many problems that can stem from this event alone, and I really don't want to think about all of them at once.

Problems thus far have been:

- US Geological Survey hasn't detected the test
- Spy Satelites and other Aircraft haven't detected the test
- Neither the Pentagon nor the White House or commening (good or bad?)

But, South Korea and Japan are reacting quickly. I'll keep track for a bit tonight, but tomorrow morning could be very bad indeed...

Yup. Just saw that in the news.

Now I only hope that more countries besides the United States step into this and investigate what the hell do they have in their minds.




Ciao!

Tomorrow will be interesting.

What I am hearing now:

USGS says that there was a reading, similar in size to South Korean 3.5 Richter measurement. This, according to information given to Fox News would have been an explosion smaller than 400 kilotons, far below what the North Koreans would have wanted.

...There is also word now that China recieved word from North Korea about 20 mins before the test occoured that they were planning to do it, and that the information was shared with the United States, but no offical word of the "exchange" between the two countires and what it included.

---

I'm very interested to hear how the EU will handle the news, and how the news will go over with our friends in Iran as well. If this situation is not addressed immediately and acted uppon in a STRONG way, this may become the world's greatest failure in diplomatic history. I cannot stress how important this event may be in the future of not only the Far-East, but in the Middle-East as well.

...Lets hope that China and Russia back us (that being the US and the EU) up on this one...

---

EDIT: Apparently the gears are turning at the Pentagon and State Department as well, as the activity has increased signifigantly in the past half-hour or so...

If diplomacy fails, this cannot end well...

North Korea said Monday it had conducted its first nuclear weapons test. The text of the announcement by the country’s official Korean Central News Agency follows. The formal name for North Korea is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK and KPA refers to the Korean People’s Army:

“The field of scientific research in the DPRK successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions on October 9, 2006, at a stirring time when all the people of the country are making a great leap forward in the building of a great, prosperous, powerful socialist nation.

“It has been confirmed that there was no such danger as radioactive emission in the course of the nuclear test as it was carried out under scientific consideration and careful calculation.

“The nuclear test was conducted with indigenous wisdom and technology 100 percent. It marks a historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defense capability.

“It will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the area around it.”

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Breaking news ........MSNBC..

China says it ‘resolutely opposes’ North Korea’s nuclear test.

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NK must be really scared they shoved it up the China pooper...big time... I wouldnt want a Billion Pluss pissed Chinese next to me.

N Korea ‘likely to test nuclear bomb’
By Anna Fifield in Seoul

Published: September 25 2006 22:02 | Last updated: September 25 2006 22:02

North Korea will probably test a nuclear weapon, with an even chance of doing so this year, as Kim Jong-il’s regime tries to assert its defiance in the face of increasing international pressure, said Richard Armitage, former US deputy secretary of state.

Mr Armitage, who is urging Washington to talk directly to Pyongyang to try and resolve the nuclear stand-off, estimated there was a 50 per cent chance of a test by the end of the year.

“I think it is more likely than not,” Mr Armitage, who served in President George W. Bush’s first administration, told the Financial Times. This follows weeks of speculation that Pyongyang is preparing to prove its nuclear capability and its resolve to resist US demands.

“I think that in their thought-process it’s the next logical escalation. A [North Korean] spy was captured here [in August], there were shots fired in the demilitarised zone and they launched missiles [in July] . . . so their next logical thing is to demonstrate that they actually do have a device,” he said in Seoul yesterday.

Pyongyang fired seven missiles, including one unsuccessful long-range rocket, despite repeated warnings against such provocative action. It has suffered little tangible punishment but neither has it gained anything as a result.

South Korean newspapers have for weeks been reporting rumours of preparations for a test. Chung Hyung-keun, a South Korean lawmaker on the national intelligence committee, said last week that North Korea was ready to conduct a test.

“All that is needed is Kim Jong-il’s approval,” Mr Chung said, citing South Korean intelligence. “If the US continues the financial sanctions and if China also turns up the heat, North Korea will be forced into a corner and will have to resort to a nuclear test.”

Selig Harrison, of the Washington-based Center for International Policy, said after returning from Pyongyang at the weekend that North Korea was planning to remove fuel rods from its nuclear reactor within the next three months.

The thousands of rods that North Korea claims to have processed so far could have provided enough fissile material for as many as 10 bombs, although it is impossible to verify whether Pyongyang has been able to build a workable nuclear weapon.

