North and South Korea exchange artillery fire

[CaptainCrunch]

No Chance, MAy rock at the puzzle problems , but they blow at the standing on a log for hours at a time.

[SeeBass]

I love the fact the US has moved a carrier group into the Yellow Sea as China has their hands tied now and can't protest the carrier group as they have in the past.

Nothing like taking the big dog out for a walk to get everybodys attention.

[Pinner]

http://www.businessinsider.com/china...-drill-2010-11

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Pinner

http://www.businessinsider.com/china...-drill-2010-11

China's Foreign Ministry said in an online posting that naval exercises risks starting a war: "We oppose any military act by any party conducted in China's exclusive economic zone without approval."

Ah, good old media. A statement about "opposing" the drills turns into "this may mean war!!!"

[ernie]

I highly doubt China will sacrifice their Nuclear power program, among a whole host of other programs, for North Korea. They need the power plants to continue their growth to economic powerhouse (up to 150 being built over the next 20-25 years). They do not have the internal expertise to build the plants on their own at this time. The plants are all Westinghouse and Areva (US companies) designed and built (each plant costs $4 to $6 billion to build).

That's just one area where China can't afford to erode the relationship with the West and in particular the US.

[HOZ]

North Korea issue statement that says that the South was using human shields to protect their military facilities.

BBC

It is hard to defy this logic. South Korea WAS "using" human beings around an island that should have been uninhabited.

Next up Seoul should be soulless!

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by ernie

That's just one area where China can't afford to erode the relationship with the West and in particular the US.

According to this, China holds ~21% of the US foreign debt. (SK holds abotu 1%).

I want to know if this blows up into something bigger, what happens to that debt. If China and USA are enemies, where does it go? If NK flattens the economic engine of SK, what happens to the debt held by them?

I think there's a lot more to this situation than China being desperate to keep the west happy. I'd say that everyone needs to put their swinging dongs away. The only real wild card here is KJI in NK. Hopefully people will be able to calm him down.

[CaptainCrunch]

I don't like the ramping up of rhetoric by the South Korea Government and the new defense minister.

South Korea's government may have felt that their support has eroded due to their soft handing of the sinking of their warship last year, and they might want a stronger response to the shelling.

In other news a briefing document was created in Ottawa and handed off to Peter McKay. This document briefed him on the concept of a UN commanded fighting force and Canda's place in it if the balloon goes up.

In theory if there is war I can't see Canada sending in ground troops, we don't have the manpower right now to be involved in two conflicts on the ground, and we still don't have the heavy lift capability.

I would assume if the balloon goes up, Canada will supply a Naval force and perhaps a squadron of F-18 fighter bombers.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

In theory if there is war I can't see Canada sending in ground troops, we don't have the manpower right now to be involved in two conflicts on the ground, and we still don't have the heavy lift capability.

I would assume if the balloon goes up, Canada will supply a Naval force and perhaps a squadron of F-18 fighter bombers.

I would agree with that, it would make the most sense.

[worth]

Can our F-18's even take part in combat? I thought they needed upgrading of certain systems to be able to communicate with other NATO forces aircraft?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

I think Americans escalating things is a VERY big gamble.

...

The Americans aren't escalating anything that hasn't already been escalated. In the past several months, North Korea has sunk a ship and launched ordinance into a neighbouring country. North Korea won't stop unless they think they have something to lose.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by worth

Can our F-18's even take part in combat? I thought they needed upgrading of certain systems to be able to communicate with other NATO forces aircraft?

I'm not sure, I know that the CF-18's have worked well in terms of coordinating with Norad, so they should be able to work with American Naval and airforce communication standards.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by worth

Can our F-18's even take part in combat? I thought they needed upgrading of certain systems to be able to communicate with other NATO forces aircraft?

If there good enough for Afghanistan one would think there good enough for NK, the Allies and our own army have been asking for our CF-18's for a couple of years now.

[worth]

I'm 99.9% positive CF-18's were not deployed to Afghanistan.

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by T@T

If there good enough for Afghanistan one would think there good enough for NK, the Allies and our own army have been asking for our CF-18's for a couple of years now.

The Taliban don't have fighter jets to shoot back and the kind of complex AA systems a nation like N. Korea likely possesses.

[Otto-matic]

My god and she was that close to stepping foot into the whitehouse /facepalm.

Conservative favorite Sarah Palin is choosing sides in the latest conflict pitting the two Koreas against one another, but a verbal slip-up has seen her make an unexpected choice.

"Obviously, we've got to stand with our North Korean allies," she said on the radio show of fellow conservative icon Glenn Beck.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...7b939b3eb2.191

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

My god and she was that close to stepping foot into the whitehouse /facepalm.



http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...7b939b3eb2.191

To be fair to Palin (and mind you, I think she's as dumb as a brick), she got it right a few moments before that and it seemed to be nothing more than a slip of the tongue. Obama has slipped up on issues like that without thinking -- like when he said the constitution was written 20 centuries ago. Obviously, he didn't actually believe that, he just made a mistake.

Palin deserves to be known as a dullard, but I'm thinking the media jumping all over this slip-up is probably a bit unnecessary.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by worth

I'm 99.9% positive CF-18's were not deployed to Afghanistan.

I'm 100% positive they weren't deployed..yet. I thought the point was if the were able the mix in with the nato forces, since Ottawa has be under pressure to send them for the last 2 years I'm assuming they are able. They are also training in New Mexico as we speak for close ground support in desert conditions.

[FlameOn]

Not sure if this should have gone in the Wikileaks page or here. According to leaked diplomatic wires. China is ready to drop NK as an ally as they are becoming too much trouble.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...eunified-korea

[driveway]

The end result of a shooting war between North and South Korea would be a very badly damaged South Korea and a non-existant North.

I highly doubt that China would step in on the North's side. China is too integrated into the global economy to risk losing their export markets over a completely useless "ally".

The only thing that keeps the west from flattening the North is the million-man army the North has and the millions of tons of ordnance pointed at the South. The 3-5 low-yield nukes they may have are less of a deterrent than the masses of conventional artillery.