Yeah, so North Korea is shuffling missiles around again.
According to Dong-A, Kim has moved some “transporter erector launchers” (which sounds like fun nickname for Viagra) carrying ballistic missiles from near Pyongyang and the North Pyongan province.
The South is said to be “monitoring the situation” and thinks the North may be set to fire an ICBM or an IRBM.
This comes ahead of joint naval exercises by the U.S. and South Korea which begin on Monday. Here’s the official purpose of the drills:
Vessels from the United States Navy and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy are scheduled to participate in the Maritime Counter Special Operations exercise (MCSOFEX) Oct. 16-26, in the East and West Seas to promote communications, interoperability, and partnership in the 7th Fleet area of operations.
Needless to say, North Korea doesn’t see it that way and on Friday renewed its threat to shoot missiles at Guam. “We have already warned several times that we will take counteractions for self-defense, including a salvo of missiles into waters near the US territory of Guam,” KCNA said Friday, apparently quoting Kim Kwang Hak, a researcher at the Institute for American Studies of the North Korean Foreign Ministry.
Presumably, that would involve Hwasong-12s, hence the mention of IRBMs above. Assuming nothing went “wrong” (a laughable assumption), this is what a “salvo” of that sort would look like:
And speaking of things that are laughable, KCNA was out on Saturday with some further “commentary” on the upcoming joint naval drills.
“[These] U.S. joint military exercises with South Korea are a reckless act of war maniacs,” the state-run news agency proclaimed, adding that “Trump’s flurry of hysterical military remarks [are making] the situation so dangerous.”
Agreed. On all points.
This is a non-story…nothing more than a feint and a publicity stunt to place blame on Trump for the situation..a situation that has existed for nearly 30 years! Trumps real blunder this week was muddying up the Iran nuclear agreement and opening wider a door of mutual benefit between No. Korea and Iran…Jong Un will start a more aggressive testing regimen in order to accomplish 2 ends..
1. Pressure grows for the Trump Administration (whatever the hell that may mean) to do something…Kim knows that the US will not attack and China is telling them back door that they can’t help. So…that sets the plate for negotiating about negotiating. That takes time and No. Koreas ballistic missile program continues to the developed and fine tuned..which takes us to the Iran fiasco..
2. The IRGC will lead the push to be first in line for Kim’s 2018 Nuclear Arsenal models…short (tactical) and Intermediate range please.
Iran is already lining up its oil markets and means of delivery and payment options…they are plentiful. Who says it ha to be based on cash or equivalents? How about 2 or 3 way barter?
In any case…it’s delusional to think that “reasonable” dialogue would have led to anything..chumps like Jimmy Carter talk all day and no one with brains or a plan listens. The real, authentic, deal breaking item during this entire Kabuki drama has been So. Korea’s absolute and unyielding refusal to fight No. Korea and absorb the losses…I don’t blame them.It won’t be a couple million Americans who die. They’ll do what every vassal state in history has done…pay ransom to keep living!