Amid the sabre-rattling, South Korean, Chinese and US diplomats have been trying to restart the six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme. Pyongyang is refusing to return to the talks while Washington imposes financial sanctions that have effectively shut North Korea out of the international banking system.

“I don’t hold with the idea that just because we don’t like some regime we don’t talk to them,” Mr Armitage said yesterday. “After all we didn’t like the Soviet regime and we talked to them and we didn’t like the Mao Zedong regime and we certainly talked to them, and we’ve all benefited from having done so.”

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Bwaaaahahahhaha I love these experts....



Ahhh Mr John Howard....he's a guys guy....

Prime Minister John Howard has strongly condemned a nuclear weapons test by North Korea, saying seismic activity confirmed a test had taken place.

But a spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the report was "unconfirmed" and said Mr Downer had no comment at present.

The Australian government was attempting to confirm whether the claims of a nuclear weapons test north of Pyongyang today were true, the spokesman said.

Other agencies around the world have so far said they are unable to confirm North Korea's claim it had joined the nuclear weapons club.

South Korean scientists said they had detected a a tremor in North Korea.

Tremors detected

Seoul's presidential Blue House said South Korea's Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources had detected a tremor of a magnitude 3.58 to 3.7 at 0135 GMT today.

But US defence officials could not confirm the the test had happened, Reuters reported.

The US Geological Survey also said it has detected no seismic activity, such as might be expected from a nuclear test, on the Korean peninsula within the last 48 hours.

"We haven't seen any activity either seismic or otherwise within the last 48 hours on the Korean peninsula," USGS geologist Rafael Abreu told Reuters.

South Korea's chief envoy to the six-country nuclear talks said on Monday he could not confirm North Korea's reports that it had conducted a nuclear test.

Chun Yung-woo, South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, made the comments on arrival in Beijing, adding he would use his trip to discuss coordinating policy on the North with China, considered one of North Korea's closest diplomatic allies.

Japan has not confirmed whether North Korea has conducted a nuclear test, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said during a visit to Seoul on Monday.

Abe told reporters Japan was gathering and analysing information on the situation.

Howard warns Pyongyang

Mr Howard today told parliament: "I am advised that there is seismic confirmation that North Korea conducted a nuclear test earlier today."

"In those circumstances I would condemn, and I would assume I would have the unanimous agreement of the House in doing so, the test in the strongest possible terms."

Mr Howard said North Korea was mistaken if it thought that a nuclear test would improve its bargaining power.

"The test has destabilised the region, it's eroded North Korea's own security," he said.

"A strong international response is called for and Australia will give full support to that response."

North Korean 'wisdom and technology'

North Korea said in its official media it had carried out an underground nuclear test on Monday.

The official KCNA news agency said the test was successfully conducted at 10.36am (1136 AEST).

"The nuclear test was conducted by 100 per cent of our wisdom and technology," it said, claiming there was no danger of radioactive leaks.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun immediately called an emergency meeting of security officials because of what the foreign ministry said was "a grave change in the situation involving the North's nuclear activity".

News of the test came as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe landed in Seoul seeking its support for a common line against the reclusive North.

"President Roh Moo-hyun called in an emergency meeting of related ministers to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Choo Kyu-Ho as saying.

"The government has received a report that there was a tremor of 3.58 sensed from North Korea's northern Hamkyong province at
10.36am (1136 AEST)," Choo Kyu-Ho told AFP.

Another ranking foreign ministry official quoted by Yonhap earlier said the government had received intelligence that North Korea appeared to have already carried out a nuclear test.

"We are not in a position to confirm such a report," a South Korean defence ministry spokesman said.

Choo said that security-related ministers had been holding talks at the presidential office since 11:30 am (1000 AEST) to discuss whether it was related to a nuclear test.

Worldwide alarm

Pyongyang had announced on October 3 through its foreign ministry that it planned a test under safe conditions, citing "the US daily increasing threat of a nuclear war and its vicious sanctions and pressure".

That announcement triggered worldwide alarm and appeals for a change of heart, including a UN Security Council statement.

The United States and South Korea warned they could not tolerate a nuclear-armed North, Japan said any test would be unforgivable and China, Pyongyang's main ally, urged it to show restraint.

The world's eighth-declared nuclear power is a secretive and volatile regime which for five decades has been technically at war with South Korea and the United States.

