We discuss the implications of the North Korean hydrogen bomb test.
Interesting that the warhead limit on South Korean missiles was scrapped earlier today. Listen to our opinions on the current situation that is certainly grabbing all of the headlines on this Labor Day.
Click download link to listen on this device: Download Show
Interesting and valid point Dick
Trump does NOT have to act immediately.
He has some time.
Sanctions is clearly a first option.
Q. How can the US come out looking good?
A. Create re-unification of North and South Korea.
Q. What really needs to be done to permit re-unification?
A. Kim and his power-group need to be eliminated.
Q. What is the best/easiest way to remove Kim and his cronies?
A. Insurrection from within N. Korea.
Q. How can insurrection/assassination of Kim/cronies be best accomplished?
US needs more intelligence and money thrown at problem. But surely it can be done.
Unfortunately after 65 years of no movement in negotiations with North Korea, there is no time left unless you count yourself in with the appeasement crowd. It really is that serious and should never have come to this but The US is as culpable as The North Koreans, only now the North Koreans have a fanatical demagogue tyrant who only wants domination and the means to achieve these ends. The realization that The North Koreans have mastered the building of a hydrogen bomb tells it all. DT
It certainly does tell a lot of the story, Dick
Common sense CFS
This was a very thorough and thought provoking discussion. Mr McKinney’s expertise with the North Korea situation was greatly appreciated.
This discussion confirms my point that I was making on June 3rd about Mr T’s and Big Als comments about striking North Korea.
At that time I felt they were focusing on the wrong thing.The right focus has always been China and their support of North Korea.
The Chinese have wormed their way into the American Economy through campaign contributions to previous administrations.I will not go into detail here as it is water under the bridge.
But then again I’m just a commercial fisherman and a carpenter.What do I know?
Remember that Jesus was both a fisherman and a carpenter.
Thanks for the kudos on the editorial, JohnK
No comparison there Big Al. Jesus is my savior though.
Food and shelter…….is all we need……
and a little grace from Jesus
LA…..on FIRE………
What a mess…..
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-04/dramatic-photos-record-setting-wildfire-above-downtown-los-angeles
Yes, it is a mess and it happens every single year!
I say the US has some time, because I do not believe Kim will attempt an initial direct attack on the US. I believe the danger is two-fold.
1. The long-term danger is N. Korea selling atomic weapons to terrorists or terrorist potential nations (e.g. Iraq)
2. If the US tries a pre-emptive strike, then N. Korea will retaliate with an EMP explosion over the US
All in all, certainly not a good situation. See why I said that I think he is very smart.
(The EMP explosion can be delivered by missile, but I suspect is already on board one of the two N. Korean satellites that transit above the US every day.
I read a book about a fictional EMP explosion and it was pretty frightening.
CFS,
Even if one of the satellites had a nuclear device, really how effective would it be since it would only be a 10-15 kiloton yield. There has already been nuclear detonations much larger in space with only minimal disruptions on the ground.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime
Just asking. Also I read that one EMP blast would not have a major effect on the U.S. It would take many EMP blasts. So currently I do not believe that North Korea has the capability to cause the destruction of the U.S.
Japan……telling 60,000 get ready
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-04/japan-prepares-mass-evacuation-60000-citizens-south-korea
The “little fat guy” certainly has everyone’s attention doesn’t he. Now tell me that he is not smart!
Nuclear fusion bombs cannot be trusted in the hands of someone who is threatening to use them on you. An EMP strike on the US would destroy the grid in the area effected, for decades if not longer. This little bugger needs to be taken out with tactical strikes. Take out his bombs and bomb-making capacity. Take out the military senior command, and the political inner-circle. And take out dear leader. As Phil Leotardo ordered in the Sopranos: “Decapitate, and do business with whatever is left”.
I am writing this as a pacifistic individual. Fusion bombs and EMP hits go beyond killing people. This little bastard must be taken out.
China are loving it – they know that they will never be the target of a NK attack so they can sit back and wait for the inevitable NJ attack on the US which would destroy the US economically and hence as a military super-power.
Then China assumes world dominance.
That is more than a mildly interesting point Bob UK
By the way,, how are you doing?
I am doing just fine. As Churchill said, buggering on.
Hope you are well also.
That is very possibly the conclusion that the world will come to. He is cooking his and many other North Koreans’ gooses.
What is going on now is the sun beginning to set on US global dominance and the rise of Chinese dominance.
Depending how the US handles this will determine how soon that sun sets – whether in the coming years or in the coming 50 years.
