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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40931775
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reviewed plans to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam but will hold off, state media said.
Although prepared for "the enveloping fire at Guam", the North said it would watch what "the foolish Yankees" do before taking a decision.
Last week's threat against Guam escalated the sharp rhetoric being exchanged between the two sides.
[...] The report on state news agency KCNA said Kim Jong-un "examined the plan for a long time" and discussed it with senior military officials.
The commander of North Korea's strategic force was now merely waiting for orders "after rounding off the preparations for the enveloping fire at Guam".
But, crucially, the report also said that Mr Kim would watch the US before making any decision, signalling an apparent deceleration in the provocative rhetoric.
Previously: North Korea Has Reportedly Miniaturized a Nuke, and is Threatening Guam
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @03:51PM (23 children)
It's interesting that North Korea happily provoked the US to no end under Obama, yet seem to be taking Trump's threats sincerely. I don't really know what this means, but it's certainly interesting. I thought Trump's posturing and threats were idiotic, yet it would seem his political stance here was correct. After tucking tail here I imagine North Korea will be extremely hesitant about future demonstrations.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Thexalon on Tuesday August 15 2017, @04:10PM (8 children)
North Korea has engaged in rounds of provocative rhetoric periodically with various presidents. They got a bit of foreign aid out of it all back in the 1990's, but since then it's been all bluster and all sides. The result Trump got was approximately the same as the results Obama and Bush got. (Although Obama's rounds were certainly entertaining: The NKs were threatening amphibious landings on the Gulf Coast and other truly silly plans).
Their goal in doing this is to provoke a threatening response from the US, which they then include in their propaganda to remind their own population about the threat of the Evil Americans on their borders, and how full commitment of all citizens to the state is required to protect their nation from imperialist invasion. Powerful outside enemies help totalitarian regimes of all stripes remain in power, and NK is no exception.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:01PM (2 children)
Brilliantly insightful, thank you.
But I don't understand why we (USA) keep feeding that NK propaganda machine. Wouldn't it be better if we just laughed and said "OK silly Kims, play with your toys. But don't burn your fingers off." Taking them so seriously is what they want. Maybe there are deeper mechanisms working here... Maybe we (USA) need to justify military spending... ugh. Maybe I should not post this... wait, someone's knocking at the door... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:37PM (1 child)
Powerful outside enemies help regimes of all stripes remain in power, and the USA is no exception.
(Score: 2) by chromas on Tuesday August 15 2017, @07:29PM
Yep. We need our own propaganda, too!
(Score: 2) by BK on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:07PM (2 children)
Disagree. Even if you hate everything Trump does, has ever done, or stands for, he's moved the needle further in the right direction on this than either of the ones you mentioned. Under Bush, NK withdrew from the non-proliferation treaty, expelled Nuke monitors, and tested their first nuclear device. Under Obama, NK continued with nuclear tests and got serious about missiles. Neither of the two you mentioned managed to illicit meaningful responses from China or Russia.
Bull.
...but you HAVE heard of me.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:53PM
Too early to say meaningful responses are actually coming. But the fact US territory has been directly threatened with more capable weapons has changed the "game" compared to past Presidents.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by i286NiNJA on Tuesday August 15 2017, @06:52PM
The only reason we have gotten a meaningful response from china is because they know we're at the brink. I'm sure you gorge on garbage consumer news so you probably don't know that china has been training it's military for north korean invasion for several years. It's never in the press but you can watch china's navy quite openly building pontoon bridges across the yalu river and tearing them down over and over and over.
They've been preparing since long before trump was president and if you think he's done anything to stabilize the world or strike fear into our enemies then you're fairly ignorant.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:42PM (1 child)
I would not say that is entirely accurate. North Korea has tested 5 [wikipedia.org] nuclear devices of increasingly powerful yield. Their first test was under Bush in 2006. The second test was met from lots of rhetoric from Obama. So was the second, third and fourth. Their final test giving readings indicative of yields upwards of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki. I would not call that sort of behavior bluster, even if some of their other behavior clearly is.
And why would they need US action for propaganda? Their nation's access to foreign media or the open internet is extremely limited. They could say pretty much whatever they want. With recent software for lip to voice manipulation they could even provide videos of us saying whatever they want.
(Score: 1) by i286NiNJA on Tuesday August 15 2017, @07:44PM
North korea is a problem created almost totally by hawkish republicans trying to get the toughguy vote back home. The exception would be obama deciding to get involved in syria even after they gave up their nuclear program.
Reagan's grenada demonstrated that the USA could deem literally anything a threat.
Bush's talk about axis of evil.. associating north korea with iraq even as they fabricated reasons to get saddam. That shit had to feel personal and indeed north korea produced a nuke shortly after.
I wish we could raise these fuckers from the dead, stick wires in their brains, and simulate an eternity of suffering from radiation burns. Literally selling out the world for the dumbfuck vote makes me sick.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Sulla on Tuesday August 15 2017, @04:29PM (2 children)
This go around between the US and NK has resulted in
- China not coming to NKs aid if NK makes the first move
- Russia's Lavrov saying that a nuclear NK is not acceptable
- South Korea and Japan getting new anti-missile systems (regardless of if they work)
- Japan allowing nuclear weapons to be placed on their islands
- Loss of NK exports and imports
- US spending money to posture in the region
- Upsetting China due to increased SK, Japanese, and US show of force.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @08:23PM (1 child)
<tinfoil>
Isn't it interesting how when we want SK to buy new hardware NK starts shouting about blowing up everything? "As if on cue", [google.com] many reports remark, as if to ::nudge nudge:: and ::wink wink:: to their readers.
