North Korea Could Unleash Land Invasion

[John317]

North Korea could unleash land invasion

By ROBERT BURNS, AP National Security Writer – Fri May 29, 9:44 pm ET

WASHINGTON – North Korea's nuclear threats are grabbing the world's attention. But if the North were to strike South Korea today, it would probably first try to savage Seoul with the men and missiles of its huge conventional army.

The attack might well begin with artillery and missiles capable of hitting South Korea's capital with little or no warning. North Korea's vast cadre of commandos could try to infiltrate and cause chaos while the South tried to respond.

The hair-trigger nature of the danger is reflected in the pledge of preparedness that American ground forces stationed just below the North-South divide have lived by for decades: "Fight tonight."

If it came to war, destruction — civilian and military — would be heavy, even if the North held back whatever nuclear weapons it may have. The consensus American view, generally shared by allies, is that the South would prevail but at enormous human cost, including a refugee crisis on the Korean peninsula.

Fears of military conflict have increased this week, particularly regarding disputed waters off the western coast, after North Korea conducted an apparent nuclear test on Monday and then renounced the armistice that has kept relative peace between the Koreas. It has held since the two sides fought to a standstill — with the U.S. and the U.N. backing the South and China and Russia supporting the North — in the 1950-53 Korean War.

The North is threatening to respond in "self defense" if the U.N. Security Council imposes more sanctions as punishment for the nuclear test, which Washington and others say violated previous U.N. resolutions.

At the outset of the Korean War, which began 59 years ago next month, North Korean armor rolled across the border, catching the South by surprise. An emergency U.S. defense effort initially crumbled, and the North's forces almost succeeded in pushing the Americans off the tip of the peninsula.

U.S. and South Korean forces have had nearly six decades to anticipate how a renewed attack might unfold and how they would respond. The expectation is that the North would slip commandos, commonly called special operating forces, across the Demilitarized Zone that divides the North and South or into southern waters aboard small submarines to carry out sabotage and assassination.

In congressional testimony in March, the commander of U.S. forces in Korea, Gen. Walter L. Sharp, estimated that the North has more than 80,000 such commandos. He said it is the largest special operating force in the world, with "tough, well-trained and profoundly loyal troops" who are capable of clandestine missions such as sabotaging critical civilian infrastructure as well as attacking military targets.

The South has had glimpses of the commando capabilities. Until recent years the North would routinely infiltrate agents across the DMZ. One of its submarines ran aground in South Korea during a failed spying mission in 1996.

Sharp said North Korea's army is the world's fourth largest with 1.2 million troops on active duty, backed by as many as 7 million reserves, with an estimated 1,700 military aircraft, 800 naval vessels and more than 13,000 artillery pieces. The numbers do not tell the entire story, though. Much of the North's equipment is old and decrepit, and it lacks the high-tech reconnaissance capabilities of the South.

Sharp did not mention chemical weapons, but it is widely believed the North has a chemical capability that it could unleash in the early stages of a land war to demoralize defending forces and deny the use of mobilization centers, storage areas and military bases.

Complicating the defensive calculations of the South and its American allies is the immutable fact that Seoul, with a population of about 10 million, lies about 35 miles south of the DMZ — within easy range of much of the North's artillery.

"It's a very, very direct route. That's always been the problem, right from the early days," said Kerry Brown, an Asia analyst at London's Chatham House think tank. "It's very vulnerable to a sudden, savage all-out military attack."

Robert W. RisCassi, a retired four-star Army general who commanded U.S. forces in Korea from 1990-93, said in a telephone interview Friday that the North's navy is no match for the South's and its air forces are weak and overmatched. Resources, including fuel, are a major limitation for the North.

"They don't fly enough hours to be really proficient," RisCassi said of the North Korean air force.

North Korea can be reached by U.S. Air Force F-16 jets from bases in northern Japan in about 30 minutes, and a squadron of new-generation F-22 fighters should deploy to the southern Japan island of Okinawa on Saturday. North Korea has been shrilly critical of the F-22 deployment, announced well before this week's nuclear test, because the fighters — which are difficult to detect on radar and capable of cruising at supersonic speed — are seen by the North as a threat to its air defenses.

The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet, based just south of Tokyo, has two destroyers focused on North Korea at all times, meaning they are either in the Sea of Japan or can get there on short notice.

RisCassi said Kim Jong Il, the reclusive leader of North Korea, lost any "bolt-out-of-the-blue" invasion option he may have enjoyed when U.S. and South Korean forces were placed on heightened alert earlier this week.

"Whether he wants to play that card, no one knows, but I think he knows that if he plays it, he's going to lose and he's going to lose North Korea," RisCassi said.

