North Korea says it will launch nuclear attack on America

[thundley4]

DAT, all they have to do is to get a working warhead on top of a missile.  No re-entry vehicle needed, because if the burst is, say, 100 or so miles into the atmosphere, the EMP generated will fry all of the electronics on the West Coast.

Or get their pal China to look the other way while they smuggle one onto a cargo ship and park it dockside and detonate it.

[NHSparky]

Fallout would be dangerous for quite some distance, though.

Honestly, not as bad as you might think.  I'd be a lot more concerned about a Chernobyl-style breach/meltdown than a small nuke lit off.   Most of your radionuclides are short half-life (couple days tops) and a few thousand Ci of longer lived stuff spread out over a wide area simply isn't going to appreciably affect your dose or future cancer rates.  In fact, an air burst isn't going to give a long-lived fallout dosage much above background.

http://glasstone.blogspot.com/2006/05/radioactivity-lingering-in-hiroshima.html

[NHSparky]

Three letters, Sparky:

E M P

In a space burst in the several megaton range, perhaps.

Ground burst in the kiloton range, nope.

I know it's teh Wiki, but it's a pretty decent article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse

Several major factors control the effectiveness of a nuclear EMP weapon. These are

    The altitude of the weapon when detonated;
    The yield and construction details of the weapon;
    The distance from the weapon when detonated;
    Geographical depth or intervening geographical features;
    The local strength of the magnetic field of the Earth.

Beyond a certain altitude a nuclear weapon will not produce any EMP, as the gamma rays will have had sufficient distance to disperse. In deep space or on worlds with no magnetic field (the moon or Mars for example) there will be little or no EMP. This has implications for certain kinds of nuclear rocket engines, such as Project Orion.

[Evil_Conservative]

Yawn.

I'm not worried about it.  North Korea has been threatening us for years.  All talk.

[NHSparky]

Assuming they could get about 10 more years worth of work done on their missile, which is at this point just designed to go as far as they can stretch it instead of actually carrying a useful payload, and they could also make an actual warhead weapon as opposed to something they construct more or less at the place they're going to use it, which would probably take them a few years and several more tests by itself, aside from the launch vehicle issue.

That said...Li'l Kim may or may not be as nuts as the rest of his family.  Who knows what the little shit is likely to try.

That's assuming that the Chinese, Pakistanis, Iranians, or who the hell ever else they can beg, borrow, or steal from is willing to as previously discussed, "put up with their shit."  You sure as hell don't want to get splattered when it blows up in their faces, as it almost certainly would.

[EagleKeeper]

The norks have the best bluster on the planet, I love reading their saber rattling just from an entertainment perspective.

I remember hearing that they put a satellite in orbit but it was also reported that the satellite was spinning out of control...that doesn't bode well for an accurate re-entry vehicle. I suppose I could be whistling past the graveyard.

I do think that it is/was bad form to keep the South Korean capitol in Seoul, I would have moved it south a while ago but whatever.

As far as a ship borne nuke is concerned, they do have (I think) a blockade to contend with which may or may not find a hidden nuke.

[Chris_]

North Korea rips up non-aggression pacts with South

North Korea has announced it is voiding non-aggression pacts with South Korea and severing its hotline with Seoul, hours after threatening the US with a pre-emptive nuclear strike.

North Korea "abrogates all agreements on non-aggression reached between the North and the South," the state-run Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement.

"It notifies the South side that it will immediately cut off the North-South hotline," said the statement, which was carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.

The statement came just hours after the UN Security Council unanimously voted to impose tough sanctions against the rogue nation.

All Security Council members, including North Korea's main ally China, voted for tougher sanctions aimed at further isolating and financially crippling Kim Jong-un's regime.

ABC News

Well now.  This just got interesting. 

[Skul]

Tells me two things.
1. Pudge-boy, is not in charge.
2. Ruling democrats are losing control.

[Chris_]

Tells me two things.
1. Pudge-boy, is not in charge.
2. Ruling democrats are losing control.

I wonder what Dennis Rodman has to say now.

[EagleKeeper]

I guess there is going to be an 0300 phone call for the king to answer.

I hope he chooses well.

[Dori]

I guess there is going to be an 0300 phone call for the king to answer.

I hope he chooses well.

He wouldn't take the one from Benghazi, why would he take this one?

Well maybe if NK fired a missile that landed on Hawaii he would.

[EagleKeeper]

He wouldn't take the one from Benghazi, why would he take this one?

Well maybe if NK fired a missile that landed on Hawaii he would.

Heh, he won't.

It'll be hagels call I figure or maybe Kerrys.

Suddenly I feel alot better.

 

[DumbAss Tanker]

DAT, all they have to do is to get a working warhead on top of a missile.  No re-entry vehicle needed, because if the burst is, say, 100 or so miles into the atmosphere, the EMP generated will fry all of the electronics on the West Coast.

You are vastly overestimating their missile technology and underestimating the difficulty of turning a test rig nuclear munition into something small enough to loft with a missile, my friend.  They have built a missile that will go 6500 miles carrying the equivalent of the Sputnik I which was approximately the size and weight of a softball with four car radio antennas screwed onto it, to prove they can shoot a missile into US territory - true.  They have also built a nuclear weapon that is probably less mobile than Little Boy or Fat Man except with a good part of its control equipment externally mounted on test stands - true.  There is a huge gulf between what they have, and being able to launch a functioning nuclear warhead 6500 miles.

[vesta111]

You are vastly overestimating their missile technology and underestimating the difficulty of turning a test rig nuclear munition into something small enough to loft with a missile, my friend.  They have built a missile that will go 6500 miles carrying the equivalent of the Sputnik I which was approximately the size and weight of a softball with four car radio antennas screwed onto it, to prove they can shoot a missile into US territory - true.  They have also built a nuclear weapon that is probably less mobile than Little Boy or Fat Man except with a good part of its control equipment externally mounted on test stands - true.  There is a huge gulf between what they have, and being able to launch a functioning nuclear warhead 6500 miles.