It is believed to have produced enough weapons-grade plutonium to make several crude nuclear bombs, according to US and South Korean experts.

The North, which pledges no first use of any nuclear weapons, also has an advanced missile program although it is not known whether it could arm one with a nuclear warhead.

On July 5, it test-fired seven missiles which fell into the sea - including a Taepodong-2 believed to be technically capable of hitting the United States.

In its October 3 statement, the North pledged never to use nuclear weapons first and strictly to ban the transfer of nuclear weapons and technology.

"The ... nuclear weapons will serve as reliable war deterrent for protecting the supreme interests of the state and the security of the Korean nation from the US threat of aggression and averting a new war," it said at the time.

North Korea had kept the world guessing for almost 20 years about its progress towards a bomb, declaring only in February 2005 that it possessed nuclear weapons.

The United States had said it would press for mandatory UN sanctions after any test, but played down the prospect of a military response - something Seoul has also ruled out.

Analysts had said a test may trigger a regional nuclear arms race, and leave international non-proliferation efforts in tatters.

Agencies, with theage.com.au

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At least the UN called on N.Korea to gather up a six party meeting.



CIao!

So has N.Korea went too far, or when will they go too far? Are they doing this just for "protection" and "prosperity", or is it deeper than this?

What does this mean for the rest of the world, and for me in the U.S.?

I'd say wait until everybody explain what everyone has to do with this.

EDIT: Well, apparently the UN had warned N. Korea on testing nuclear weapons and Japans says that if tests are confirmed, N. Korea will be considered as a grave threat to them.











Ciao!

Gonna have to kill a WHOLE bunch of them and fast .

As I hear from the news, this is the result of Kim Jong-il's anger towards George W Bush actions against N Korea.

Apparently after 9/11, GWB branded N. Korea as an "axis of evil"

After that, GWB stopped fuel ships from the US to N.Korea and that angered Kim Jog il

After that, Kim Jog il kicks out American weapon inspectors and cut's off every form of relation between them and the US

NExt thing, N. Korea shoots projectile that was believed possible of hitting Alaska


This doesn't look pretty at all.......

EDIT:

CNN

North Korea said last week that they would perform a nuclear test as part of its deterrent against a possible U.S. invasion.

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Ciao!

Delirious Adria

So has N.Korea went too far, or when will they go too far? Are they doing this just for "protection" and "prosperity", or is it deeper than this?

What does this mean for the rest of the world, and for me in the U.S.?

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Well solid answers for what you are asking are a bit complicated. The wheels are in motion in the world to "fix" the problem, given that this is undoubtedly one of the greatest diplomatic blunders of the past decade. Blame will go flying in the face of the United States I suspect (given the anti-American sentiment I saw on CNN's coverage last night), but I would hope just as much blame is placed uppon the heads of the other five nations that stand with us in the Far-East.

It is going to come down to what the UN does today, I think, but I'm not sure. With information still moving quite slow, and diplomacy just begining to pick-up in pace (its only 8AM here, 1PM in the UK, about 7PM in Korea), we have a while to go before anything solid is sorted out.

...Either way, the world is for the most part a bit upset over what happened. Although I'm sure that our friends Chavez and Ameninajad (however his name goes) are in full-support of Kim-Jong's actions, the rest of the "sane" world isn't. Thats one more step closer to resolving the problems, but deplomacy is a long road to the final destination.

I think the big question is, do we have to worry about a war?

Probably not, so I wouldn't worry about it for now...

Just heard on the late news that they are planning a second test?

Yet to be confirmed.

Ozzy.

As I hear from the news, this is the result of Kim Jong-il's anger towards George W Bush actions against N Korea.

Apparently after 9/11, GWB branded N. Korea as an "axis of evil"

After that, GWB stopped fuel ships from the US to N.Korea and that angered Kim Jog il

After that, Kim Jog il kicks out American weapon inspectors and cut's off every form of relation between them and the US

NExt thing, N. Korea shoots projectile that was believed possible of hitting Alaska


This doesn't look pretty at all.......

EDIT:



Ciao!

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Dude you left out that the REASON Bush imposed SANCTIONS was because KimILL promised Clinton and the world he would stop his crap with nukes ...then when he got caught ...told.." Bush "....and everyone....." so what I lied ...Its my right as a nation.".CLINTON gave him NUKE TECH for his promise and he used it to build NUKES....

