World War III has started? US able to fight NKorea if necessary?

[BankruptPinoy]

What do y'all think of this? WWIII?

World War III has started

Israeli leaders must understand broad implications of North Korean nuke test
Eitan Haber

One needs to be deaf, blind, and an idiot at this time in order not to understand that the nuclear bomb tested in North Korea two days ago also exploded in the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.

The North Koreans blatantly disregarded the Americans and publically presented them as a meaningless power, yet officials in Jerusalem are still reciting the “Road Map” and making note of the evacuation of some minor West Bank outpost. The world is changing before our eyes, yet here we see Knesset members earnestly explaining that the Americans will agree that we stay in Judea and Samaria if we only evacuate some tin shacks.

Two days ago, in North Korea, World War III officially got underway – the war that would pit “crazy” states such as North Korea and Iran, for example, against states we shall characterize as “moderate,” including Egypt, Gulf states, and Saudi Arabia, which at this time leads the Arab initiative for peace with Israel.

Ever since Sunday, the world has gone crazy, and this crazy world is monitoring with horror the struggle between the “moderate” and “crazy” states. The problem is that some of those crazy states – Iran, Pakistan, and North Korea – already have, or will have, a nuclear button to push, while the moderates, headed by the United States, are not eager to rush into battle.

Why? Because America is already entangled in wars, and there was someone who recently won the presidential elections there, among other reasons because he pledged to remove US troops from the Iraqi and Afghani quagmire. That same president promised that we shall live in a world free of nuclear weapons. Remember that?

A Gordian knot

This is the same North Korea that spat in America’s face three years ago, and this week it did it again. Based on the reactions in Washington (unless they are part of a deception campaign,) it doesn’t appear that the great America will respond. Now all we need is for Iran to blatantly disregard America and Israel in order to prompt us to slide into real emergency turmoil (as opposed to the drill planned for the coming days.)

Iran is here already. There is a direct and intimate link between the Korean bomb and the planned Iranian bomb; between Iran’s and North Korea’s spit in America’s face, Washington’s desire and ability to lead the fight against the crazy world, and the Israeli government’s conduct.

One does not need to be a supporter or rival of the settlement enterprise in the territories to understand this Gordian knot – and the question is whether we want the American sword to undo it for us.

If the answer is positive, we need to be familiar with the Americans to realize that three tin huts removed from the Maoz Ester outpost are not good enough.

05.27.09

byEitan Haber
YNetNews

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3722339%2C00.html

And:

Army chief: US able to fight NKorea if necessary

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_pentagon_nkorea

[BankruptPinoy]

Breaking: US Army moves to DEFCON 2

Macedonian International News Agency

Thursday, 28 May 2009

Sources close to MiNa claim the US Army has moved their alert level to Defcon 2. This was initiated by the alarming situation in North Korea. The US Army has over 35,000 troops stationed in South Korea, well within reach of North Korean convential weapons.

North Korea has the largest artillery force (can be equipped with nuclear warheads) in the world, which adds more to the already tense situation.

Earlier today, N. Korea's leader Kim Jong issued threaths to the South Korean and US Navy ships for coming too close to North Korea's territorial waters. The South Koreans and the Americans, may be positioning themselves for a preemptive strike.

What is DEFCON?

The defense readiness condition (DEFCON) is a measure of the activation and readiness level of the United States Armed Forces. It describes progressive postures for use between the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of unified commands. DEFCONs are matched to the situations of military severity.

Standard peacetime protocol is DEFCON 5, descending in increasingly severe situations. DEFCON 1 represents expectation of actual imminent attack, and is not known to have ever been declared. During the Cold War, DEFCON 1 was feared because it would most likely precede an all-out nuclear war.

In a national state of emergency, seven different alert conditions known as LERTCONs can be issued. They consist of five Defense Conditions and two Emergency Conditions (EMERGCONs).

DEFCON 5
This is the condition used to designate normal peacetime military readiness. An upgrade in military preparedness is typically made by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and announced by the United States Secretary of Defense.

DEFCON 4
This refers to normal, increased intelligence and the heightening of national security measures.

DEFCON 3
This refers to an increase to force readiness above normal. Radio call signs used by American forces change to currently classified call signs. This was reached after 9/11.

DEFCON 2
This refers to a further increase in force readiness just below maximum readiness. The most notable time it was declared was during the Cuban Missile Crisis, although the declaration was limited to Strategic Air Command. It is not certain how many times this level of readiness has been reached.

DEFCON 1
This refers to maximum readiness. It is not certain whether this has ever been used, but it is reserved for imminent or ongoing attack on US military forces or US territory by a foreign military power.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/6893/2/

[justbroke]

From a reliable source in CENTCOM, U.S. Forces are not at DEFCON 2. But who cares... CENTCOM doesn't speak for USPACOM!