Another interesting and thought provoking thought from you Bob UK.
I would reply to that CFS,but instead I’ll quote you a book where the answer possibly is :
Kennedy’s Last Stand:
Eisenhower,UFOs,MJ-12 & JFK’s Assassination.
Michael E Salla,PhD.
I come simply from the position that the population of N. Korea is not my enemy.
It is Fatboy Kim that has declared himself to be the enemy of my country.
For over two millennia the monarchs of western nations have insisted that wars be fought between the peoples of the nations; thereby eliminating their own personal danger.
I have always thought this to be unacceptable in the case of dictators, and thus the logical conclusion is to directly eliminate the dictator, rather than thousands of essentially innocent population.
Can’t disagree with you on this one, CFS.
JohnK,
Have you read “Behold a Pale Horse” and, if so, what is your opinion of it?
I haven’t read it Big Al. You can bet your last dollar that I’m going to.
Trump has 3 options for dealing with North Korea. They’re all bad
https://www.vox.com/world/2017/7/6/15922824/trump-north-korea-icbm-options-bad
As Bannon mentioned in his inteview a few weeks ago: “There’s no military solution, forget it. Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that 10 million people in Seoul [South Korea] don’t die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons, I don’t know what you’re talking about, there’s no military solution here, they got us.”
So we will see if MAD strategy is still working as it has the past fifty years (I assume it will)
Also Trump nominating an ambassador to South Korea would be helpful, starting a trade war with an ally is definitely lunacy.
Completely off topic.
We know many politicians are corrupt.
I believe part of the problem is that they are also very ignorant. (I’m not saying stupid; but rather lacking in knowledge.)
They want full employment; but is that actually possible?
Democrats seem to want equality of outcome; I think we know that’s not possible.
Politicians often want a minimum wage; I believe that is a stupid idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY4sShDt9to
on intelligence
will elucidate my position.
Posted this earlier…….Rumsfeld….should be held accountable…..plus he knew about the $2.3 Trillion missing at the pentagon…….9/11 story will be replayed for sure this week.
So, the real question Jerry is, “will the truth ever see the light of day”?
I am not sure a lot of people can handle the truth……..or even care.
The truth on the criminal Clintons is well known.
Still no prosecution.
The system stinks. Corruption everywhere. And yet no citizens group to stop giving tribute (paying taxes) to the crooks
Bush , better get ready to hide out on his 192,000 acre farm in south america.
Remember he only won by a chad…..and a hanging one at that…… 🙂
Here’s a good one Jerry:
“Family of Secrets” The Bush Dynasty,America’s Invisible Government,And The History Of The Last Fifty Years. Russ Baker
It is kinda long at 575 pages,but when you get done I guarantee you will never look at the Bushes in the same light.
Pappa Bush……and Grand daddy……..were full of surprises…..I am surprised they were not hung…..
Might have to bring up and high light the Family on up coming 9/11 holiday….
We will start with Grand Daddy Bush, Walker clan, Prescott clan, etc…..
Might be a correction on the 192,000 NOW 300,000 acres…..
https://agorafinancial.com/2015/04/24/why-did-george-bush-buy-nearly-300000-acres-in-paraguay/
Poppy Paraguay…..might be getting ready to grow some weed….for the family business….
The Time Has Come
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL0eVAG6Rew
It seems that lately I’m perpetually disgusted with so many of our world leaders. 🙁
The nuclear genie is out of the bottle. Deal with it. The more the US threatens North Korea the more other countries around the world that are either on the US’s sh*t list or possibly going to be put on it are going to be in the market for North Korea’s technology. At the rate we’re going Venezuala, Mexico and God knows who will be beating down their door within a year or two.
Someone said everything is on the table in dealing with North Korea. How about talking and sitting around a peace table? How about the double freeze option that China and Russia keep bring up? Nah, can’t have that. It’s get out the measuring tape and everybody drop their pants.
Russia has a bleeding ulcer (Ukraine) on their western border courtesy of American neocons. Do you seriously think that China (Russia to a smaller extent) is going to appreciate a bleeding ulcer on their border. Russia and China are not in any mood to do America any favors PERIOD.
South Korea has 23 nuclear reactors as part of the power generation system in four sites. America attacks North Korea, guess where the first hits are going to be? Japan will just love the radioactive fall out. Soon coming to a theatre near you. Fukashima was peanuts. I think these are more likley targeted first rather than population centers.
