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North Korea Threatens Missile Strike on Guam (a United States Territory)

kmfdmpig

Member
Honestly if NK was ever going to irrationality do something Guam is a damn good target.
1. Huge American importance
2. small population
3. NK can still hide behind the threat of SK's destruction.

I don't think so. Even a rational president would not let an attack on Guam (assuming it had any success) meet with a non-response or muted response. An attack on Guam would lead to a major retaliation.
 
I go on vacation in 2 days, can we kindly hold off the end of the world until I have to go back to work. Then go ahead and end it, im cool with it
 

Marvel

could never
When you rely on North Korea to be more rational than Donald Trump.
Jesus when you put it like that...

yj7j2lwj
 

SDCowboy

Member
With Trump as President yes, that would definitely happen and should be retaliated against in some way.

However the discussion would definitely be there if the assured destruction of a city of 5million in a country of 50million is worth the retaliation for an island of less than 200k.

That discussion would lead to the affirmative. Do you think if NK tied to attack Guam, that the US wouldn't do anything?
 
Do your homework. The stupid kids are going to the war front. Maybe the smart ones can fly a drone or operate radar or something.

So, no. Let's get that out of the way.

While there are undeniably demographic trends within and among the armed forces, it's absolutely, demonstrably unfair to paint -- with a broad, generalizing brush -- a newly minted Marine rifleman as a "stupid kid" while the Air Force officer at Creech is the "smart one."

The way of thinking you espouse is problematic, and while I'm the least nationalistic person there is (and I'm no fan of blind patriotism or the military-industrial complex either...), it offends me.

But yes, everyone should do their homework.
 

MisterR

Member
Yup.

Even the thought of losing Guam and it’s strategic importance for the US pacific operations will make any preemptive strike on NK too expensive.

Utter nonsense. If the US strikes NK preemptively there won't be anything left to hit Guam. That's if NK could even manage to aim straight to begin with.
 

Rival

Gold Member
Honestly if NK was ever going to irrationality do something Guam is a damn good target.
1. Huge American importance
2. small population
3. NK can still hide behind the threat of SK's destruction.

An attack on Guam would leave them no room to hide behind anything. At that point the US would bring it hard.
 

MisterR

Member
Honestly if NK was ever going to irrationality do something Guam is a damn good target.
1. Huge American importance
2. small population
3. NK can still hide behind the threat of SK's destruction.

Hahaha. If NK ever attacked America there would be no NK shortly thereafter. No American president would allow that.
 

kmfdmpig

Member
Pyongyang can be leveled with ease with MOAB's and other weapons. No nukes are needed.

We've been overestimating the military's ability to successfully pull off a decapitation strike for at least 15 years, so at this point I'd be very skeptical that they would be able to do so in NK.
 

Xando

Member
Utter nonsense. If the US strikes NK preemptively there won't be anything left to hit Guam. That's if NK could even manage to aim straight to begin with.
Even if the US can take out all launch sites and mobile launchers (highly unlikely).

NK still has SLBMs they can launch from below the surface out of danger of the Air Force.

They have been practicing exactly that in the recent months.
 
CNN: North Korea threatens strike on Guam

CNN said:
Dubbed the "Tip of the Spear," Guam is a key to the US military's forward deployed presence in the Pacific and is home to thousands of American service members and their families.

The statement from a spokesman from the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army, warned that recent US military maneuvers —including an intercontinental ballistic missile test last week and a bomber flight on Monday -- "may provoke a dangerous conflict."

Specifically, the statement mentioned a potential strike on "Anderson Air Force Base in which the US strategic bombers, which get on the nerves of the DPRK and threaten and blackmail it through their frequent visits to the sky above south Korea, are stationed and to send a serious warning signal to the US."

Edit: Ooops, already referenced in OP.
 

Yamauchi

Banned
Honestly if NK was ever going to irrationality do something Guam is a damn good target.
1. Huge American importance
2. small population
3. NK can still hide behind the threat of SK's destruction.
I don't think so. Firstly, it's not guaranteed the missiles would hit their target. There is a THAAD system as well as PAC-3's in Guam, and North Korean missiles may not be all that accurate. Secondly, it would justify a series of US nuclear attacks on NK to bring down the government.
 
So, no. Let's get that out of the way.

