North Korea, Sanctions, and Kim Jong-un

[Famine]

Relax, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist

 

[Motorcycle54]

Am I woorying too much? I live in the Uk and I find myself thinking about this situation for the majority of my day.

Its dangerous to be so selective about what you worry about. Man there is soo much out there to be potentially worried about that to choose just this one thing seems a bit narrow minded (no offence.)
If you must worry then consider expanding your horizons!
Do you know how many people die each week from causes related to extreme poverty? It averages 1000 every hour. Every hour.
Buck up.

 

[Carbonox]

Britain shouldn't worry about NK's nuclear strikes - this man will easily block any missile coming at them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL_gEn9xyV8

 

[Slash]

We're not that stupid. We're smart enough to not do anything that will threaten our existence, which is why there will never really be a nuclear war.

I strongly disagree with this.

 

[Alex.]

Plenty of people out there just happen to not give a flying 🤬 about our existence.

 

[TyrrellRacing]

I also disagree Peter. Below is just one example of an event that could easily have sparked the extermination of large amounts of mankind.

Wikiepdia
B-59 had not been in contact with Moscow for a number of days and, although the submarine's crew had earlier been picking up US civilian radio broadcasts, once they began attempting to hide from its pursuers, it was too deep to monitor any radio traffic, so those on board did not know if war had broken out. The captain of the submarine, Valentin Grigorievitch Savitsky, believing that a war might already have started, wanted to launch the nuclear torpedo.
The three primary officers on board – Captain Valantin Savitsky, the political officer Ivan Semonovich Maslennikov, and entire-sub-flotilla commander Vasili Arkhipov, who was equal in rank to Savitsky and also second-in-command of B-59 – were authorized to launch the torpedo only if they all agreed unanimously to do so. But Arkhipov alone opposed the launch and eventually persuaded Savitsky to surface the submarine and await orders from Moscow. This presumably averted nuclear warfare which would likely have ensued had the torpedo been fired.
As the submarine's batteries had run very low and its air-conditioning had failed, B-59 was forced to surface and use its diesel engine, amid the US warships pursuing it. B-59 then set course for the USSR.

Don't think for a moment that there is no risk of annihilation.

 

[Alex.]

That is truly terrifying.

 

[1241Penguin]

We're not that stupid. We're smart enough to not do anything that will threaten our existence, which is why there will never really be a nuclear war.

Cuban Missile Crisis?

 

[gokartman78]

IF North Korea were to launch a 'nuclear' missile at the US (that includes Guam), and the US retaliated, would the fallout be a problem for South Korea? Would they be impacted by radiation from the missile that could be sent as retaliation?

 

[a6m5]

I just can't see U.S. nuking North Korea. Or North Korean rocket getting past Aegis defense system they are surrounded by(unless they want to nuke China or Russia lol).

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

IF North Korea were to launch a 'nuclear' missile at the US (that includes Guam), and the US retaliated, would the fallout be a problem for South Korea? Would they be impacted by radiation from the missile that could be sent as retaliation?

Simple answer, yes.

 

[Slash]

If North Korea launched any kind of missle anywhere against the US the US would reign absolute hell over North Korea. I'd be surprised if North Korea still existed after we were finished with them...

 

[Hyped]

I would hope the United States would respond with conventional, not nuclear weapons. The fallout from nuking the North would heavily impact the South, rendering our "protection" a fairly hollow promise. Also, given the proximity of mainland China and Beijing to Pyongyang, we would be creating a very bad diplomatic situation.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

If North Korea launched any kind of missle anywhere against the US the US would reign absolute hell over North Korea. I'd be surprised if North Korea still existed after we were finished with them...

I would hope the United States would respond with conventional, not nuclear weapons. The fallout from nuking the North would heavily impact the South, rendering our "protection" a fairly hollow promise. Also, given the proximity of mainland China and Beijing to Pyongyang, we would be creating a very bad diplomatic situation.

The U.S wouldn't use nuclear weapons unless N.K did and were intending to use more. N.K does not represent a threat to the U.S, so nuclear retaliation would be overkill.

 

[Spoil-t]

IF North Korea were to launch a 'nuclear' missile at the US (that includes Guam), and the US retaliated, would the fallout be a problem for South Korea? Would they be impacted by radiation from the missile that could be sent as retaliation?

You do know we have none nuclear bombs that can wipe out a city? We'll just fly a B-2 over North Korea & drop a couple of those effectively killing every single thing there.