Quit threatening to destroy the wingnut and he’ll calm down. This applies to both wingnuts. 🙂
JohnM:
Just like North Korea has done all these years?
For some odd reason you don’t get it.Not surprising your comment yesterday was that the rest of the world looks om in disbelief at America’s mind blowing midlife crisis.
Big Al can agree with you but I sure the he** am not.
Go ahead and quote another T.V show to make your comparisons.
This isn’t Hollywood my friend. Pay attention closely JohnM, your about to be schooled in Trump 101.
LOL
You got that right JohnM.
Long Overdue Lesson.
LOL again (figure it out 🙂 ). If there was something in my post that you felt a need to address, then please do. Otherwise, I may have to alter my last sentence to “This applies to all three wingnuts”.
As for being schooled in Trump 101, I fear it is a very short course. I really wish it was a longer course. I had hopes. Maybe Trump can take a refresher if it deals with what he campaigned on,
JohnK,
And, just what exactly did I agree with in this case?
” I couldn’t have Written it better Myself.”
The assumptions why Hillary wasn’t aren’t factually correct as nobody can say exactly why. All one can do is theorize.
Nobody screwed up when Hillary lost.
America and its allies need to learn how to not stir the pot.
I also think Big Al and JohnK may find the link below informative. I believe it presents accurate facts. If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.
https://consortiumnews.com/2017/09/04/how-regime-change-wars-led-to-korea-crisis/
Good night Irene……… Irma headed for MIAMI…….
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-04/florida-declares-state-emergency-category-4-hurricane-irma-barrels-straight-miami
Obviously a potentially very bad situation for Florida.
Going out on a Lending Tree
Ever wonder about Walt Disney and Loony Tunes?
A big number. Will the impact be as devastating as it was in America?
According to the BBC tonight, they did a profile of Mr Kim and apparently when he was studying in Switzerland his fellow students liked him said he had a good sense of humour. Apparently his two big loves are basketball and pizzas [and I guess survival]. I guess that doesn’t help much but I guess there is a person in there that you can talk to if you can find the key to what it’s all about. I suspect he’s (and China) worried about regime change which we know doesn’t make things better
Hi Ho Hi Ho
It’s off to Amazon I go.
Confessions of an Economic Hitman. Thanks Big Al.
you just made todays time at this computer worthwhile.
If you are in Seattle JohnK, it might be fun to get together some time in the future. We have significant family down there.
Best
It is entirely possible that Mister Kim of the DPRK isn’t the only one testing H bombs.
The Chinese appear to be doing the financial equivalent by cracking down on crypto-currencies.
http://www.silverdoctors.com/headlines/world-news/ethereum-just-crashed-more-than-25-bitcoin-dropping-fast/#more-81627
The Chinese are behaving in a logical and intelligent way.
A while ago the many Chinese Coin exchanges were rife with fraud and hacking problems, so the authorities cracked down. Now the exchanges are behaving much better.
Now there are a majority of ICOs that are tending to be fraudulent. So the Chinese have suspended all ICOs while they consider the situation. Unfortunately that substantially reduced the demand for Bitcoin, which is no longer needed for ICO purchases.
That all makes sense to me.
How do you know it was a hydrogen bomb?
How do you know it wasn’t just a larger version of one of their prior atom bombs?
How do you know they have been able to miniaturize the bomb to fit in a missile and how do you know it would survive re-entry?
How do we know anything that gets reported is true?
“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” ― Malcolm X
Exactly. My next question was how do we know that NK has an A bomb? How do we know the explosion detected wasn’t non-nuclear? And my next question was how do we know there was an explosion at all and if there was one that it even came from NK?
The US has sniffer planes to detect radioactive residue from nuclear explosions.
They have satellites to photograph the results of even underground explosions.
they are monitoring the size of the explosions and also earthquakes and caving/tunnel collapses due to the last explosion.
The gooberment has lied so many times why should I believe anything it has to say?
Mr. X was right about a few things…
“The white liberal differs from the white conservative only in one way: the liberal is more deceitful than the conservative. The liberal is more hypocritical than the conservative. Both want power, but the white liberal is the one who has perfected the art of posing as the Negro’s friend and benefactor; and by winning the friendship, allegiance, and support of the Negro, the white liberal is able to use the Negro as a pawn or tool in this political “football game” that is constantly raging between the white liberals and white conservatives.
Politically the American Negro is nothing but a football and the white liberals control this mentally dead ball through tricks of tokenism: false promises of integration and civil rights.”