Although the U.S. has a relatively small ground force of about 28,500 troops in South Korea, the key to American support in the event of a sudden invasion would air and naval power. The U.S. has fighters, bombers and an array of other Air Force and Navy warplanes not only stationed in South Korea but also at bases in Japan, Guam and elsewhere in the Pacific.

___

Associated Press writers Raphael G. Satter in London and Eric Talmadge in Seoul contributed to this report.

[carolaa]

The sleeping giant. It's too bad they spend so much money on military when the people live in poverty.

[John317]

The sleeping giant. It's too bad they spend so much money on military when the people live in poverty.

So, then, what would be your advice to Obama as regards North Korea?

[John317]

The sleeping giant. It's too bad they spend so much money on military when the people live in poverty.

Do you think the problems with Iran and North Korea are basically due to our mistakes and bad policy?

[phkrause]

dgrimm this problem with NK has nothing to do with Obama, they've been a thorn in our side for many years now and no american president has been able to deal with them satisfactorly (not sure if that is a real word, ha).

pk

[BobRyan]

"or maybe he is getting old" -- what if he cares nothing about his own people and just wants to go out with a big bang?

Hopefully a few North Koreans would figure that one out - before they let him make a wrecked smoldering mass out of their infrastructure. Maybe they will send him on an involuntary all-expense paid trip to Hawaii -- or 'Gitmo strictly as an observer.

[phkrause]

Yeah Bob, what's up with this guy, and do the NK's think that they can go to war with us? They have a large military but that's it. No real navy or air force to speak of.

pk

[BobRyan]

I don't think they think they can go to war with us.

But what if they are sitting in a room with China and Russia?

What if China or Russia or both are asking questions about America forced into a non-Nuke war with NK while also having to clean things up in Afganistan and Iraq and then possibly stirring up noise in Israel or with Iran?

What if NK is being asked to play as a pawn in a bigger game called "stretch American force projection until it is too thin to sustain and then everybody cash in"?

Pure imagination on my part - and hopefully that is not going on. But there are always a number of variables in play so who knows what the real deal is.

Best to just put it all in the hands of Christ and let Him sort out the details because I think the second coming (preceeded by sealing and then shaking of Adventism) vs Satan's 2012 counterfeit plan are looming close on the horizon anyway.

in Christ,

Bob

[bonnie]

I don't think they think they can go to war with us.

But what if they are sitting in a room with China and Russia?

What if China or Russia or both are asking questions about America forced into a non-Nuke war with NK while also having to clean things up in Afganistan and Iraq and then possibly stirring up noise in Israel or with Iran?

What if NK is being asked to play as a pawn in a bigger game called "stretch American force projection until it is too thin to sustain and then everybody cash in"?

Pure imagination on my part - and hopefully that is not going on. But there are always a number of variables in play so who knows what the real deal is.

Best to just put it all in the hands of Christ and let Him sort out the details because I think the second coming (preceeded by sealing and then shaking of Adventism) vs Satan's 2012 counterfeit plan are looming close on the horizon anyway.

in Christ,

Bob

What do you mean with 2012 counterfeit plan. What is taking place in 2012

[BobRyan]

Do a google search on -- preparing for 2012

Then look near the upper righthand corner of your screen and tell me if you see about 2 million items show up.

Badness may be perparing something with that year in mind.

in Christ,

Bob

[bonnie]

Do a google search on -- preparing for 2012

Then look near the upper righthand corner of your screen and tell me if you see about 2 million items show up.

Badness may be perparing something with that year in mind.

in Christ,

Bob

[bonnie]

This is utter nonesense and worse. I think I prefer to stay grounded in this "dimension"

http://www.raysofhealinglight.com/718_transition2012.htm

Awaken, everyone. It's time to remember that you have been dreaming.

Transition 2012:

What's going to happen?

by Nedda Wittels

This article was published in the Spring 2008 issue of

Species Link: The Journal of Interspecies Telepathic Communication

in response to a question from Jean Evans.

Jean's Question

I’d like to ask Species Link readers to discuss what will happen in 2012. I am asking for your best guess. I want help to live consciously in a world based on love not fear. The channeled spirit, Seth, says the shift will start in 2012 and not end until 2075. I want to know if I should start preparing.

How do we get to the next dimension? If we all become telepathic and able to teleport, with no need for food, clothes, houses, or money, are we in the next dimension? Or is being in the next dimension the same as being in the spirit world? What about the actual earth’s shift? Does it have to be via earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados, floods, fires, and other disasters? How are you preparing for 2012?

[phkrause]

Bob I have to agree, and besides if we study the Bible and believe the prophecies about the USA as being the world power that it claims, than we know that other country's will eventually come into line. Just a few thoughts.

pk

[carolaa]

Originally Posted By: carolaa

The sleeping giant. It's too bad they spend so much money on military when the people live in poverty.

