US and North Korea - Korean Crisis 2

Guardian: Reports the following on the increase in US Missile Defence on the US West Cost, " The additional interceptors will bring to 44 the total deployed in Alaska and California,....Pentagon also plans to shift resources in order to speed up deployment of missiles in Europe to counter the threat from Iran. ".

Lets Get Real:

At the end of the day folks, the US has to allow itself to be blackmailed by North Korea (NK), NK has the bomb, it can sell it to rogue nations that want the bomb, such as Iran, thus the US and the West has to take the lesser evil path, feed the poor people of North Korea while its Government builds more nuclear bombs for more blackmail, its not a great choice, its the only choice.   The problem for the US and the West is Iran folks, the thought of Iran with the bomb should keep policy makers up all night, if Iran gets the bomb the Middle East will have an arms race the following day, Saudi Arabia with its oil wealth could buy a bomb off the shelf, via the US folks, then the US could keep an eye on it, thus the Oval has every reason to keep Iran from the bomb.   In his latest remarks President Obama stated that Iran was a year from the bomb, lets see what Mossad says about that thinking, at the end of the day its a race folks, the Tehran Regime wants the bomb, it has seen how well treated North Korea is, it has also seen how when Gaddafi gave up his weapons of mass destruction he become weak and open to NATO attack, thus a rogue nation like Iran is better off with the bomb, well the Regime is better off, the Middle East and the World is very much worse off, time is clicking away folks. 

US Missile Defence and North Korea - Korean Crisis

BBC News: Reports on remarks by the new US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, Secretary Hagel has stated that the US will increase its missile defence on the US West Coast due to developing North Korean Crisis. 

Lets Get Real:

What the article does not mention, great surprise, is the fact that in the 1st Obama term, the missile defence shield on the West Coat was scaled back, in other words Obama made a major strategic mistake and it will cost the US millions to put this right, yes the President in charge of US policy towards North Korea, Iran and  Russia.   As the article notes the funding of the increase West Coast funding comes at the expense of defending Europe against Iran.   The Missile Defence shield to protect Europe always annoyed President Putin of Russia, Obama was caught in a off microphone moment telling the Russian PM that once he was re -elected he would have more ways to move, in other words to appease Russia.   The US Congress should demand that the Oval keep the funding for Europe at the same level, how about cutting welfare to defend the US and Europe.   Or is welfare funding more important to Obama than the defence of the US and Europe. 

The 2014 Mid Terms, NOW - 2014

CNN - Politics: Reports the following on the political fight between Democrats and Republicans for 2014, “ Déjà vu: 2014 wars begin over Medicare, budget ”. 

Lets Get Real:

Thus folks, the Oval wants to retake the House in 2014 as it will allow Obama to push his welfare agenda before 2016, those Democrats and Republicans that want to replace President Obama in 2017 will want to see what effect the Oval has on the House and Senate races.  If President Obama can retake the House and increase the Democratic control of the Senate this might increase the chances that VP Biden might run, yes folks, they are that out of it, on the other hand should the Republicans keep the House and narrow the difference with Democrats in the Senate the Clinton Camp might decide its the right time to place some distance between Hillary Clinton and President Obama.    Thus expect a book on her time as Secretary of State not to be that great about the Oval should Syria and North Korea develop in to major crisis points in the 2nd Obama term.   On the Republican side should the Republicans doe well in 2014 then expect former Governor Jeb Bush to consider 2016, the question is the US ready for a Bush 45, also hot on the heels of Bush will be Governor Christie of NJ, a larger than life character who has that common touch, and does not have a father or brother who were Presidents.   Its early folks, but not to early, 2014 starts now, let the polls start. 

North vs. South - Korea, - Crisis 2

Telegraph: Reports the latest verbal attack from North Korea on the South, the article notes the following, “ North Korea has taken its first official swipe at South Korea's new president, employing a well-known sexist phrase to paint Park Geun-Hye as overbearing and manipulative. ”.

Lets Get Real:

If this is the best that North Korea can do then the South, the US and Japan can sleep easily tonight, this just shows that North Korea is a paper tiger, with bad manners, all rhetoric no cattle as they say in Texas, the Oval should carry on with its policy of treating North Korea as unworthy and rogue State, a State that can't really follow through with its threats.  This is not to say that the North might not try some low level warfare, that can be expected, but on the whole it can be dismissed, China its elder brother in many respects should be allowed to deal with this pain in the backside Stalinist throwback, at the end of the end of the day its ALL RHETORIC, no real substance, the Regime will fall as long as the West does not feed the poor people of North Korea, make its own Government feed them, then they might stop wanting to become a nuclear armed power. 

North Korean Update - Crisis

Guardian: Reports the following from North Korea, “ ..North Korea state press say people ready to 'rain bullets on the enemy' amid increasing tensions  ”.