Now if your going to make a post dont you think it is fair NOT to imply that all of a sudden BUSH woke up one day and realised KIMILL was an evil bastard ? And that the fruitcake dictator decided to build a nuke because he was pissed at Bush ?? After all if its not all GWB's fault ....what good is it ?

Bush was the Governor of TEXAS when Illkimbung decided to start building nukes .

Get your facts straiight .

Just heard on the late news that they are planning a second test?

Yet to be confirmed.

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I hear the US is going to test a nutron bomb at the same time...in the same place...a really big one ..


Anybody want to buy some NK realestate...no people but plenty of badly made building to tear down .


Kim ILL bungholio is worried that 50,000 troops are going to swarm over the border....and attack his million plus army...either he greatly fears the might of the individual American soldier....he being a midget and all..or he is a paranoid delusional dictator and needs to get out more often...and blown up..or shot...or run down by a horse and buggy if his starving people didnt eat them while he pays for his army and nukes...guess if three of them can find the energy they may be able to throw a small rock at him...with a grenade taped taped to it .

I think that this is more North Korean wrangling in trying to get more support out of the US. In the 90's the US essentially paid them with fuel to quit playing with nuclear technology that could be used for weapons. Over time Congressional opposition and bickering caused those fuel shipments to be delayed and the US then believe Northg Lorea was going after weapons again. When Bush took ofice he refused to pay themn to stop doing what they had originally agreed to not do long before in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and said that any further discussions had to involve other countries as well.

I am sure that we could pay them off to stop playing with nukes, but I don't like the idea that every crackpot dicatator who gets his hands on some nasty weapons technology would then get a chunk of my paycheck.

FoolKiller

I think that this is more North Korean wrangling in trying to get more support out of the US. In the 90's the US essentially paid them with fuel to quit playing with nuclear technology that could be used for weapons. Over time Congressional opposition and bickering caused those fuel shipments to be delayed and the US then believe Northg Lorea was going after weapons again. When Bush took ofice he refused to pay themn to stop doing what they had originally agreed to not do long before in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and said that any further discussions had to involve other countries as well.

I am sure that we could pay them off to stop playing with nukes, but I don't like the idea that every crackpot dicatator who gets his hands on some nasty weapons technology would then get a chunk of my paycheck.

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We already paid for our nutron bombs...lets get some use out of them .

Instead of throwing good money after bad..the guys a liar...you cant make deals and treaties with liars..dont you get it ?

ledhed

We already paid for our nutron bombs...lets get some use out of them .

Instead of throwing good money after bad..the guys a liar...you cant make deals and treaties with liars..dont you get it ?

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I don't care how we do it as long as we deal with him and as long as it doesn't involve us essentially having peace held ransom. As you said he's a liar and giving him anything will only quiet him for a few more years.

ledhed

Dude you left out that the REASON Bush imposed SANCTIONS was because KimILL promised Clinton and the world he would stop his crap with nukes ...then when he got caught ...told.." Bush "....and everyone....." so what I lied ...Its my right as a nation.".CLINTON gave him NUKE TECH for his promise and he used it to build NUKES....

Now if your going to make a post dont you think it is fair NOT to imply that all of a sudden BUSH woke up one day and realised KIMILL was an evil bastard ? And that the fruitcake dictator decided to build a nuke because he was pissed at Bush ?? After all if its not all GWB's fault ....what good is it ?

Bush was the Governor of TEXAS when Illkimbung decided to start building nukes .

Get your facts straiight .

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Erm,... I just posted what was on the news Ledhed, besides, I never thought Bush was against this guy just for the hell of it. If the U.N. had warned N. Korea about nuclear testing a couple of days prior the testing and yet they performed the test anyway, then it's clear that his intentions are anything but sane.




Ciao!

Can the American army stretch to another war?

If they can, I can assure you that the UK won't be following. We're stretched in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Plus, all but one Batallion is under-manned.

Though I suppose Australia and Japan would feel the need to help.

Ozzy.

If the U.N. had warned N. Korea about nuclear testing a couple of days prior the testing and yet they performed the test anyway, then it's clear that his intentions are anything but sane.

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Would that be the first time?

