What happens if Trump nukes North Korea?

blackcard

Trump doesn't seem like a stable person to me. His presidency seems to be a laughing stock with his popularity at record lows. I think he may gamble on nuking North Korea so that he can appear to be strong and to deflect from his current difficulties. If he wants to attack North Korea, can anyone stop him? How does China Russia react?

jamesbere

He won't unless N Korea do it first, which at the moment is highly unlikely.

Air strikes at strategic targets are more likely

nullzero

Nuke the whales.

alchemist33

nullzero wrote: »

Nuke the whales.

Poor Kim Jong Il. Glorious leader now and still getting fat jokes.

Are Am Eye

If they hit NK it will be with conventional weapons.
Targeting missile installations, air fields, ports, command and control etc
simultaneously. That would be a stern warning.
I wouldn't see US taking unilateral action like that. China and Russia and maybe the EU involved if NK were becoming a real threat.

LordSutch

blackcard wrote: »

What happens if Trump nukes North Korea?

He can't and he wont.

Too much risk, too many if's and but's....

blackcard

jamesbere wrote: »

He won't unless N Korea do it first, which at the moment is highly unlikely.

Air strikes at strategic targets are more likely

So apart from implementing more sanctions and tweeting about China, he just waits for a madman in Korea to further develop ICBM' s?

bear1

Are Am Eye wrote: »

If they hit NK it will be with conventional weapons.
Targeting missile installations, air fields, ports, command and control etc
simultaneously. That would be a stern warning.
I wouldn't see US taking unilateral action like that. China and Russia and maybe the EU involved if NK were becoming a real threat.

The eu would do well to keep their noses out of it.
Trump can't simply fire off a nuke and I somehow doubt north Korea is that stupid to attack the us first as Russia and China would probably back the US.
At the same time though, the US should stop the yearly drills with the South and antagonizing the north in exchange for them stopping their nuclear ambitions.
Win win on both sides.

Victor

blackcard wrote: »

What happens if Trump nukes North Korea?

Unlikely.

It would show him to be a hypocrite (what's new) "I'm nuking you, because you can't have nuclear weapons".

If NK was nuked, expect them to retaliate, at least in kind. Congress would be very quick at deciding on whether they wanted to keep Trump or not.

Bob24

blackcard wrote: »

So apart from implementing more sanctions and tweeting about China, he just waits for a madman in Korea to further develop ICBM' s?

Between "just waits for a madman in Korea to further develop ICBM' s" and "nukes North Korea", there is quite a wide range of alternative options!

As mentioned by other posters, conventional military strikes are for exemple a pretty strong one.

Jimbob1977

Nuclear strikes would scatter radiation towards South Korea, Japan and China.

The obvious response should be conventional strikes on missile silos, military bases and government offices. And assume that North Korea will collapse like a headless chicken.

Korea is unfinished business for 60 years. Presidents have simply ignored the regime as it was no direct threat to the USA. Stalemate was adequate.

A functioning nuclear weapon has focused minds now. Can America afford to gamble that Kim is bluffing?

blackcard

Victor wrote: »

blackcard wrote: »

What happens if Trump nukes North Korea?

Unlikely.

It would show him to be a hypocrite (what's new) "I'm nuking you, because you can't have nuclear weapons".

If NK was nuked, expect them to retaliate, at least in kind. Congress would be very quick at deciding on whether they wanted to keep Trump or not.

I can't see Trump being worried about being called a hypocrite. It would appeal to his base to attack NK. I presume that they could remove the ability of NK to retaliate?

jamesbere

blackcard wrote: »

So apart from implementing more sanctions and tweeting about China, he just waits for a madman in Korea to further develop ICBM' s?

He's mad himself. Anyway it won't get that far. I think you'll find a combined force made up of a few nations to take down N Korea. The biggest concern is for S Korea who will get the full brunt of any retaliation

BorneTobyWilde

NK want the USA to make the first move so that Ping Pong Dim can say '' I told you so'' to his people.
The US know that NK is untouchable, that if they attacked it would play right into Ping Pong Dims hands, and he would attack the south in response.

testicles

This post has been deleted.

Bob24

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

A functioning nuclear weapon has focused minds now. Can America afford to gamble that Kim is bluffing?

To my knowledge, no-one believes they have the technology to produce a miniaturised bomb which can be carried by a missile. What they might have is some kind of artisanal and very large dirty bomb.

It is of course a first step towards getting the real thing and should be taken very seriously, but I don't think the threat of them launching a nuclear missile exists today.