 

[Ranman20]

I hope the U.S acts smart either way. Even if N.K shot a nuke over here if U.S did one they can give cancer to victims that weren't involved. Which can lead to total chaos and panic in SK.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

You do know we have none nuclear bombs that can wipe out a city? We'll just fly a B-2 over North Korea & drop a couple of those effectively killing every single thing there.

Lulwhut. A nuclear weapon creates radiation, no matter what blast radius it has. That radiation can travel large distances on the wind, etc. and effect places other than the intended target. It's nowhere near as simple as you make out. Suggesting that killing everything in N.K is acceptable is a little disgusting.

 

[Spoil-t]

Why I said none nuclear buddy. A couple cruise missiles can wipe out a small country.

 

[gokartman78]

What, if any, benefits are there from the US nuking N.K? I can't think of any reasonable ones.

 

[Spoil-t]

What, if any, benefits are there from the US nuking N.K?

A nice big mushroom cloud & a body count of course.

 

[Doth1s]

Lulwhut. A nuclear weapon creates radiation, no matter what blast radius it has. That radiation can travel large distances on the wind, etc. and effect places other than the intended target. It's nowhere near as simple as you make out. Suggesting that killing everything in N.K is acceptable is a little disgusting.

I think he means non nuclear weapons.

 

[xXKingJoshXx]

A nice big mushroom cloud & a body count of course.

He said benefit....

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Why I said none nuclear buddy. A couple cruise missiles can wipe out a small country.

Sorry, I misunderstood. I think Doth1s can explain why:

I think he means non nuclear weapons.

For the record, it would take quite a lot more than a couple of cruise missiles to wipe out a small country. Their blast is relatively small.

 

[Nicksfix]

If North Korea launched any kind of missle anywhere against the US the US would reign absolute hell over North Korea. I'd be surprised if North Korea still existed after we were finished with them...

The U.S. is not that ruthless, c'mon man.

So China has spoken up again and issued a warning to N.K. (article)

 

[Hyped]

Why I said none nuclear buddy. A couple cruise missiles can wipe out a small country.

For reference, go to this site, http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/, for city, enter Pyongyang, then for yield, type 340. This is the size of the common/current B-63 bomb. The circles indicate immediately affected areas, which do not include radioactivity.

Then, keep the target on Pyongyang and for yield, put in .011, which is the yield of the largest conventional bomb in the United States arsenal, the GBU-43/B, otherwise known as the MOAB(I don't know which circles actually take effect for this, but I assume it's only the ones for "Fireball" and "Air Blast"). I couldn't find the payload of a conventional Tomahawk Cruise Missile, but I can assure you it would take quite a few to take out North Korea.

 

[Peter.]

Everyone is more aware than ever of the severe effects nuclear radiation can have on people within hundreds of miles, for hundreds of years, and how damaging it is to the environment. Nukes are just that all powerful weapon a select few countries have, to say to others not to mess with them, when in reality, they will never reach a stage where they will feel the need to nuke an enemy, when they can't just blow to pieces and reconquer that territory and reel in some extra natural resources.

If the North nukes the South, the US won't nuke the North, but will assist in the inevitable attack on the North that would result. If the North attempts to nuke the US, the US will just shoot their bottle rocket out of the sky and invade.

 

[Ranman20]

Small blast or big blast, radiation can still cross far distances by the friggin wind pulling it further. Nature likes to help radiation.

Damn nature! Why you scary?

 

[G.T.Ace]

What, if any, benefits are there from the US nuking N.K? I can't think of any reasonable ones.

Well, tactical nukes on huge troops who want to cross the border to the south, or a B61 Bunker Buster for underground military sites would be effective. The US wouldn't do it though, simply because of the reactions which would follow.

 

[Exorcet]

For the record, it would take quite a lot more than a couple of cruise missiles to wipe out a small country. Their blast is relatively small.

Stage one B-2's and F-22's wipe out all SAM's, fighters, and the most critical ground targets (missile silos, etc).

Stage two, B-1's and B-52's 24 hours a day.

All carrying precision weapons to minimize the amount of bombs needed to wipe out NK's military.

Well, tactical nukes on huge troops who want to cross the border to the south, or a B61 Bunker Buster for underground military sites would be effective. The US wouldn't do it though, simply because of the reactions which would follow.

The US has MOAB's for that.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

I couldn't find the payload of a conventional Tomahawk Cruise Missile, but I can assure you it would take quite a few to take out North Korea.

1,000lbs conventional.
290lbs nuclear (assuming the W80 warhead is used) - 150kt max yield.