This did it for me (From Wiki):

Kim Il-sung died in 1994 at age 82. He was not replaced as President, and in fact remains the President resting in the memorial mausoleum in central Pyongyang. The active position has been abolished in deference to the memory of Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-il officially took the titles of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defense Commission, the real centre of power in North Korea, on October 8, 1997. In 1998, this position was declared to be "the highest post of the state", so Kim may be regarded as North Korea's head of state from that date. This is the first, and so far only, time a communist country's leadership has progressed in a dynastic succession. Since Kim is not the president, he is not constitutionally required to hold elections to confirm his legitimacy and has not done so.

Yep, he ended any semblance of democracy by finidng a loop hole. sounds like a great leader to me. He should definitley be trusted.

ExigeExcel

Can the American army stretch to another war?

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Who said anything about war? There should be plenty of people willing to give them pressure without war. Even China, their biggest ally, doesn't approve of this.

ExigeExcel

Can the American army stretch to another war?

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Yup. Most of our big guns aren't even being used in Iraq. We don't really need soldiers to wage war. Soldiers are useful for invading, but I don't think we'd be invading NK. We'd be strategically bombing.

ExigeExcel

Can the American army stretch to another war?

If they can, I can assure you that the UK won't be following. We're stretched in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Plus, all but one Batallion is under-manned.

Though I suppose Australia and Japan would feel the need to help.

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Though I don't see war ahead, the countries that are most likely to lign up against N.K. are the ones surrounding it, Japan, S.K. and possibly China. In regards of the United States, N.K. did these tests to probably say: "Don't even think of coming here and try to take over the country...we got weapons", as to what an earlier report said.

@ Foolkiller, Wow man, I had no clue on that one. 👍





Ciao!

The US military is built and structured to fight major wars accross the globe.
at the same time with different opponents.

It could be done but it would be a stressfull situation and piss off a whole bunch of NG and Reservist .

But you would think for it to happen it would be an emergency so they wouldnt be THAT pissed off.

But the equipment and the logistics and the manpower is in place for a cconventional war RIGHT now against a MAJOR opponent...like China or the Former Soviets..and the doctrine and the plans are ready...thats what a PROFFESional military does wwhen its not killing people and blowing things up..they make plans and practice how to do it .

It would take about 72 hours to put the RD force in place and about a month to fully deploy an Army against the NK...way too late for the South Koreans ...Unless they can fight .

Because the US would be blowing NK to bits and little bits with air power and carrier strikes and cruise missile strikes..if the ROKs can hold the remaining targets for a while NK is history in a month...then you figure on how China wants its government to look like ...BTW ..China may just attack them from the North if they pull any more **** .

The Chinese have no desire to become a fallout zone . And are more than a little pissed .

Is the US stretched thin with its CURRENT force deployments yes...but if you do not have an idea what CURRENT FORCE DEPLOYMENT meanss you may make the wrong assumption that the US MILITARY is stretched thin...

YOU be in for big sooooprise munchkin man El Kimillbung diablo .

I think I found a solution. We all agree to be his friend. It is quite possible that he is just ronery, so very ronery.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

I hope this helps curb your worried minds ....

O BTW the US STRATEGIC forces are secret...they are the ones used to make your whole culture country and civilization dissapear...they include conventional and Nuclear forces.


Where are the Legions? [SPQR]
Global Deployments of US Forces
The forces of the United States military are located in nearly 130 countries around the world performing a variety of duties from combat operations, to peacekeeping, to training with foreign militaries. Some of these deployments have existed for nearly 50 years, as in Japan, Germany, and South Korea, while other deployments have more recent origins such as the current occupation of Iraq.

Soldiers have been receiving many incentives for reenlisting like job reclassification and new duty assignments to Europe on top of reenlistment bonus averaging $10,000 dollars. Soldiers have also been reenlisting for the one semester of college, which allows the soldier to further their career and increase opportunities for promotion and advancement.

As of January 2005, there are some 250,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen deployed in support of combat, peacekeeping, and deterrence operations. This figure does not include those forces normally present in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom or Japan unless bases at those locations are actively supporting a combat operation. Furthermore, tours of duty in these locations are routine and not considered hardship tours. If one were to include these forces the number of deployed troops worldwide would be around 350,000.

However, forces deployed to South Korea are included as those units are part of a UN command and deterrence operation.

Of the 37 combat brigades and Armored Cavalry Regiments in the US Army's active component, some 12 are currently deployed (including one from the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea). Another 10 have recently returned from deployment, including both of the two Armored Cavalry Regiments (it should be noted that press and Army officials tend to lump the ACR's in with the Brigades when counting total combat brigades). A total of 9 Brigades are slated for deployment over the course of 2005.