[JRScott]

Anyway Iran will go nuclear in less than 6 months, Venezuela within 3 years. Talk will not stop them.

Our options are somewhat limited in regards of how to fight a war, we have a crushing debt, depleted manpower, and the lack of will on the American people to fight. The young people I see coming out of high school today are not prepared for a draft, and to fight a ground war we'd need a draft unless we abandon Iraq and Afghanistan and/or depend heavily on newer technologies. They have gotten to pampared in our PC schools to the point they really aren't prepared for the horrors of war.

On the bright side if nuclear weapons are used the global warming people can feel safe that something has been done to curb global warming, as the nuclear winter cools the planet average about 5 degrees.

The USA cannot directly attack North Korea without first getting China's approval. In truth we never signed a lasting peace in the Korean War, we only signed a cease fire agreement. So in truth technically if North Korea invades South Korea or strikes at United States interests a new declaration of war really isn't needed. However funding and manpower for the war will be needed.

It would take 6 months to get sufficient forces trained and equipped to fully invade North Korea and that's assuming China is on our side. Secretly we've already moved some forces into place, I can tell I have contacts with a lot of military friends Air Force, Army, and Marines, a few in the Navy. Several of them have gone on mysterious deployments 2 weeks ago. But to take and hold the North Korean peninsula we'd need more.

But we can't act preemptively without Chinese approval. We simply can't afford to have them cut us off. If full war breaks out then many of the initiatives that are dear to Obama will have to be abandoned. We really can't afford them anyway, and it will actually be a nice cop out for him to say that due to the war we can no longer consider them.

If war does break out you'll see new weapons make it to the battlefield like the Ripsaw towards the end of this year (That's a Ground Remote Operated Attack Vehicle due to go into production/service later this year mounts a heavy machine gun in the primary configuration and can make 60mph over rough terrain (there are versions proposed but not prototyped yet that have flamethrower, grenade launcher and even sound blasters, missile launchers/rocket launchers were considered impractical due to ammo limits). You might see the XM-25 make it to the battlefield too. In the air the F-22 and F-35s would make their debut along with the F-117s. However this will all cost money.

If Nuclear weapons are used we most likely will have to retaliate destroying the capitals and port cities of North Korea, Iran and Venezuela depending on how it plays out. These strikes could be strategic or conventional, subs left port some time ago....

Officially we are at DEFCON 4 , however that's what they are telling you ....keep living in fantasy land.....

[justbroke]

I agree on the tenuous situation and the need for China to step up. It will just be interesting how this Administration deals with this particular nexus.

[car67]

Its time we belt N.Korea in the mouth and Iran at the same time.

Iran claims US hired agents to bomb the mosque in Iran......
Wait isnt that what Iran has been doing to USA troops all along
with cross border attacks....... I say hire more agents to
go into Iran and do attacks... Whats good for the goose is good for
the gander......

As for N Korea I think a couple of strategic strikes on the missle
silos showing any movement will calm N. Korea right down!

There is some good soldiers in our youth... I know a few who are
family that are in the middle east right now and they are doing an
awesome job........

[walkthaplank]

I foresee us using ground forces as a blocking force in Korea while we bomb the snot out of the North. I really don't see us getting into another land war anytime soon. The real question is what will China do about it? Likely China will say they will "deal" with Kim Jong Il in exchange for us looking the other way while they invade... excuse me, return Taiwan to mother China.

Israel has been practicing and perfecting their plans to attack Iran. Iran may acutally get the bomb, but likely from the wrong point of view.

Our best interests lie in a war between China and India. This would likely spark a Pakistani invasion to solidify their claims to Kashmir and when the Russians see which way the wind is blowing, side with the likely victor after quietly supplying arms to both sides. China and India have had a few border skirmishes over the years, complete with China invading Bhutan which is the home to several passes through the Himalayas.

The Russians are hopped up with fresh oil money and looking to be a superpower again. They are likely to start trying to rebuild the old Warsaw Pact alliance. They've already invaded Georgia and have threatend Poland, it isn't a long shot to see that we are tangled in Iraq and Afganistan, a further entanglement in Korea will give them the opportunity to move into Europe with little hope of US involvement. NATO is fairly impotent without US involvement, so NATO will likely draft many sternly worded condemnations and little else as long as Putin doesn't push too far west.

Ah the future looks bright... Welcome to 1932. Large scale economic strife coupled with rising military threats in Europe and Asia and a weak US.

[BankruptPinoy]

I just found this:

S. Korea, U.S. combined forces raise watch level on DPRK

May 28, 2009

The South Korea- U.S. Combined Command Forces raised the watch level against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by one notch on Thursday, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported, citing an official.

According to South Korean defense spokesman Won Tae-jae, the Combined Forces raised the Watchcon system, the process of changing the reconnaissance posture for strategic and tactical warning of attack, at local time 07:15 Thursday (2215 GMT) from Level 3 to Level 2.

