The fear of North Korea

[Clinton Huxley]

Personally, I don't believe the US would use such a nuclear response.

[pErvinalia]

I don't think there's any question of 'Yang being nuked as a retaliatory measure. What would likely happen is that any and all military and related targets in NK would be hit with massive conventional force, and to hell with the collateral damage that would entail. Nukes would only ever be used to destroy important installations that were too well buried, and even that's a big stretch IMHO.

What about the idea of a nuclear deterrent? If they didn't react with nukes, then it sends a message that it is ok to nuke the US or it's allies. Personally I hope that common sense rules and they use conventional weapons, and hang the nuclear deterrent.

[FBM]

Personally, I don't believe the US would use such a nuclear response.

Why? I think SK would demand it. Maybe even Japan.

[Rum]

They might use conventional weapons to show what overpowering a response they could manage without recourse to nukes. It would be a salutary example. The planners will certainly have thought such a scenario through.

[pErvinalia]

They don't need to show anyone that. We've all seen it in Iraq and A'stan.

[Clinton Huxley]

Personally, I don't believe the US would use such a nuclear response.

Why? I think SK would demand it. Maybe even Japan.

They might demand it, doesn't mean it would be sensible to do it.

[pErvinalia]

The decision to nuke, in the US.... who makes the call? The prez? Does congress have any roll?

[FBM]

By the way, there has been scuttlebutt here lately about SK acquiring their own nukes, independent of the US. Just mentioning that to suggest the way the local sentiment is leaning.

[Rum]

In a crisis the Prez is commander in chief. With shitloads of advisors around him.

[pErvinalia]

All I can say is - Thank fuck Bush and Cheney aren't there anymore...

[FBM]

Also some news stories about SK asking the US to re-deploy nukes to the peninsula.


I think the nuclear option rests entirely on the Commander in Chief.

[klr]

Personally, I don't believe the US would use such a nuclear response.

Why? I think SK would demand it. Maybe even Japan.

Japan? Good grief. If the Japanese of all people are really inclined to think that way, I'd be very, very worried.

I don't think there's any question of 'Yang being nuked as a retaliatory measure. What would likely happen is that any and all military and related targets in NK would be hit with massive conventional force, and to hell with the collateral damage that would entail. Nukes would only ever be used to destroy important installations that were too well buried, and even that's a big stretch IMHO.

What about the idea of a nuclear deterrent? If they didn't react with nukes, then it sends a message that it is ok to nuke the US or it's allies. Personally I hope that common sense rules and they use conventional weapons, and hang the nuclear deterrent.

Just because you possess a nuclear deterrent, it does not follow that you must use it as a response to any given nuclear attack, so as to ensure it remains a "credible" deterrent. It would depend on the scale and context of the attack.

They might use conventional weapons to show what overpowering a response they could manage without recourse to nukes. It would be a salutary example. The planners will certainly have thought such a scenario through.

I agree completely. It would also allow them to retain a certain amount of the moral high ground - "look, we did not respond in kind, even though we could have".

By the way, there has been scuttlebutt here lately about SK acquiring their own nukes, independent of the US. Just mentioning that to suggest the way the local sentiment is leaning.

That would not surprise me. Both SK and Japan have the technical wherewithal to develop their own nuclear weapons and delivery systems, should they ever wish to do so.

[Clinton Huxley]

It's an interesting question - what do you do in response to a single nuclear strike. The US probably has to say that it would be met with an overwhelming nuclear response, that's the point of the deterrent, but if they were actually presented with the scenario, I'm not sure they would respond in that way.

[FBM]

Personally, I don't believe the US would use such a nuclear response.

Why? I think SK would demand it. Maybe even Japan.

Japan? Good grief. If the Japanese of all people are really inclined to think that way, I'd be very, very worried.

Oh...the new PM, Abe...very right-wing nationalistic. There's been talk recently of Japan re-arming itself.

[FBM]

It's an interesting question - what do you do in response to a single nuclear strike. The US probably has to say that it would be met with an overwhelming nuclear response, that's the point of the deterrent, but if they were actually presented with the scenario, I'm not sure they would respond in that way.

Honestly, I think there's a good chance of it. This situation has been a thorn in the US side for 60+ years now. I'm pretty sure they'd be willing to deal with explaining why they responded to a nuke with a nuke, especially now that NK is reportedly in possession of half a dozen or more of them.