North Korea fires on South Korea

[rdret1]

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/as...ex.html?hpt=T2

Now is a REALLY bad time for something like this. If North Korea is intentionally trying to provoke an incident to determine US reaction are they doing it in concert with someone else, say Iran? This could be an attempt to see how thin we will spread our forces.

[Off Road]

Hell, the North Koreans attacked and sank a South Korean ship - if that wasn't enough to elicit a real response what's a few hundred artillery rounds between neighbors?!?!

[35NCO]

Gentleman, I am currently stationed in South Korea. It may surprise you to know that they have been taking pot shots a crossed the DMZ a few times recently. On and off for a few months. This is a big deal. However, it more than likely it will take more than even this for us to get involved. At this time I would say NK is trying to see how much they can get away with. Thanks for your interest though, I wonder sometimes if people remember we are still here.

[skylinedrive]

Stay safe 35NCO! And thank you for your service!

[Richard]

Perhaps a test of not only our response but the world community as a whole.

It is also not unusual for a country like the DPRK to act like this during periods of internal power shifts to create a 'perceived threat' which allows those in power to keep the focus of the people on the 'external threat' with a sense of solidarity as they assume the reigns of control. Nothing like a little good old saber rattling to do that.

I would also worry about the internal shifting of power within the military at the same time - the 'favored' status among the military hierarchy between the incoming and outgoing leaders; the old and the new; the elderly and the young. It is not unusual for militaries to 'flex their muscles' a bit during such times to gain favor as a 'trusted' advisor to the head of government as well as to support their 'manufactured threat' from the outside. All sides in this current 'kimchi melodrama' are experienced actors when it comes to the antics of the DPRK - but such a ploy is always dangerous as the 'unknown idiot' factor can always come into play at some point and the situation can rapidly spin out of control.

And I am being a bit jaded here, but it is feasible with such a gang of loons to do something like this incident as a way for the old man to provide an OJT situation for his son - a sort of NCA-level JRX to teach him how to tweek the nose of the imperialist beast and show the DPRK NCA that the new leader is the leader and recognized as such among the world leaders when he agrees to wind down the exercise. Who knows?

Hold the line and stay safe...

Richard

[35NCO]

Richard,
I think you hit the nail on the head. It does really show how crazy they actually are though. We know they are starving their soldiers, the world knows. So from a strategic standpoint, how long does NK really think they could endure a full combat operation? I would think that blitz would slow down rather quick. It is starting to get cold here now and there is only so many passes soldiers could make in this terrain to travel south. You are right, what they have to gain is “saber rattling” and attempting to show they still have “power”. Dig the “kimchi melodrama”…my first laugh for this chaos. Thanks.

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by 35NCO

Gentleman, I am currently stationed in South Korea. It may surprise you to know that they have been taking pot shots a crossed the DMZ a few times recently. On and off for a few months. This is a big deal. However, it more than likely it will take more than even this for us to get involved. At this time I would say NK is trying to see how much they can get away with. Thanks for your interest though, I wonder sometimes if people remember we are still here.

Damn right we remember, and thank you.

Seems like I've been waiting on the balloon to go up since I was a baby.

We've still got 2/3d's of the Axis of Evil to deal with...

[sf11b_p]

Originally Posted by 35NCO

It may surprise you to know that they have been taking pot shots a crossed the DMZ a few times recently.

No it doesn't. Potshots, fire fights, border incursions and attacks have been going on at that DMZ and South since the armistice. Tunnels, the NKPA Olympic swim teams and the intelligence war in S. Korea isn't unknown either.

The 1950s hijack of a South Korean airliner to the murders at the JSA bridge in 1976 till now the list of even just publicly released incidents isn't all that short.

The cold and snow isn't a reprieve from the possibility of attack. I believe they proved that once. The North lives in the worst of the cold and snow and the hard ground just provides better surfaces for heavy vehicles. Much better than soft spring and summer rice paddies or slugging through the rains.

The questions in an attack isn't how long they can endure, it's how fast can they advance still maintaining their supply lines and how far they reach before their attack stalls. It's also how much preparation they've accomplished in the South.

The North is always testing, the NKPA like being a pain in the ass and they're good at it, however clownish it may seem at times they do it for a reason.