Arghus

From what I understand of it everything is made infinitely more complex by the fact that the North can obliterate the Seoul Metropolitan Area - circa 25 million population - with artillery within minutes anytime it feels like it, regardless of whether anyone decides to chuck a nuclear bomb at it. So they've a hell of a lot more bargaining power than you might think.

BorneTobyWilde

NK seem reasonable though, it's still a very safe but a very controlled place. The US should send people in for direct talks. The would return, it's not ISIS they're dealing with .

RobbingBandit

Only if they attack South Korea or any American naval bases in the area first it would take a massive show of force from DPRK for Trump to show his hand.

Hector Bellend

He wont

blackcard

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

NK want the USA to make the first move so that Ping Pong Dim can say '' I told you so'' to his people.
The US know that NK is untouchable, that if they attacked it would play right into Ping Pong Dims hands, and he would attack the south in response.

I think I am correct in saying that the decision to attack rests with Trump. I would not trust his judgment on anything.

Autochange

Wont happen. I dont see the big deal anyway. North Korea have always said we will nuke/ attack the Us mainland if we are provoked or attacked first. The provoked or attacked first bit is always left out of the news we are fed. The us dosnt spent 600 billion on weapons and military equipment each year for the fun of it. They need and want to be involved in conflict.

Are Am Eye

bear1 wrote: »

The eu would do well to keep their noses out of it.
Trump can't simply fire off a nuke and I somehow doubt north Korea is that stupid to attack the us first as Russia and China would probably back the US.
At the same time though, the US should stop the yearly drills with the South and antagonizing the north in exchange for them stopping their nuclear ambitions.
Win win on both sides.

They won't, as I said already, fire off a nuke.
They can use conventional weapons to give NK a slap down.
The kings of the modern battle field - the computer, the satellite and the missile. The US knows where NK has its ICBMs. They know where they manufacture them. They know their research and development facilities.
Those will all go up in smoke along with NK's naive presumptions.
They won't even see it coming.

Den14

The US are most likely drawing up all their big targets at the moment be it from their recon sorties or satelite imaging. Once they get the ok from the Chinese and Russians and it will just be a nod and a wink for want of a better way of putting it they will most likely strike hard and fast with conventional weapons. Any NK offensive units will be neutralized first. The whole thing will only last a few days. It's the mess that happens afterwards is what is going to be problematic. Boots on the ground with the help of the south Koreans or possibly some Chinese intervention just to keep diplomacy in the region. That phase may last quite a while.

andekwarhola

Trump will be immediately prohibited from ever holding a season ticket for Bray Wanderers FC.

degsie

More important question is if Trump eventually suffers from Alzheimer's, how would we know?

Den14

blackcard wrote:

I think I am correct in saying that the decision to attack rests with Trump. I would not trust his judgment on anything.

Trump will go with what his military advisors tell him to do.

jimmycrackcorm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

NK seem reasonable though, it's still a very safe but a very controlled place. The US should send people in for direct talks. The would return, it's not ISIS they're dealing with .

They would return alight, but in a coma.

The U.S. can't attack NK with conventional weapons because NK can retaliate with artillery to decimate Seoul. There's no way the Americans will commit to losing thousands of their troops in a conventional war like the Vietnam or Korean wars. The only option is for a massive strike such as nuclear.

Kim getting to the point of having a ballistic missile reach the U.S. mainland will be the trigger for the U.S. to pre-emptively strike. The difference with the cold war was that the Russians didn't keep telling everyone they were going to attack, but Kim doing so will make Americans support a pre-emptive attack.

TheRiverman

There is always the threat that a missile could be launched from Bray,then Trump will not know what way to turn.

blackcard

Den14 wrote: »

blackcard wrote:

I think I am correct in saying that the decision to attack rests with Trump. I would not trust his judgment on anything.

Trump will go with what his military advisors tell him to do.

Why do you think he will start listening to advisors when he hasn't done so to date?Particularly if his popularity continues to decline

Den14

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

The U.S. can't attack NK with conventional weapons because NK can retaliate with artillery to decimate Seoul. There's no way the Americans will commit to losing thousands of their troops in a conventional war like the Vietnam or Korean wars. The only option is for a massive strike such as nuclear.

I'd be very surprised if the US go nuclear. The Chinese would not stand for it nor would the the south Koreans or even possibly the Japanese. Fallout and radiation poisoning in the region would be problematic.