The second level of the five-stage surveillance system marks " vital indications of threat," under which the South Korean and U.S. forces are to step up their intelligence-collection activities.

Meanwhile, the five-stage alerting procedure, "Defcon," remains at four, which refers to "Normal, with increased intelligence and strengthened security measures," the official said.

Unlike the Watchcon system, a measure of the surveillance level, the Defcon, or Defense Readiness Condition, is a measure of the activation and readiness level, and matched to the situations of military severity.

The recent decision marks the first elevation in the Watchcon since October 2006 when the DPRK conducted its first nuclear test and the fifth since the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement

On the other hand, the Defcon has been fixed at Level 4 ever since the armistice.

The Watchcon raise came amid increased military tensions on the Korean Peninsula as the DPRK conducted a nuclear test on Monday, followed by continuous military threats with several short-range missile firings.

South Korea reacted with announcing its full participation in a U.S.-led nonproliferation campaign, which the DPRK had warned to be regarded as a declaration of war.

Xinhua News Agency

http://www.china.org.cn/international/2009-05/28/content_17848520.htm

[BankruptPinoy]

From Wikipedia:

"September 11th Attacks

The third time the United States reached DEFCON 3 was during the September 11, 2001 attacks."-Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEF_CON

But the China article above reads, "On the other hand, the Defcon has been fixed at Level 4 ever since the armistice."

So, what's BS and what's not?

What's really going on here? Fear mongering? A friend of mine says, " whether or not it's real, I get the feeling I'm supposed to be really scared..."

[justbroke]

I would tend to believe that in the North China Sea Theater (part of Pacific Command), they are indeed on a "higher" alert than they were previously. Now, is the entire NMCC at DEFCON 2... that would be very hard to believe. However, you can see differences between the articles already. One reads "DEFCON 2" and one reads "WATCHCON 2".

Anyhow, it is a concern to the U.S. Government, it's Allies, and Japan. Now we just need China to realize that it's a problem.

Am I digging my bunker? Not just yet.

[kornellred]

Iran and North Korea are pipsqueaks. We can finish both of them off inside of 20 minutes with very little loss of life on our side.

We toy with them the way a cat toys with a mouse.

[robivi3]

We got our "Change". This is what America desired, weakness on a grand scale.

[frogger]

Iran and North Korea are pipsqueaks. We can finish both of them off inside of 20 minutes with very little loss of life on our side.

We toy with them the way a cat toys with a mouse.

Not so fast. It depends on who sides with who and how willing they are to fight for their allies. If you have China or Russia step up to the plate to side with one of them, things change fast...

Those little pipsqueaks can have some big friends. The USA is not very popular with China at the moment anyway due to BO and company printing money as fast as the presses will run.

[JRScott]

Iran and North Korea are pipsqueaks. We can finish both of them off inside of 20 minutes with very little loss of life on our side.

We toy with them the way a cat toys with a mouse.

Iran is highly tied economically to Russia.

North Korea is highly tied economically to China.

We owe large amounts of money to both Russia and China thus we cannot preemptively act without their cooperation. They've shown little desire to impose sanctions on North Korea or Iran, in fact they both still freely trade with them despite the UN Embargoes that they even voted for.

After North Korea shows its hand and actually attacks then we can act with impunity, but even then Russia and China might oppose the kind of war we'd need to wage. It is also unlikely that Russia or China would move against them or sanction them that's what has made them so bold. You see the UN is just a big lie, its a paper tiger which I prefer, in fact it needs to be a lot less powerful.

There are a lot of problems involved but yes we could be on the brink of WWIII, however we've been on the brink now for almost 2 decades. The main problem today is that we do not have the industrial strength we had during the 40s. It would probably take much longer to get our factories pumping out at a level needed.

[FLBK7]

The young people I see coming out of high school today are not prepared for a draft, and to fight a ground war we'd need a draft unless we abandon Iraq and Afghanistan and/or depend heavily on newer technologies. They have gotten to pampared in our PC schools to the point they really aren't prepared for the horrors of war.

The young people who came out of high school back in the 60's were not prepared for a draft either, but drafted they were into the VietNam fiasco. Two of my cousins were drafted, were sent to Nam, and mercifully came home alive. One other cousin didn't make it back home. And neither did three of my high school graduating class.

I'm sorry, but NO ONE is ever truly prepared for the horrors of war unless they plan "careers" as mercenaries, perhaps. I admire and salute all those who joined the military in these non-draft times, but they, too, were not prepared for the horrors of war. No one is, ever. And no one ever comes out of the experience totally unscathed.

We have no military available to fight yet another war after the excesses of the past 8 years. But I'm willing to bet that the draft won't be coming back anytime soon, because THIS time, there would be no "exemptions" for the politicians and the well-connected. THIS time, it would be everyone, or no one.