Comments on: North & South Korean Navies Clash Along NLL

By: gerry

gerry — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:12:23 +0000

Not so much a thaw, as jockying for position.

By: guitard

guitard — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:41:58 +0000

I think it's all pretty simple…

There has been a bit of a thaw in tensions as of late…this has raised the pressure to return to six party talks…where discussions regarding nuclear site inspections, etc. will take place…so the North had to create a situation that gives them an excuse for continuing to stay away from the negotiation table.

By: GI Korea

GI Korea — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:23:34 +0000

I think LMB is serious when he says he will retaliate and if he does I'm sure LMB will make sure the job is done right by oblitering the missile and garrison sites along the NLL.

Such an action would be extremely embarrassing for KJI because he would have few ways to respond to such a counterpunch. That is why I think the Norks will stick to these small scale escalations that do not risk retaliation but still make newspaper headlines.

Heck this skirmish was on the front page of Yahoo so from a North Korean perspective it was an effective media op.

By: Hamilton

Hamilton — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:12:40 +0000

Good analysis from a western point of view, However…

Not a superman, and not the anti-Christ, KJI has not always calculated the value of his country men like we do. IMB must scare the crap out of him for suddenly he can't ambush a SK ship in international waters and ensure that it will not escalate beyone all the victim families emigrating to the US.

…

However I don't doubt that he calculates it daily and has a much wider margin of error that we would calculate. He's not insane, just evil.

By: GI Korea

GI Korea — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:48:58 +0000

Yes a anti-ship missile would be the weapon of choice, however ever since Lee moved in the K-9's and threatened to bomb the missile sites with an overwhelming counterpunch I doubt the North Koreans will risk firing one:
http://rokdrop.com/2009/06/06/conflict-brewing-al…

By: Hamilton

Hamilton — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:21:10 +0000

There is a certain quality associated with quantity, and the nK definitly have that to spare. Also the Chinese and Russian anti-ship missiles work just fine shot from a garbage scow or land. Even the Palestinians did a number on an Israeli boat with no active radars and line of sight.