Do you think the problems with Iran and North Korea are basically due to our mistakes and bad policy?

I'm not that familiar with the history of North Korea. As far as Iran, largely yes, but not entirely. It's not *all* about us. LOL

[BobRyan]

Originally Posted By: BobRyan

Do a google search on -- preparing for 2012

Then look near the upper righthand corner of your screen and tell me if you see about 2 million items show up.

Badness may be perparing something with that year in mind.

in Christ,

Bob

I have scanned several sites. I think I will stay with the belief that no man knows the day or the hour.

The whole topic of "preparing for 2012" smacks of something I don't think I would care to be part of.

While I do believe time may very well be short , What short is in God's terms I don't know.I also believe there will be many rather strange prophecies and beliefs. One thing I do know is I will not be studying Mayan prophecies for my answers.

Indeed.

The point is that both God and Satan have a short term agenda coming up - so it may not matter that much what NK does over the next couple of years - because events are about to get wild and crazy anyway.

To be clear I think 2012 is Satan's own idea. Something he has on the front burner.

in Christ,

Bob

[phkrause]

Ha that's interesting bonnie, talking about the Mayan prophecies. A friend of mine and me were talking about something and he mentioned that Mayan stuff. I guess a lot of people are starting to see things on this earth are going from bad to worse and its making them start to think a little about the direction there lives are going.

pk

[bonnie]

Ha that's interesting bonnie, talking about the Mayan prophecies. A friend of mine and me were talking about something and he mentioned that Mayan stuff. I guess a lot of people are starting to see things on this earth are going from bad to worse and its making them start to think a little about the direction there lives are going.

pk

People are uneasy and scared. Part of it is they don't know why.

I cannot even count those I have heard wonder if "this is leading to the time of Revelation". Some I do know have only the most rudimentary knowledge of what Rev says.

The flip side of that is the SDA's that haven't a qualm about the direction we are headed,actually embracing the idea of socialism.One recently said to me "socialism hasn't worked for other countries but we have Obama"

We have been warned by other socialist countries,"don't go down the path you are headed" The most recent was the Chancellor of Germany. But somehow we think Obama can re-invent socialism and have it far superior to capitalism. SDA's do not see the looming threat of that.Only see what will be provided by the "nanny"

Obama is being heralded as the man to bring peace to the mideast.

Can Obama overide what we have been told biblically? There will never be a lasting peace but seems adventists draw a sigh of relief that Obama will bring it. All we have to do is make everyone our friends.

In my business I have contact with many young mothers and grandmother's. I sell internationally as well. The concerns and worry span all.

Young mothers are buying up products they believe they will need as in a short time the economy will be such that it will make the depression look like a flush economy. I don't bring up religious issues with them of course,but many do with me.

Many young women that are pregnant and still employed are buying in different sizes. Knowing when the baby is due they buy ahead for the different seasons. They buy enough cloth diapers to see them thru till baby no longer needs them.

In chatting with them they mention they have begun bible studies with other parents and are seeing signs they never thought they would see. Some parents that have drifted away from their childhood religion are going back for answers and comfort.

Strangely adventists seem to be the ones kicking back and saying"can't happen on Obama's watch".

We seem to have gone from the sky is falling at every news cast to "no we no longer believe in end time events as our parents did". Obama will bring peace to the middle east and will put the correct face on socialsm.

The conservative radio talk shows have many topics on this. Secular radio shows that do not use Rev as their guide come surprisingly close to what some of us still believe will bring about end time events.

It is a little eerie to listen to. I keep waiting for the end of the story or how they believe it will be and it kind of stops mid-way.

[Lutz13]

Quote:

We seem to have gone from the sky is falling at every news cast to "no we no longer believe in end time events as our parents did". Obama will bring peace to the middle east and will put the correct face on socialsm.

"For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child,; and they shall not escape."(1 Thessalonians 5:3)

[bonnie]

Quote:

We seem to have gone from the sky is falling at every news cast to "no we no longer believe in end time events as our parents did". Obama will bring peace to the middle east and will put the correct face on socialsm.

"For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child,; and they shall not escape."(1 Thessalonians 5:3)

During the first Iraqi war the family I worked for asked me to stay for a couple of weeks and care for their granddaughter while they were out of town.

An old family friend of theirs would come some evenings to play games with the little girl. Arshem was from Armenia . Located in Iraq after age eight.

His knowledge of the area was fascinating as was the fact he and his family had kept the sabbath in Armenia.Initially he did not know I was SDA. While talking and exchanging views he asked me one night if I was SDA. When I asked him what made him think so he said SDA's were the only ones that held to the similar views that he had grown up with in Armenia

When any talk of a lasting peace would be brought up he would always say,"That is not what God said,it is a family feud and one that will not be settled".