</tinfoil>
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Wednesday August 16 2017, @04:33AM
South Korea isn't buying the THAAD. The THAAD is on a golf course in South Korea (terrific location!). And it protects Japan. But the THAAD belongs to the #USA. But South Korea -- like many, many of our allies -- needs to start paying its own way. For the military protection we're giving them. Which we cannot afford to keep doing for free. 🇺🇸
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday August 15 2017, @04:39PM (3 children)
It means I'm winning, winning, winning. We’re going to keep winning. We're going to win against Venezuela. Don't get me wrong, I remember the $500,000 they donated for my inauguration, through Citgo. Tremendous! More, by the way, than Verizon or Wal-mart gave. More than both of them together. That was a smart move. But they've manipulated their elections. Which I cannot, cannot tolerate. So I'm keeping a military option open. 🇺🇸
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @09:46PM (2 children)
It takes a special idiot to try and link Trump to Venezuela. For how many years have Leftist assholes been praising that awful dictatorship as a Socialist paradise? Now that the citizens are all starving to death and the dictator is voting himself in for life, suddenly they all go quiet or look for a scapegoat to blame. Just like you're doing, you insipid hack.
(Score: 2, Touché) by i286NiNJA on Tuesday August 15 2017, @11:17PM
I don't know why don't you tell me? Because I've literally never heard a single good word about the state of socialism in venezuela..
Please tell me what far left publications you're been reading and then I'll tell you a story about nazi subs in the great lakes.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Wednesday August 16 2017, @01:17AM
Venezuela does have a dictator. And plenty of beautiful oil. And yet they have a lot, a lot of problems. I'll tell you, it's hard to understand. But we can fix those problems with our military. Just like we won in Korea. It's gonna be great. 🇺🇸
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @04:48PM (1 child)
It's hard to play irrational when the other side plays the Trump card.
(Score: 2) by chromas on Tuesday August 15 2017, @07:38PM
I've seen surprisingly little use of this pun.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:01PM
Obama was a guy who speaks softly and sends drones to kill, then doesn't mention it ever, unless called on for it by legislators.
He was so smooth, much like some Mafia don. Trump is like a teamster boss, a lot of chest thumping and over the top outrageous statements.
North Korean regime doesn't understand finesses and discretion of an Damocles' sword.
They communicate very well on trash talk level, because that sort of drama is necessary for their intra-national propaganda on which they found their rule.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by n1 on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:08PM (1 child)
As far as i'm aware, there's actually no appreciable change in the rhetoric. The main change is the focus of the reporting, this is common with the North Korean 'threats' ... The qualifying of language stating that this would be in response to military action against them is rarely a focus, just the exciting and provoking stuff.
You can usually see this in reporting of KCNA articles, but you will rarely get more than a three word quote at a time, and certainly never a link to the full transcript or article they are citing, just the "fire and fury" elements.
The US, NATO and everyone else with a real military also drafts and simulates all sorts of pre-emptive, attack and defense plans, but that does not mean there is a real intent to engage in those military actions. They also talk up endlessly the military prowess and capability. The US has an entire private media industry around promoting military advanced and capabilities, that's beyond the overt and covert propaganda campaigns.
Why so many are intent to believe that Iran and North Korea are just completely suicidal is ridiculous, that as soon as they have a rock to throw they will, even though it assures a swift and merciless retaliation from superior forces that have been looking for an opportunity to defend themselves. The same can now be said of Venezeula now with 'unconfirmed' reports going around that some general over there has ordered Marco Rubio assassinated.
Iraq wasn't invaded right after 9/11, it takes time to set the scene with selective quoting and memories, the prospect of anthrax attacks and unsubstantiated intelligence reports on assassination attempts of elder statesmen.
The 'transition to democracy and resolving the humanitarian crisis' has yet to be finished in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Syria or even Ukraine. But we do seem awfully keen to begin new projects in Venezuela and North Korea recently.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday August 15 2017, @05:24PM
On top of which, the media should just give both sides all the credit they deserve for their gesticulations: no publicity.
If Trump and Kim scream at each other in a very dense forest really far from the rest of us, does it make a sound?
(Score: 1) by i286NiNJA on Tuesday August 15 2017, @06:45PM (1 child)
Hardly.. the kinds of provocations under obama were a lot less serious. I think you're just seeing what you want to see.
Fatboy knows trump is weak but mattis is a serious secdef who barely even answers to trump anyhow and mattis can handle north korea.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 16 2017, @03:58AM
Exactly how much more provocative could they have gotten under Obama? Testing 4 increasingly high yield nuclear weapons, launching missiles near Japan, etc? Had they had the technology to hit Guam at the time, do you think they would have suddenly started believing Obama's posturing and threats?
It's certainly possible I'm seeing what I want to see, but you must also acknowledge the same.