N. Korea Warns US-S. Korean Military Drill Could Result in "Actual War"

[Gloria]

From the new World Media Watch now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


4//The Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates 13 March 2005

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2005/March/theworld_March354.xml§ion=theworld



NORTH KOREA WARNS US-S. KOREAN MILITARY DRILL COULD RESULT IN “ACTUAL WAR”


SEOUL – (AFP) North Korea warned on Sunday that annual US-South Korean military exercises due to start this week and designed to deter any military threat from the Stalinist country could turn into “an actual war”.

The North’s cabinet newspaper, Minju Joson, said the week-long military maneuvers beginning on March 19 in South Korea should be called off.

“There is no guarantee that the large-scale joint military exercises will not go over to an actual war,” Minju Joson said in a commentary carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.



The drills include mock battles aimed at evaluating command capabilities with troops mobilized for anti-commando operations and computer war games.

SNIP

The USS Kitty Hawk, a US aircraft carrier based in Japan, will arrive in South Korea’s southern port of Busan Monday for the exercises, the US military newspaper Stars and Stripes said Sunday.

(MORE)

[Bush_Blows]

1. Shit! nt

[loro mi dicevano]

2. I second that.

[cliss]

3. Phew, they are very touchy.

The North Koreans give new meaning to the phrase "trigger happy", or Loosely wired, or itchy trigger finger.

Blame Bush for calling them one of the 'Axis of Evil'. Ever since then, they have been on edge.

How long haven't they been talking like this? And when are they going to take them seriously in Washington?

When it's too late?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. The North Koreans have been edgy for quite some time...

...there used to be incidents along the DMZ where guards on both sides would get killed. The North Koreans also seized a US ship a couple of decades ago that was used for intelligence-gathering when it strayed into North Korean waters.

And then there are the sanctions that were imposed on North Korea shortly after the cease-fire, sanctions that have caused the death of millions due to the lack of medicines and other necessary items. The US media has given a lot of coverage to the North Koreans that have starved over the last decade, but they never looked at the sanctions enforced by the US military.

Given who the North Koreans are dealing with, I don't blame them for being jumpy.

[rpannier]

4. Coming from someone who lives in Korea

and I have lived here for about 6 years now. North Korea says that whenever there is a major exercise involving the US-ROK. No one here pays that much attention to the old psycho in the PDK cause he's said it so much. I am NOT worried at all about this becoming anything more than political posturing and most Koreans aren't either.

[kurtyboy]

7. I participated in team Spirit many moons ago

And I became suspicious at that time that we weren't entirely there to protect to South from the North. Instead, I figured part of our presence was to keep the reverse from happening. Those ROK Army soldiers were AJ-Squared Away and ready for a fight--I wouldna wanted to face 'em!

That was nearly twenty years ago, though--and they had good reasons for paranoia--the North was kidnapping Japanese citizens off of the beach in Japan back then.

[Melynn]

11. I had a political science professor say the same thing thirty years ago.

He too thought the American presence in Korea was to keep South Korea from invading the North.

Like others have pointed out, North Korea always issues these warnings when the annual South Korea/U.S. military exercises are happening. I don't think that its a big deal.

[Silverhair]

5. They say that every year.

Once a year the US & ROK hold an exercise, and every year the North makes the same warnings.

[shadowknows69]

6. but when is he finally going to snap

and actually start some shit. that's what worries me.

[lacaqueteuse]

9. Perhaps it's a cultural thing...

I've watched a lot of Korean dramas on television. Often, the plot revolves around a parent objecting to a child's marriage. The older person resorts to stubborn, aggressive, outrageous bluffs and threats, frightening the kids, until at the last moment, he graciously gives in and all is forgiven. The parent is not ashamed to have been wrong or viciously cruel--it's all in the game.

[BrotherBuzz]

8. You notice that North Korea pipes in....

whenever the world events heat up, too? Look at me!, over here!!! Cripes, this gets tired, but we need to listen to it just the same. I just wish we had an administration that responded with a little more tact then the present one we have.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

13. Ever notice that the US media prints stories about North Korea, Iran,....

...and Syria when they're having some difficulties with another part of their agenda or when they need a diversionary story for other reasons?

[radfringe]

10. North Korea is feeling slighted

not enough is being paid attention to them. They don't like getting bumped off the front page by Michael Jackson in PJ stories

[Media_Lies_Daily]

14. Maybe Herr Busch doesn't like all of the strong reactions to his...

...attempt to privatize Social Security.

Ever notice that the US media starts covering other stories when something doesn't go right for the Busch Junta?

[BobbyinPortland]

15. I say shit

or get off the pot.

We keep hearing threats and talk of nuclear weapons and still nothing. There's only so long a bully can threaten you before you actually beat him to the punch.

I don't think they're going to do anything and probably are working with Shrub to divert more attention. Anytime a republican gets into trouble suddenly North Korea starts yelling, "hey, look this way"!

Fuck 'em!