DPRK Torpedo Sank ROK Naval Vessel

[Richard]

This could become an issue for us...maybe this was a 'proxy' test for the current administration?

Richard's $.02

S. Korea Briefs Diplomats on Torpedo Attack
NYT, 19 May 2010

South Korea told foreign diplomats in closed-door briefings on Wednesday that a North Korean torpedo sank a warship in March, killing 46 sailors.

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan also became the first government official to publicly accuse North Korea, saying in a speech that the South Korean warship, the Cheonan, “sank by a torpedo blast.” His remarks came at a European Union Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

When asked whether North Korea had attacked the ship, Mr. Yu said on Wednesday, “I think it’s obvious.”

The Seoul government’s conclusion, which it planned to formally announce on Thursday, came after an investigation that included experts from the United States, Britain, Sweden and Australia.

The announcement will effectively accuse North Korea of committing its deadliest provocation since the 1987 bombing of a South Korean passenger jet that killed 115 people. It also is bound to escalate tensions between the Koreas and intensify an international debate on how to punish the North.

The private briefings on Wednesday were given to diplomats from 30 countries and amounted to the beginning of the government’s rallying of international support for sanctions against Pyongyang.

“The blame is on North Korea,” a South Korean government official said. “Our focus now is how to muster international support for punishing the North.”

(cont'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/wo...ef=global-home

[The Reaper]

This is my shocked face.

TR

[Green Light]

Is that our famous midget dictator testing the water to see if B.O. will do anything? This won't go badly, yet. Just a test of resolve. B.O. Has none.

[akv]

Originally Posted by Green Light

This won't go badly, yet. Just a test of resolve. B.O. Has none.

Agreed on B.O. , but in this situation what would be a proportional response to get the message across this is unacceptable without starting Korean War 2.0? An eye for an eye? Do you sink a North Korean ship? I'm sure there are other factors involved, but if you are the ROK President, and someone attacks one of your ships, killing your sailors, aren't you obligated to hit back in some way shape or form?

[Richard]

Is this a KJI test or a Chinese test through a proxy?

I suspect the latter.

Richard's $.02

[Dozer523]

Maybe they could "announce" their findings officially by . . . say . . .
sinking a couple of NK warships in their berths.

Now that would earn a whole lot of shocked faces (this one would be mine " ")
And when the US is asked about what we knew and when THIS could be our sad face " "

State and Defense Department numbers still aren't showing up on Caller ID

[SOT-Aj KIA 4th July 2010]

What do YOU think is a proportionate response to this? NK has been subverting SK's control of territorial waters for decades with over and underwater vessels breaching international lines as well as smaller submarine operator infils into northern SK. NK spends so much of it's GDP on defense (instead of quality of life services or food) that the international community fears stopping the food aid we send them lest we become the public relations' nightmare of starving the populace. There is nothing to be done, nor will anything come of it besides harsh words and summit meetings. NK has a habit of telling us to F off whenever we try to smack them on the head with a newspaper, and justly so. We can't afford another war, we are spread thin as it is concerning both manpower and funding. So get ready for a lot of news headlines and nothing more. Can't live with'em, can't kill'em.