Den14

blackcard wrote:

Why do you think he will start listening to advisors when he hasn't done so to date?Particularly if his popularity continues to decline

Believe me what he does on Twitter and what he does on a military basis are two different things. The guy thinks he has the reigns but he does not. The military run America and poor Trump is just a puppet

Gatling

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

They would return alight, but in a coma.

The U.S. can't attack NK with conventional weapons because NK can retaliate with artillery to decimate Seoul. There's no way the Americans will commit to losing thousands of their troops in a conventional war like the Vietnam or Korean wars. The only option is for a massive strike such as nuclear.

Kim getting to the point of having a ballistic missile reach the U.S. mainland will be the trigger for the U.S. to pre-emptively strike. The difference with the cold war was that the Russians didn't keep telling everyone they were going to attack, but Kim doing so will make Americans support a pre-emptive attack.

North Korean artillery is rediculously over rated

For example the last time they attacked south Korea they fired some 400 + rounds at Yeonpyeong with 170 rounds hitting the island killing only 2 ,

Two things will happen either North Korea will attack the south , Japan and america and suffer dire consequences ,
Or China will do a Crimea and roll into Pyongyang and claim it as part of China under the guise of peace keeping ,

Every other person blaming america for this seriously needs to check the facts america isn't antagonising Kim ,it's north Korea that has repeatedly attacked the south Korean which is still at a state of war unlike the south which has gotten over the war rebuilt itself and because a success on the global economy and technology ,

Where the North is still in the 1950s ready for an invasion that was never going to happen till china and russia incouraged it originally ,

Whats worse is the Chinese weapons and technology flowing into Pyongyang while trying to make themselves look like peace makers.

Just today china announced its army will respulse any invasion , sounds more like it's getting ready to keep Kim firmly in power

blackcard

Den14 wrote: »

blackcard wrote:

Why do you think he will start listening to advisors when he hasn't done so to date?Particularly if his popularity continues to decline

Believe me what he does on Twitter and what he does on a military basis are two different things. The guy thinks he has the reigns but he does not. The military run America and poor Trump is just a puppet

I was listening to a documentary recently which stated that the POTUS had the power to initiate any attack. The last time this was removed was during the Nixon presidency when generals decided that additional approvals would be required as Nixon was drinking very heavily.

Den14

blackcard wrote:

I was listening to a documentary recently which stated that the POTUS had the power to initiate any attack. The last time this was removed was during the Nixon presidency when generals decided that additional approvals would be required as Nixon was drinking very heavily.

Your could be right however I'm suspicious on this official line. Putting on my tinfoil hat this is what they would want the world to think.

RobertKK

I don't think the US is prepared to trust Kim Jong Un who threatens them with a nuclear strike, the same Kim Jong Un who thought it was a good idea to kill his brother Kim Jong Nam with a weapon of mass destruction in a busy airport.

Trump will not be nuking North Korea.

Victor

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Presidents have simply ignored the regime as it was no direct threat to the USA.

30,000+ US troops in Korea, lots more in Japan, which has been in striking distance for a while.

Junkyard Tom

Wouldn't it be great if KJ Ill-in-the-head challenged Trumplethinskin to an MMA fight? Trump's ego is so fragile he'd probably accept. If KJI wins the US pulls out of Korea altogether and if Trump wins NK decommissions its nuclear programme.

Gatling

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Wouldn't it be great if KJ Ill-in-the-head challenged Trumplethinskin to an MMA fight? Trump's ego is so fragile he'd probably accept. If KJI wins the US pulls out of Korea altogether and if Trump wins NK decommissions its nuclear programme.

Make it a karaoke competition big don wins ,lil kim unites Korea and he retires to get fat and old while singing "bad " by wacko Jacko repeatedly till his dying days .
Lil Kim wins big don retires giving all his wealth to a russian orphanage

Kerryman79

Den14 wrote: »

Your could be right however I'm suspicious on this official line. Putting on my tinfoil hat this is what they would want the world to think.

Dont forget the free iodine tablets that Bertie and Micheál Martin gave us :rolleyes:

Beta Ray Bill

Nothing can be done without all out Nuclear war being the outcome.

If Trump (Or anyone) uses conventional weapons against NK, then NK could Nuke SK or Japan, that in turn would mean the US would Nuke NK and probably China, China would then Nuke the US and we'd all be dead or dying

If a Nuclear strike is used by the US against NK then NK will respond in kind probably with China launching their Nukes too US would then Nuke China and we'd all be dead or dying

The situation is very fragile, and all parties know that it's a complete Nuclear stalemate. If anyone attacks we're all fooked.