On blacks voting Democrat, he nailed that too:
“Any time you throw your weight behind a political party that controls two thirds of the government and that party can’t keep the promise that it made to you during election time and you’re dumb enough to walk around continuing to identify yourself with that party, you’re not only a chump but you’re a traitor to your race.”
Blacks voting for Democrats is like chickens voting for Colonel Sanders.
Unfortunately the Bell curve of I.Q. for blacks is displaced lower than whites, for which their curve is displaced lower than Asians.
I really disagree with you Matthew.
I truly believe the US was going well along the road to integration and non-discrimination.
Obama, a half-black, half-white was elected.
But I also believe that Obama with his divisive prejudiced attitude also set the cause of non-discrimination back one or two generations, if not irrevocably.
Yes, Obama took the divide and conquer approach to the next level, but it’s been used by both parties for a long time.
How do you know anyone is telling the truth or a lie?
You examine the evidence and make a judgment based on what can be independently verified and other information……the preponderance of the evidence.
That’s just it, in many cases we have virtually no access to evidence — at least not evidence that doesn’t also require faith in the source.
We don’t yet. But we will know eventually.
Clearly, however, N. Korean nuclear technology is advancing quickly.
Does it really make much difference to US policy whether the bomb is fusion or big fission?
They clearly have been able to acquire plenty of fission material.
If you believe what you are told by the medial and the gooberment.
Why can’t NK have nukes?
After all, maybe they need them. Sadam and Ghadafi got rid of their nuke programs and look what happened to them.
So why can’t NK have nukes? If my neighbor gets a new gun that doesn’t give me the right to break into his house and take it away or shoot him if he refuses to destroy the gun or give it to me. And it also doesn’t make our gooberment’s gun control laws constitutional. Are you for gun control?
And if NK had nukes what incentive would they have to use them? After all, Kim is a tyrant but he’s not stupid. He knows if he uses them he will be blown off the face of the earth.
News reports at Rense and other sources…….
“How do you know they have been able to miniaturize the bomb to fit in a missile and how do you know it would survive re-entry?”
If people can imagine something they will try to do it and you can be assured that the government of the DPRK has trained engineers, scientists and technicians who are willingly working on the problem. They had the educational resources of the whole world available to train them and since there has been no formal peace treaty since 1950 there is the issue of a state of war with the UN countries that fought them plus the issue of patriotism. North Korea is still legally at war and the only thing limiting the shooting is an armistice which is a formal agreement to a cease fire which means if I you don’t shoot neither will I but we are not at peace and that makes a very big difference.
Kim Jong Un is not some kooky fat guy playing with big fire crackers. He is trying to run and defend his country during a quiet state of war and he is using technology to create better means of attack and defence.
Why should we care if NK has the bomb?
Why should we have over 38,000 troops in SK when SK per capita is one of the richest countries in the world?
Why can’t Japan and SK defend themselves?
Why does Uncle Sugar and the taxpaying surfs get to pay for the defense of two rich countries?
In case you haven’t notice Uncle Sugar is past broke, over 20 trillion in debt with hundreds of trillions of unfunded liabilities.
Instead of disengaging from this nonsense the Ameroconned morons will pound their chests and threaten to nuke NK.
Luckily the decisions on foreign policy are not made by the man in the street or “Americonned morons”, but by a hopefully well-informed President and Congress.
I do not fault Trump’s policy to date.
He has said if Fatboy Kim attacks America or its allies then retaliation will be massive.
Trump has offered defensive missiles to allies.
South Korea is not sitting idle.
South Korea’s Hyunmoo II ballistic missile was fired during an exercise at an undisclosed location in South Korea, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. In South Korea, the nation’s military said it conducted a live-fire exercise simulating an attack on North Korea’s nuclear test site to “strongly warn” Pyongyang over the latest nuclear test. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the drill involved F-15 fighter jets and the country’s land-based “Hyunmoo” ballistic missiles. The released live weapons “accurately struck” a target in the sea off the country’s eastern coast, the JCS said. (South Korea Defense Ministry via AP)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)
The U.N. Security Council held its second emergency meeting about North Korea in a week on Monday, with U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley saying the North’s actions show that Kim is “begging for war,” and the time has come for the Security Council to adopt the strongest diplomatic measures.
“Enough is enough. War is never something the United States wants. We don’t want it now. But our country’s patience is not unlimited,” Haley said.
South Korea has been seeking to obtain more powerful missiles while it pursues a so-called “kill chain” pre-emptive strike capability to cope with North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threat.