I fear all the poo pooing of what NK is capable of.

Sounds of the past when the world stood in shock watching Germany take over Europe in just weeks.

We are making the biggest mistake we can by trying to predict the actions of mad men.  We cannot expect these mad men to react as others do,  we can think they will not do an act as that would be crazy to do so.  However these men are crazy and will do the unexpected and we will be hard pressed to prevent an act that we never considered.

NK does have a few Submarines, we keep forgetting that.   It may take some time to get it off shore of NYC, or Washington DC.  but it can be done.   A suicide run perhaps, to deliver a short range missile and cause total confusion to the world. 

Every one pointing fingers at each other on this side of the world and NK will just sit back and keep being inept at launching missiles and look innocent.

NEVER ever underestimate an enemy, be it in love or war.

[NHSparky]

I guess there is going to be an 0300 phone call for the king to answer.

I hope he chooses well.

I'm thinking if he just repeated the words of Nixon:

"Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow."

[NHSparky]

There is a huge gulf between what they have, and being able to launch a functioning nuclear warhead 6500 miles.

Let alone with any accuracy to the point it will hit within 50 miles on a ground/air burst, or at a specific point 100-150 miles up on a EMP burst.

What we can do it a bit more advanced than what they can do.  Yes, IF the Russians and Chinese wanted to play the EMP game, it would suck, but it wouldn't be some sort of complete shutdown on the Western Hemisphere type of scenario.  But make no mistake, even they in many regards are several decades behind us, and the Norks are several decades behind that.

[NHSparky]

I fear all the poo pooing of what NK is capable of.

Sounds of the past when the world stood in shock watching Germany take over Europe in just weeks.

We are making the biggest mistake we can by trying to predict the actions of mad men.  We cannot expect these mad men to react as others do,  we can think they will not do an act as that would be crazy to do so.  However these men are crazy and will do the unexpected and we will be hard pressed to prevent an act that we never considered.

NK does have a few Submarines, we keep forgetting that.   It may take some time to get it off shore of NYC, or Washington DC.  but it can be done.   A suicide run perhaps, to deliver a short range missile and cause total confusion to the world. 

Every one pointing fingers at each other on this side of the world and NK will just sit back and keep being inept at launching missiles and look innocent.

NEVER ever underestimate an enemy, be it in love or war.

Vesta, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this board is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[DLR Pyro]

I'm thinking if he just repeated the words of Nixon:

"Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow."

those would be sweet words to hear coming out of the mouth of the first kenyan, but with plugs biden waiting in the wings would we be any better off?

[Evil_Conservative]

Vesta, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this board is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

H5 for the Billy Madison reference.

[NHSparky]

those would be sweet words to hear coming out of the mouth of the first kenyan, but with plugs biden waiting in the wings would we be any better off?

I think we would--because while people know what a buffoon he is, in his current position he's pretty much harmless.  Put him in charge, and watch America recoil in horror.

[Gina]

I think Jongalong is mad about this http://www.theonion.com/articles/kim-jongun-named-the-onions-sexiest-man-alive-for,30379/

[vesta111]

Vesta, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this board is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

OOOOH Sparky. I love it when you give me a put down, kind of makes my butt quiver.

Actually, when one is threatened by a mad man, [ or are you saying the leaders of NK are totally sane and know what they are doing? ]   then one has to expect some surprises to come from their madness.

When a head of a country or even a family starves its citizens or  a family its  children for their own ego or live off their labors, this is madness.

Now these sanctions against NK.   I am sure the importation of Pearls and Gems, Luxury Autos will be a huge blow to NK.    Will break their itty bitty hearts and really teach them a lesson.

Why not sanctions against their importing corn and rice, oil and gas ?      Sanctions against textiles, leather  or plastics ?  Building materials as wood or concrete, their military will need replacement parts, tires, gears and all the metal parts needed to keep their tanks on the road.   

To me these sanctions are hollow, it would bring the NK to their knees if the world leaders were serious and  cut off the things the majority of the civilians need and want.   

Keep up the yelling at me sparky,  I remember when a sailor once told me that when we argued he got a hard on.

[Ptarmigan]

OOOOH Sparky. I love it when you give me a put down, kind of makes my butt quiver.

Actually, when one is threatened by a mad man, [ or are you saying the leaders of NK are totally sane and know what they are doing? ]   then one has to expect some surprises to come from their madness.

When a head of a country or even a family starves its citizens or  a family its  children for their own ego or live off their labors, this is madness.

Now these sanctions against NK.   I am sure the importation of Pearls and Gems, Luxury Autos will be a huge blow to NK.    Will break their itty bitty hearts and really teach them a lesson.

Why not sanctions against their importing corn and rice, oil and gas ?      Sanctions against textiles, leather  or plastics ?  Building materials as wood or concrete, their military will need replacement parts, tires, gears and all the metal parts needed to keep their tanks on the road.  

To me these sanctions are hollow, it would bring the NK to their knees if the world leaders were serious and  cut off the things the majority of the civilians need and want.    

Keep up the yelling at me sparky,  I remember when a sailor once told me that when we argued he got a hard on.

Sparky is not yelling at you. Chill.

[I_B_Perky]

LA, San Fran, Portland, and Seattle are all in range of getting blown off the map.  Am I the only one who doesn't really see a problem with this?

That is what I thought.  Great minds and all that Sparky!   

[DLR Pyro]

this may explain the dear dumb leader's recent threat to the U.S...