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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| USFK Chief Warns of Instability in N. Korea |
| 2010-03-26 |
| U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Walter Sharp has warned of sudden regime collapse in North Korea and called for urgent preparation for such an eventuality. Sharp was speaking at a subcommittee hearing of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. "We would also be mindful of the potential for instability in North Korea," he said. "Combined with the country's disastrous centralized economy, dilapidated industrial sector, insufficient agricultural base, malnourished military and populace, and developing nuclear programs, the possibility of a sudden leadership change in the North could be destabilizing and unpredictable." South Korea and the U.S. are ready for any kind of contingency, he said, including local skirmishes, humanitarian support operations, and even the elimination of the North's weapons of mass destruction. Commenting on the North's nuclear program, he said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's strategic goal is to survive and maintain the regime, and that his pursuit of the nuclear weapons program is the key part in this strategy. The North's nuclear program is now believed to have extracted enough plutonium to make several nuclear weapons, Sharp added. Sharp again dismissed the option of delaying the handover of full control of South Korean troops to Seoul. He said the roadmap for the transition of operational control is "on track as planned and we are working hard to ensure that all conditions will be met" for a smooth transition in 2012. Meanwhile, Adm. Robert Willard, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, commented on South Korea's participation in the U.S. missile defense system at the same House subcommittee hearing. Willard said Seoul has already developed its own missile defense system and it is up to the country to decide whether to expand it. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #10 Imminent. This is going to go gangbusters all at once. I think it just started. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2010-03-26 14:47 |
| #9 For a short moment there I thought he was talking about Obamaland. He was, just wait until O'Bullshit "Suspends" the Constitution. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2010-03-26 14:36 |
| #8 "Combined with the country's disastrous centralized economy, dilapidated industrial sector, insufficient agricultural base, malnourished military and populace, and developing nuclear programs, the possibility of a sudden leadership change in the North could be destabilizing and unpredictable." For a short moment there I thought he was talking about Obamaland. |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins**** 2010-03-26 12:14 |
| #7 D *** NG dat lucky pig! ION KORYE FREEREPUBLIC > [Developing/Breaking]SOUTH KOREAN NAVY SHIP "SINKING NEAR NORTH". May or may not possible [DPRK]TORPEDO ATTACK??? * SAME > THINK TANK:ISRAEL MAY USE TACTICAL NUKES [low yield]IN IRAN ATTACK. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-03-26 11:06 |
| #6 Do the ROKs have enough helicopters? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2010-03-26 07:12 |
| #5 NORTH KOREA VOWS NUCLEAR ATTACKS TO DEFEND ITS REGIME. Do their nuclear bombs work? As I recall, their last attempt fizzled instead of exploding. |
| Posted by: trailing wife on the other computer 2010-03-26 06:44 |
| #4 FREEREPUBLIC > NORTH KOREA VOWS NUCLEAR ATTACKS TO DEFEND ITS REGIME. * WMF > UNO SUDDENLY WARNS CHINA ON DAIJIN DAMS IN MEKONG RIVER [ala Lacang/Lang Cang/Lau Cang River]; + ONCE FULLY OPERATIONAL, "VARYAG" PLAN CARRIER WILL FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT THE NAVAL BALANCE OF POWER IN EAST ASIA REGION FROM JAPAN TO CHINA + CHINA TO BEGIN DESIGN PHASE, WORK ON 93,000-TONNE NUCLEAR CARRIER. * SAME > RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER: RUSSIA WILL HELP VIETNAM BUILD BILATERAL/JOINT NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE IN VIETNAM. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-03-26 02:12 |
| #3 Imminent. This is going to go gangbusters all at once. I want a statement from China since they want "ownership". All weapons systems they have will be probably okay for the near term . And as if, they have issues with transference.' This is a China do or die or draft the ROK . Stand them up. This will not last very long at all. Planning powerpoint rangers really do need to get ready. Everything I see leads me to collapse for them first. Blame China. Coddle Japan. No one wants them. China is not impressive with their plans, better than ours.? !? It's time - it's coming down right now no matter whats going on with obama care. |
| Posted by: newc 2010-03-26 01:24 |
| #2 Don't think he missed anything in the SECOND PARAGRAPH? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-03-26 00:44 |
| #1 I hope we have provisions in place to sieze NorK's records on its cooperation with Iran and Syria in developing atomic bombs. I wonder what sort of evidence there would be against China. I wonder if China would get there first. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-03-26 00:08 |