***FLASH TRAFFIC*** North Korea conducts nuclear test

[Crusader Scott]

This just in:

North Korea has reportedly conducted a nuclear test:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/dprk/2006/dprk-061009-voa01.htm


Boy, you have to hand it to the guys at Introversion---they even arranged for N. Korea to conduct a nuke test to promote DEFCON.




Seriously, any opinions on this? What do you think will happen next? Will the UN pass tough sanctions? Will this bring the region closer to war? Will Japan acquire nuclear weapons as a result of this? Or is this much ado about nothing?

[xander]

I can't say that I am suprised, but: shit.

xander

[alphager]

North Korea will not go to war unless forced. This test simply means that whoaver wants to invade them may face a hard time back home.
If this changes anything, it stabilizes the region. A strike on north Korea has became unlikely.

[xander]

North Korea will not go to war unless forced. This test simply means that whoaver wants to invade them may face a hard time back home.
If this changes anything, it stabilizes the region. A strike on north Korea has became unlikely.

Indeed. They are very aware of the fact that if they launch first, they can't hit hard or far (maybe Japan -- they certainly can't hit the US). It has been fairly well known that they had the capacity to produce nukes (which, I think, is much of the reason that the US didn't invade North Korea quite a while ago). Still, my reaction is about the same. Shit. They are making a very loud threat, and I don't trust the Bush administration to handle it in a diplomatic fashion -- it has pretty much systematically ignored North Korea for 6 years.

xander

[Crusader Scott]

Interesting reactions here. Here's my take:

I think this will destabalize the region, not because that Bush will invade (he will not after having spent all his political capital on Iraq), but because this will cause Japan to seriously consider obtaining nuclear arms themselves. They have been thinking about doing this since the 1990s, but this will give the hawk-wing of the Japanese government all the reason they need to start militarizing once again.

Also, this will destabalize the region because of the increased amount of US military hardware which will be deployed to the region (there is already a report that a nuclear aircraft carrier is on the way to the Sea of Japan). Tensions will now increase on both sides of the DMZ as KJI prepares for an angry Western response and the West prepares for further provocation on the part of N Korea. This is, in a way, somewhat reminiscient of how the Cuban Missile Crisis began. Fortunately, NK is still unable to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile, so, in many ways, NK is still on the defensive here.

I do think we will see swift action at the UN, but I don't expect any hardcore sanctions. NK will pay a price, but I doubt anything along the lines of a cuban blockade. However, the new SG of the UN is a South Korean...so who knows how he will react?

This could get messy....

[Falesh]

Putting right and wrong aside for a moment. If I was a dictator watching America invading Afghanistan and Iraq in close succession, I would want a nuke to stop that happening to me.

It's crappy situation though, the less nukes all round the better. I just hope it stabilizes things now the threat of war is gone.

[Crusader Scott]

Putting right and wrong aside for a moment. If I was a dictator watching America invading Afghanistan and Iraq in close succession, I would want a nuke to stop that happening to me.

It's crappy situation though, the less nukes all round the better. I just hope it stabilizes things now the threat of war is gone.

How is the threat of war gone? It's just the opposite: it has increased. Japan, South Korea, and even China(!) have all issued some very angry missives with all three pushing for tough UN sanctions. That can only further isolate NK and increase overall tensions. In fact, South Korea's Defense Ministry has just said that the "alert level of the military had been raised in response to the claimed nuclear test."

[Feud]

The thing is, even China isn't supporting the North Koreans on this. The U.S. already has nuclear weapons stockpiled for the defense of South Korea, and the U.S. is providing most of the wheat that the North Koreans eat (from humanitarian shipments). North Korea is a relic of the cold war, and everybody knows it. The threat isn't really a war in Korea, but if/when the North Korean regeime collapses (and should it do so, it will likely go down hard), what happens to the nukes then?

There is no reason for the U.S. to attack North Korea, and should they attack us then they will be like the kid who threwup onthe birthday cake, no one will be thier friend. It's in thier own best interest not to go to war (as is ours), so the issue is really keeping teh weapons secure incase of North Koreans political unrest.

[Falesh]

How is the threat of war gone?

Because no-one will invade them while they have a nuke? The tough talk is just that, talk. We talked tough at the time Pakistan and India were getting their nukes but we are buddies with them again now.

I can see proliferation continuing while countries remain threatened by those who could invade them. I have no idea what can stop it. Even if no-one had nukes this wouldn't change, after all American can swat anyone (though maybe not the gourilla fighting afterwards) with ease without needing nukes.

The threat of war is a huge destabilizer.

[LordSturm]

Remember, one nuke, and korea is out. ( Sadly that also includes south korea. <_< )

[dawa]

Shit on a stick!

I'd better stop going out of the house and get a few more games of Defcon in before it happens for real.

[Mas Tnega]

Nukes nowadays have two functions: Going down, and taking them with you. People shouldn't be mad enough to use them anymore.

Either everyone has nukes and no one has the guts to fight anymore, or no one does and people start foolishly talking tough again.

I can't say I'm concerned. Frankly, I don't even see a problem with another nation having nukes.

[Mighty Santa]

Two emergency measures shall now be taken here in Santa land.

1. Have a game of Defcon.
2. Watch 'Team America'

---
Santa - the missiles are in the tubes.

[GFree]

Ah, thank goodness I live in the only major country that cannot be touched by nukes... Australia!

I feel safe knowing we're not worthy of destruction.








(BTW: Anyone dare mention the 'Australia' mod and I'll break your spine. )

[LordSturm]

Hey its a mod, therefore not official, were safe, and its official.
Ya gotta remember, Australia has 2 people every square kilometer, which means a nuke is a waste if ur trying to kill us. <_<

The best u can do is get the nuclear facilities already there and attempt to blow them up. "Lucas Heights Reactor" yay...

Sure we can't be nuked, but remember, were only Americas allies so long we don't have our own nukes, they like their power. >_>