Lets Get Real:

Folks as the article notes the US does not think that the North Koreans will actually attack the US or South Korea,  but the US thinks that  “ ..Pyongyang remains an unpredictable and serious threat because it is difficult to gauge.. ”, it would not surprise this blog if North Koreans pressed their luck with small attack, enough to show it had followed through with its threats but without enough damage to cause South Korea or the US to react.   Thus the South Koreans and US Forces should be alert over the next few days, weeks and even months, the North Koreans like to be in the news, they like to force the hand of the US.   Also its a form of rebuff to China, the only Super Power in the region.   The one problem is should the attack have a bigger result than expected or the US takes this as a step to far and seeks even further UN sanctions or even takes military action, this folks it is a matter of watching this space, its going to get hotter before there is peace between the North and the South. 

The US Policy towards North Korea - Korean Crisis Update 2

The White House: Remarks by Tom Donilon, National Security Advisory to the President on North Korea, “ ..The United States will not accept North Korea as a nuclear state; nor will we stand by while it seeks to develop a nuclear-armed missile that can target the United States.  The international community has made clear that there will be consequences for North Korea’s flagrant violation of its international obligations, as the UN Security Council did again unanimously just last week in approving new sanctions in response to the North’s recent provocative nuclear test….. the United States refuses to reward bad North Korean behavior.  The United States will not play the game of accepting empty promises or yielding to threats.  As former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates has said, we won’t buy the same horse twice.  We have made clear our openness to authentic negotiations with North Korea.  In return, however, we’ve only seen provocations and extreme rhetoric.  To get the assistance it desperately needs and the respect it claims it wants, North Korea will have to change course. Otherwise, the United States will continue to work with allies and partners to tighten national and international sanctions to impede North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs…..it is clear that the provocations, escalations and poor choices of North Korea’s leaders are not only making their country less secure – they are condemning their people to a level of poverty that stands in stark contrast not only to South Korea, but every other country in East Asia….we unequivocally reaffirm that the United States is committed to the defense of our homeland and our allies.  Recently, North Korean officials have made some highly provocative statements.  North Korea’s claims may be hyperbolic – but as to the policy of the United States, there should be no doubt: we will draw upon the full range of our capabilities to protect against, and to respond to, the threat posed to us and to our allies by North Korea.  This includes not only any North Korean use of weapons of mass destruction—but also, as the President made clear, their transfer of nuclear weapons or nuclear materials to other states or non-state entities.  Such actions would be considered a grave threat to the United States and our allies and we will hold North Korea fully accountable for the consequences… ”.

Lets Get Real:

This is about Iran folks, the worry that the Oval has is that at 3am it will get a knock at the bedroom door with the news that either Israel has hit Iran or Iran has just let off its first nuclear bomb.   In bad outcomes a Israeli strike is less bad for the Oval, as it would have no choice but to support the its close ally, the US Congress both Republicans and Democrats would place to much pressure for the Oval to refuse such support.    The North Korean Crisis it never going to end, the North Koreans are never going to start a full scale war with the South as this would lead to the fall of the Regime, also if it attacked the US the present land that contains North Korea would no longer exist, it is that simple folks.     The negative for the Oval is that it can not really do anything, North Korea is a nuclear armed power, with a million man army on the border between North and South Korea, thus the US and its allies can not really do anything either, thus one can see back door concessions of food via China, with the hope that the North Korean Regime gets back in to the box.     This is why the US and Israel can never allow a a nuclear armed Iran, it would make North Korea look like happy hour, a good happy hour, yes folks that bad. 

Troublesome Child = North Korea - Korean Crisis Update

The New York Times: Reports the following from North Korea, “ ..declared the 1953 Korean War armistice nullified on Monday..”. 

Lets Get Real: 

This is typical of North Korea folks, its throwing its toys out, expecting the West to pick them up, in other words it wants the US and the West to feeds its people while it spends its money on becoming a nuclear armed power.   The Obama Administration has been right so far in its policy when it comes to North Korea, no more concessions for doing the right thing, thus while the US and South Korea follow through with joint military drills one can postulate that North Korea might try to shell a South Korean Island or sink a South Korean Naval Ship, it would not be the firs time folks.   Thus what should the Oval do folks if that happens, that is tricky folks, there has to be  reaction, but not a reaction that leads to a full scale war, one can argue that if North Korea shells South Korea the military forces of South Korea should take out the arms shelling them, that would be a defensive reaction, it would be up to North Korea if they react, one can assume that the North would not react, as any over reaction could lead to a full scale war between the two sides.   The North would lose folks, as the US would support the South, up to but not including nuclear arms.    It can be assumed that China would not want to get in to that fight, the North Koreans have shown contempt for China, every time China has told them to behave they have told China to get lost, without China the North Korean system would fall apart.   Thus folks expect more tension in Asia.