Deployed Active Combat Brigades/ACRs

TOTAL 33 37 43 / 48
Location
Pre- 9/11 Current
[As of 01 Jan 05] Planned
2007
SWA/Iraq 1 10 9
South Korea 2 1 1
Afghanistan - 1 1
Kosovo 1 - -
Bosnia 1 - -
TOTAL 5 12 11
Bosnia [SFOR] became a National Guard Deployment
in October 2001

Deployment of Army forces is on a schedule that deploys units for 12 months, with 12 months at home. Should hostilities erupt, the Army can send returning troops back out on deployment in as little as four months, enough time to “reset” — rest the troops and fix, overhaul and replace equipment and platforms.

Two brigades, one from the 25th Infantry Division, and the 172nd Infantry Brigade are currently undergoing a transition to the Stryker vehicle and is unavailable for operational deployments. The operational status of the 172nd is open to question, however, as significant elements of the unit are deploying in support of Enduring Freedom.

Soldiers from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve have been mobilized to support operations both in the United States for homeland security duties and for operations globally, including Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Joint Guardian and in the Sinai with the Multinational Force and Observers. As of 26 May 2004 roughly 145,400 soldiers from the Guard and Reserves were on active duty, a decrease of roughly 3,000 soldiers since the previous week.

The Army intends to increase the number of Active Component brigades from 33 to 43 by fiscal year 2007; at that time, the Army will decide whether to continue the process to achieve 48 brigades. During the same time period, Army National Guard Brigades will reorganize into 34 brigade-size units using the same modular design as the Active Component.

Of the Army National Guards 37 combat brigades 4 are currently deployed with 4 more slated to deploy in the near future. The National Guard has one Armored Cavalry Regiment, it is not deployed but it has been alerted for a possible deployment. The current plan is for Guard units to be away from home 18 months [6 in training, and 12 deployed], but to have a five-year gap between deployments.



Deployed Guard Combat Brigades/ACRs

TOTAL 38 39 34
Location
Pre- 9/11 Current
[As of 01 Jan 05] Planned
2007
SWA/Iraq - 3 -
South Korea - - -
Afghanistan - [1] 1
Kosovo 1 1 -
Bosnia - - -
TOTAL 1 4 1
Bosnia [SFOR] became a National Guard Deployment
in October 2001

The United States Navy has 33,888 sailors deployed, by May 26, 2004, in support of various operations and training exercises throughout the world. Of the 12 aircraft carrier strike groups that are in the fleet the Navy has 2 currently deployed, 5 in pre-deployment training, and 5 receiving extensive yard periods that would make the strike group unavailable for deployment within 60 days. Of the 295 ships and submarines in the Fleet roughly 99 are currently on deployments.

As noted in Figure 1, the active-duty Army numbers just under 500,000, of which only about 320,000 soldiers are easily deployable at any given moment. The Army Reserve and Army National Guard together include 550,000 troops, a quarter or more of whom typically have been activated in recent times. For example, in late 2003, 156,000 Army reservists were mobilized out of a total of 558,000, and in June 2004 the number stood at 130,000. Cumulatively since 11 September 2001, 213,000 Army reservists had been mobilized at least once by the end of the 2003-04 winter, just under 40 percent of the total. Roughly 30 percent of Air Force Reserve or National Guard personnel have been mobilized as well, just under 25 percent of Navy reserve personnel, and more than 50 percent of the Marine Corps’ small reserve. But by now the reserve activations of those other

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The big issue is not the forces but KEEPING the forces....tthe way our all volunteer army is structured...hey guys are being kept way beyond their agreed time of servicess...again in a national emergency not a huge problem..but most think Iraq is like skeet shooting...not a Major National emergency..Afghanistan is different they get all gung ho because the get get taliban the vaporise and Al Queda fighters to ventilate...ask anyone where they would rather go ..Iraq or Afghanistan...

My Nephew is on his THIRD tour and he volunteered for convoy escort duty..he's a 50 gunner and LOVES it..I fear for his sanity .

