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Re: North Korea threatens to 'burn Manhattan to ashes'
North Korea has claimed it could “burn Manhattan down to ashes” by firing a hydrogen bomb into the heart of the city on an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The claim is the latest in a string of increasingly bold threats made by Pyongyang against a backdrop of South Korea and the United States conducting major military exercises on the Korean peninsula.
The statement, which was made via the state-run outlet DPRK Today, claimed that North Korea’s hydrogen bomb was more powerful than technology developed by the former Soviet Union.
Many experts believe that Kim Jong-Un, North Korea’s leader, is overstating the regime’s technical capabilities and doubt its ability to launch a long-range missile to the east coast of the United States.
The increasingly strong rhetoric emerging from Pyongyang appears to reflect the leader’s anger at the international community’s tough new sanctions recently imposed in response to recent nuclear and missile tests.
“Our hydrogen bomb is much bigger than the one developed by the Soviet Union.” DPRK Today was quoted as saying in the Washington Post.
“If this H-bomb were to be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile and fall on Manhattan in New York City, all the people there would be killed immediately and the city would burn down to ashes.”
The newly-developed hydrogen bomb “surpasses our imagination,” a scientist named Cho Hyong-Il is quoted as stating, adding: “The H-bomb developed by the Soviet Union in the past was able to smash windows of buildings 1,000 kms away and the heat was strong enough to cause third-degree burns 100 kms away.”
North Korea angered the international community in January when a fourth nuclear test was conducted, although the regime’s claims that it was a hydrogen bomb as opposed to an atomic device were doubted by experts.
The following month, North Korea proceeded to launch what was claimed to be a rocket into orbit, although it was widely regarded to form part of the regime’s long-range ballistic missile programme.
Tensions are currently running high in the region, with the largest ever war exercises so far staged on the Korean peninsula launched last week, involving an estimated 290,000 South Korean troops alongside 15,000 US military.
There are reports that one potential scenario included in the annual drills, which run until the end of April and are twice as big as last year, is exploring military responses to the collapse of the North Korea regime.
The launch of the war games coincided last week with Pyongyang warning that Washington and Seoul would be turned into “flames and ashes”, according to North Korean state media.
The regime fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday in an expression of its discontent, while it also warned it would make a “pre-emptive and offensive nuclear strike” in response to the exercises.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: North Korea threatens to 'burn Manhattan to ashes'
This conflict is such a worry. I hope somehow there can eventually be a peaceful solution but it seems like they've been slowly developing weapons in the background for generations. If they actually get them the results could be horrific.
Re: North Korea threatens to 'burn Manhattan to ashes'
I realize they do this almost every year and a few years ago we almost had to wipe them off the map but tensions were eased at the last second, but this cant just keep continuing. There has to be consequences to these nuclear threats....especially when he starts naming actual cities he wants to "burn to ashes".
I think its possible to deal with North Korea with very little(maybe none) US casualties but it would require perfect timing and a lot of luck. A swift decapitation strike while bombing the shit out of all their miltary facilities, specifically troop barracks. Start communicating with their generals to see if it can be brought to a quick end now that the lunatic is gone.
Main problem with any strike is they can see our movements on the DMZ and any action would likely cause the troops there to be killed. There's no way around this. If you pulled them back, NK would know something is up. The idea of allowing our troops at the DMZ to just be written off isn't acceptable. It would be a tough decision for a president to make.
How long can this go on? Do we keep waiting until he is able to follow through with these threats?
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: North Korea threatens to 'burn Manhattan to ashes'
What is china's current position on things I wonder? Historically they supported North Korea but I doubt they would approve of this type of continual unprovoked aggression, however it seems likely any reaction by the USA would need to include China's cooperation or approval or things could escalate further which would be unfortunate to say the least.