Even if one one Nuke were to hit, (say Seoul, got hit, or Seattle ) the Economic impact would push the world into Recession or possibly even Depression, not to mention the loss of Millions of Lives.

Also remember that only one country has ever "Pushed the button"...

wakka12

Trump alone doesn't have the authority to nuke a foreign country and start a war for no very justifiable reason, it would be voted on by many other people of power in the US

branie2

I wouldn't put it past him

Bob24

grahambo wrote: »

Nothing can be done without all out Nuclear war being the outcome.

If Trump (Or anyone) uses conventional weapons against NK, then NK could Nuke SK or Japan,

I don't think many people believe NK currently has the ability to do that (blowing an artisanal and very large bomb underground is one thing, creating a miniaturised one which is reliable and can be loaded into a missile is another).

The real risk in case if a conventional strike by the US is what another poster mentioned: Seoul is very close to the border and if NK's immediate reaction was to throw everything they have in terms of conventional firepower at Seoul, they could kill a lot of people very quickly (eventually they would be stoped as they are no match for other armies in the area, but they would probably have time to do a lot of damage before other parties react)

Are Am Eye

grahambo wrote: »

Nothing can be done without all out Nuclear war being the

The first thing the usa will do is cripple koreas nuclear capability. It will happen in the space of hours. All their missile silos, launch sites, command centres and icbms will be toast.

Have no doubt, these have long since been identified and are constantly watched.

wes

I really want to believe that Trump isn't mad enough to actually nuke North Korea, but he is pretty unstable, and honestly it wouldn't surprise me.

I am not sure who is more unstable Kim Jong-un or Trump.

Beta Ray Bill

Are Am Eye wrote: »

The first thing the usa will do is cripple koreas nuclear capability. It will happen in the space of hours. All their missile silos, launch sites, command centres and icbms will be toast.

Have no doubt, these have long since been identified and are constantly watched.

Same way the "crippled" the Serbian army during the Kosovo war

Read this:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/liberation-of-kosovo-bomb-damage-how-fake-guns-and-painting-the-roads-fooled-nato-1101479.html

NATO way overestimated the damage they caused during the Kosovo war.
Serbs used mock ups and moved there air force via road around the country to hide/protect it.
Serbian Army is as strong as it ever was.

If they (The US or Coalition or whatever they are calling themselves these days) miss even one missile in a preemptive strike then we're all dead.
That's whats at stake here.
It will not take NK long to miniaturise the weapon (if they have not done so already, we don't know what they have and neither do the US/Japan/South Korea)

Then there is China, A preemptive strike will bring China into play almost immediately.
America will lose a proxy war against China over the Korean peninsula.

Are Am Eye

grahambo wrote: »

Same way the "crippled" serbia

That wasnt a nuclear war.
The US did not want to or need to destroy every plane and tank and individual weapon across a whole country.

That' mickey mouse bull sh1t. The locations of koreas embryonic icbm capability is of importance and interest and will be known.

Beta Ray Bill

Are Am Eye wrote: »

That wasnt a nuclear war.
The US did not want to or need to destroy every plane and tank and individual weapon across a whole country.

That' mickey mouse bull sh1t. The locations of koreas embryonic icbm capability is of importance and interest and will be known.

I disagree with you. Satellites cannot see through thick cloud, nor can they see through tunnels or through thick tree canopy's.

NK is not going to leave them out in the open where they are vulnerable, they'll have them stashed away somewhere.
NK don't have Silo's, it's a mobile launch system

In the Kosovo war over 38,000 combat missions were flown.
For that they got:
3 Tanks (Claimed 120)
18 APC's (Claimed 220)
20 Artillery pieces (Claimed 450)
50 Aircraft of which included 6 MIG-29's that were shot down. (They hit none of the Main combat aircraft on the ground)
And a hell of a lot of damage to things like bridges, radio stations, base's IE stuff that cannot be moved.

That does not make good reading considering if they missed just one ICBM we're all dead.

Don't listen to all the US propaganda about how powerful there army is.

Agricola

Storm in a teacup. To paraphrase Conor McGregor, "Kim'll do nuttin!" He's simply sabre rattling to inform everyone that he has the capacity to end a lot of lives quickly if he needs to, and nobody better make any moves to topple his regime or that is exactly what'll he do. He doesn't want to start a conflict which he knows will end in his demise, and the reign of his "glorious" family

America won't start anything because they have no support from others, have major powers like Russia and China vehemently against it and they have nothing to gain themselves...unlike Iraq.

DEFTLEFTHAND

No and NK won't try anything either. They're not that stupid, it would be signal the end for them.