My cousins are on the fourth and last ...maybe ...one Afghanistan currently making martyrs and enjoying it way too much...IMO...and the other in Kuwaiit getting his brain worked on for combat stress as they call it...but he's going back ..only he's going to Iraq this time by choice...needs more brain work IMO .
http://www.carlisle.army.mil/USAWC/parameters/04autumn/ohanlon.htm

This report outlines the need for Rummy to either get shot or fired ( both in a correct world) or bring up the force levels by opening up the old Uncles checkbook .

IMO Rummy has done some great things but his war on the cheap ...if you call TRILLIONS cheap way of waging war is what has us in our current position...bent over no lube ..in Iraq..

No one watching the contractors and its taking WAY too long to put Iraqi's ..THAT CAN FIGHT ..in the field . RUMSFELDTS FAULT for not having 150,000 more troops on the ground to get stuff under control once the Iraqi Army was beaten...

So the US is in good shape to go kill North Koreans...going to bee a while to get ground troops in a survivable environment and in an offensive Rather than defensive posture...but by then they wont have many live targets.


I LOVE RIGHT CLICK SPELL CHECK...Scaff your my new idol...Daaaaaaan warn him of what that entails ..

And Seoul may be in Ruins .

America have arguably dropped the ball on this big time. With the intelligence we have now america should have either

A.Bumped off that dictator
B.Invaded N.Korea instead of afghanistan and iraq.

I think its a bit late for a war now, and I also dont think North korea would use their weapons first. The north korea situation didnt even make the front page of our evening paper the evening standard in England.

Also the US kinda forced north korea into this, and I can see why they would want weapons. But if that dictator truly is mad and crazy then I suppose it is worrying.

Good day for international news media providers though.

If the U.N. had warned N. Korea about nuclear testing a couple of days prior the testing and yet they performed the test anyway, then it's clear that his intentions are anything but sane.

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How does this prove that he isnt sane. To me it looks like he wants to be able to stand up to what he considers to be a bully to his nation.

Who said anything about war? There should be plenty of people willing to give them pressure without war. Even China, their biggest ally, doesn't approve of this.

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We havent got mch pressure left to excert on n.korea other thaqn letting the country starve, which seems like the next step in the hope of the people uprising and overthrowin the dictatorship.

Poverty

Also the US kinda forced north korea into this,

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I'm curious why you think this?

I mean, we had negotiated to allow them to use nuclear power, so long as it was not the kind to build weapons with. In turn he built weapons with the aid we gave them in exchange for his cooperation.

Saying the US forced this is like saying a guy handing you a few hundred bucks forced you to buy a gun.

We havent got mch pressure left to excert on n.korea other thaqn letting the country starve, which seems like the next step in the hope of the people uprising and overthrowin the dictatorship.

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Well, the international community still does, China and Japan still do. There are plenty of countries that haven't acted at all yet. The UN still has a lot to do. The only way I see war coming from thsi would be id NK threatened to use their weapons as something more than a deterrent.

Poverty

America have arguably dropped the ball on this big time. With the intelligence we have now america should have either

A.Bumped off that dictator
B.Invaded N.Korea instead of afghanistan and iraq.

I think its a bit late for a war now, and I also dont think North korea would use their weapons first. The north korea situation didnt even make the front page of our evening paper the evening standard in England.

Also the US kinda forced north korea into this, and I can see why they would want weapons. But if that dictator truly is mad and crazy then I suppose it is worrying.

Good day for international news media providers though.



How does this prove that he isnt sane. To me it looks like he wants to be able to stand up to what he considers to be a bully to his nation.

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Did you pay ANY attention durring the 90's when he NEGOTIATED a deal with the CLINTON administration and others that in return for peacefull nuke tech and fuel and other economic aid he would NOT continue his nuke peogram ?


How can you parrot an IDIOT and say the US forced him into this ???????????

Thats so asinine its unworthy of a response...like the US want a bunch of starving munchkins with NO usefullness at all except being insane ...


What you just woke up and jumped in without looking to say some REALLY intelligent things,,,now what ??


HE SCREWED the whole world that trusted him to HONOR the treaty he signed and was rewarded for...

Thats what CRAZY *&^% 's do ....

And YOU just bite on the worm like a hungry fish and go for the bullpoop.

Go google some stuff and come back after you learn something .


And BTW...the LAST dictator we bumped off with the the technology and capability to use NUKES got us a whole bunch of victory parades and the world loves us for it .

So what are you saying the US should have done again ?

history did not begin when you started paying attention ...go learn some stuff and come back .

I should do a search for your comments on Iraq...that should be amusing .