While there are undeniably demographic trends within and among the armed forces, it's absolutely, demonstrably unfair to paint -- with a broad, generalizing brush -- a newly minted Marine rifleman as a "stupid kid" while the Air Force officer at Creech is the "smart one."

The way of thinking you espouse is problematic, and while I'm the least nationalistic person there is (and I'm no fan of blind patriotism or the military-industrial complex either...), it offends me.

But yes, everyone should do their homework.
giphy.gif
 
Is it really so hard to understand that the DPRK gains nothing from actually striking a target (unless and until it faces an existential threat)?

This is rhetoric.

North Korea isn't the dangerous party here.

We should all be -- and doubtless the international community is -- more concerned with Trump's reaction.

The most likely end-state here is: (1) more posturing by the DPRK, including more weapons launches into the Pacific Ocean; (2) joint exercises between Japan, the U.S., and South Korea; and (3) a fucking Twitter war between Pyongyang state media and Trump.

It's the third prong that's the real wildcard.

There are informal protocols in place here. Just like when the Russians violate U.S. airspace every so often and our fighters from JBER intercept them (and they tilt wings at each other to say hello, because that's actually a thing), this is the Kim regime's usual way of saying "Hello, we want food and/or fewer sanctions."

The danger isn't a nuke in the ocean or Twitter threats. The danger is Trump not understanding the complex history, including the informal protocols in play, and doing something fucking stupid.
 

SDCowboy

Member
We've been overestimating the military's ability to successfully pull off a decapitation strike for at least 15 years, so at this point I'd be very skeptical that they would be able to do so in NK.

There is a huge difference between precision strikes and just flattening NK. There is no overestimation there.
 
The point here is that attacking Guam marks the end of NK regime, and that's not Kim's end game.

I think it's a lot more complicated than that. They won't attack Guam because the risk of regime change is too great, but regime change is not a guarantee. Going into the woods for years and firing pot shots in a country you know better than anyone else isn't exactly productive and will become costly; especially considering 6 million people are reserves with access to fire arms.

NK has no interest in a war, but from its perspective it feels backed into a corner. It tried the diplomatic route with numerous treaties, but was called a liar anyway. It tried to normalize relations with the US and SK but was kicked back by G.W. Bush.
 

ponpo

( ≖‿≖)
South Dakota B-1Bs just arrived in Guam for some joint exercised with JSDF. Calm down NK.

DF8u0cCUwAAz5sg.jpg
 

Volimar

Member
I'd be surprised if NK could even hit Guam. Oh they might be able to reach it, but actually hitting it is another thing.

At least Guam is popular now!
 

Malleymal

You now belong to FMT.
The thing is... trump hates to be mocked and he was just blatantly mocked right after putting his foot down. He will not let this slide. Just watch.

Trump- Don't threaten the US...

NK - We will attack Guam...

Trump - Ok cool
 

Joe

Member
Trump threatens North Korea to stop making threats against the US.

North Korea proceeds to threaten US territory and/or military bases on national TV.

Very bad chess-playing by Trump today.
 
South Dakota B-1Bs just arrived in Guam for some joint exercised with JSDF. Calm down NK.

But the tails say they're from, what, Dyess and JBER? Or do I have that wrong?

But yeah, the next step is another TERMINAL FURY-type exercise.

I also just asked my friends if the PACAF AOC had any available deployments. That'd be cool.
 
Trump threatens North Korea to stop making threats against the US.

North Korea proceeds to threaten US territory and/or military bases on national TV.

Very bad chess-playing by Trump today.

He gets his war. He'll have his pages in the history books, and not just for being the most ineffective President like he currently fears.
 
The thing is... trump hates to be mocked and he was just blatantly mocked right after putting his foot down. He will not let this slide. Just watch.

Trump- Don't threaten the US...

NK - We will attack Guam...

Trump - Ok cool
Trump: Listen, North Korea is a very complicated issue. They threaten all the time. All the time. Believe me. But that's only because of the Obama administration's lack of leadership. He was weak. Very weak.
 

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
Accurate:

@pinboard

Big morning tomorrow for Fox and Friends, as the show’s producers decide whether to lead us into nuclear war
 

Armadilo

Banned
as some have said, NK is probably going to wait until trump makes the first move.

Until then NK is going to keep pushing and pushing until he makes the first move.

That's how it's been going for a while now it seems
 
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