This incident leads me to wonder what may be going on elsewhere, seems like a big show and, right now at least, not much effort or expense on their side.

A quick google shows plenty of incident info,
just paste the links in the web address window.

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/rl30004.pdf

guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/nov/23/north-korea-yeonpyeong-island-incidents-map

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_border_incidents_involving_North_Korea

globalsecurity.org/military/ops/dmz-list.htm

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axe_murder_incident

country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9643.html

Take care.

[Bad Tolz]

Richard said:

"Perhaps a test of not only our response but the world community as a whole.

It is also not unusual for a country like the DPRK to act like this during periods of internal power shifts to create a 'perceived threat' which allows those in power to keep the focus of the people on the 'external threat' with a sense of solidarity as they assume the reigns of control. Nothing like a little good old saber rattling to do that.

I would also worry about the internal shifting of power within the military at the same time - the 'favored' status among the military hierarchy between the incoming and outgoing leaders; the old and the new; the elderly and the young. It is not unusual for militaries to 'flex their muscles' a bit during such times to gain favor as a 'trusted' advisor to the head of government as well as to support their 'manufactured threat' from the outside. All sides in this current 'kimchi melodrama' are experienced actors when it comes to the antics of the DPRK - but such a ploy is always dangerous as the 'unknown idiot' factor can always come into play at some point and the situation can rapidly spin out of control.

And I am being a bit jaded here, but it is feasible with such a gang of loons to do something like this incident as a way for the old man to provide an OJT situation for his son - a sort of NCA-level JRX to teach him how to tweek the nose of the imperialist beast and show the DPRK NCA that the new leader is the leader and recognized as such among the world leaders when he agrees to wind down the exercise. Who knows"


Richard's to the point analyis is the best I've seen.

[Gypsy]

Originally Posted by 35NCO

Thanks for your interest though, I wonder sometimes if people remember we are still here.

I remember. My father fought in the Korean War, he was a combat engineer with the 25th ID 65th Eng Div IIRC (Tropic Lightning), and I often think of you folks holding that line. Stay safe, you are not forgotten.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by Gypsy

I remember. My father fought in the Korean War, he was a combat engineer with the 25th ID 65th Eng Div IIRC (Tropic Lightning), and I often think of you folks holding that line. Stay safe, you are not forgotten.

L:

The 65th Combat Engineer Battalion was part of the 25th ID when I was there back in the early 80s.

I had a buddy assigned to the 65th. Good unit. Thanks to your father.

TR

[rdret1]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...-attack-south/

Now that the hand wringing, parental no-no style finger pointing and requisite denunciations are out of the way, we will see if anything is actually done. China refused to cooperate with the last request for sanctions. If we put enough pressure on them this time maybe they will allow it. From several stories I have read, it seems there may be a theory that this is to divert attention from the possible nuclear weapon capabilites of NK. That would really be a scary scenario. I think the Kims are all certifiable and the idea of them having a nuclear capability raises serious concerns.

[Gypsy]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

L:

The 65th Combat Engineer Battalion was part of the 25th ID when I was there back in the early 80s.

I had a buddy assigned to the 65th. Good unit. Thanks to your father.

TR

Thanks Sir, he was very proud of his service and his unit. I have one of his jackets with all of his patches and such, I never wear it outside but hold it close. I have to find his DD214, I think he briefly served with a unit of black soldiers for a short period of time...

[Masochist]

Originally Posted by rdret1

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/as...ex.html?hpt=T2

Now is a REALLY bad time for something like this. If North Korea is intentionally trying to provoke an incident to determine US reaction are they doing it in concert with someone else, say Iran? This could be an attempt to see how thin we will spread our forces.

Very good point.

I liken the DPRK to a small child. First he says a curse word and his parents let him get away with it. Next he starts throwing things, having little temper tantrums. Next he hits the neighbor's child and gets away with it. All provocative actions to try to get a response and see how far he can go without being punished. How long 'til junior (and friends?) burn down the house? Just because you're a small child doesn't mean you can't be a dangerous one.

Stay safe 35NCO and all over there. A buddy of mine starts his military career there in a few weeks.

[DevilSide]

Stay safe 35NCO, and thank you for your service.