Since the late 1970s, South Korean missile developments have been limited by a bilateral “guideline” between the U.S. and South, and it was updated in 2012 to allow the South to increase the range of its weapons from 500 kilometers (310 miles) to 800 kilometers (497 miles).
The agreement revealed Tuesday removes the 500-kilogram (1,100 pound) warhead limit on South Korea’s maximum-range missiles, which would free the South to develop more powerful weapons potentially targeting the North’s underground facilities and shelters.
In addition to expanding its missile arsenal, South Korea is also strengthening its missile defense, which includes the high-tech Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery currently deployed in the southeastern county of Seongju.
On Tuesday, a 2,500-ton frigate, a 1000-ton patrol ship and 400-ton guided-missile vessels participated in drills off the eastern coast aimed at retaliating against potential North Korean provocations, the Defense Ministry said. The ministry said more naval drills are planned from Wednesday to Saturday in the country’s southern seas.
Silver is looking good:
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=%24SILVER&p=W&yr=5&mn=6&dy=0&id=p57776946167&a=518191349
EEM (emerging markets ETF):
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=EEM&p=W&yr=3&mn=9&dy=0&id=p88069709972&a=467682596
I bet more than a few are perplexed by the divergence between gold and the yen lately, but I’m not.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=%24GOLD&p=D&yr=1&mn=3&dy=0&id=p27483855700
The case for gold just got even better.
GOLD:YEN
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=%24GOLD%3A%24XJY&p=W&yr=1&mn=11&dy=0&id=p05735518297&a=542927861
The divergence began about a month ago.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=%24GOLD&p=W&yr=1&mn=11&dy=0&id=p92923543775
Like I said a long time ago, way too many guys are confusing correlation with causation.
Since the beginning of 2016, gold is now up 18% versus the yen and at a 27 month high.
Most miners are overbought on the daily charts but have a long way to go on the weeklys…
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=%24GDM&p=D&yr=1&mn=1&dy=18&id=p54044053140&a=528708013
MATTHEW>>>>>> thanks for all the charts……………..OOTB
You’re welcome Jerry
For starters, GDX is heading for $30+…
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=GDX&p=W&yr=2&mn=11&dy=0&id=p16800946985&a=531008195
SILVER……having a hard time pushing thur..$18…..
GSR……74.4 to 1……..
There’s a significant fork resistance at 18 as well as the upper weekly Bollinger band. No problems…
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=%24SILVER&p=M&yr=17&mn=0&dy=0&id=p66355316896&a=515999153
A 50 cent pullback would be fine.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=SLV&p=W&yr=1&mn=11&dy=0&id=p85240781630&a=542358730
THANKS AGAIN>>>>>>>>
GOLD …….did a nice U-turn…….up
USD…..down
This was probably not widely reported in the US.
Associated Press – Tue Sep 5, 8:04AM CDT
PARIS (AP) — France’s defense minister says that the French military will arm drones that are currently used for surveillance and intelligence only.
Florence Parly said Tuesday in a speech in the southeastern city of Toulon that “armed drones will have endurance, discretion, surveillance and strike capability at the right place and the right moment.”
Parly said the decision at first would only concern the Reaper drones France bought from the U.S. She didn’t specify a timeframe for when they would be armed or what kind of weapons would be deployed.
Parly said the drones wouldn’t become “killer robots,” stressing that strikes would be governed by strict national and international rules relating to the use of force.
France has six unarmed Reaper surveillance drones, with most of them based in Africa’s Sahel region.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s administration is rescinding an Obama-era policy that provided work permits to undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country as children, with a wind-down period that allows Congress to act on the issue first.
Could affect up to 800,000 illegals.
RULE OF LAW……..good………
Obama should have addressed that before, and so should have chicken sh** Bush
Clinton also………..
Some sober reading on North Korea: https://theintercept.com/2017/09/04/undercover-in-north-korea-all-paths-lead-to-catastrophe/
Suki Kim’s experience is anecdotal evidence of the extent of indoctrination.
There have been cross-border allowed contacts over the years between relatives living in South and North Korea.
Given the intelligence of Koreans in general, I find it hard to believe the whole populstion of North Korea is indoctrinated.
Further North Koreans have been allowed to work over in South Korea near the border. So is total suppression of news and lifestyles really possible?
Off Topic: Move over Jetsons. Here we come.
https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/20/15369850/lilium-jet-flying-car-first-flight-vtol-aviation-munich
And, of course, there’s no need to buy a flying car……Uber’s at it too.
https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/27/13434580/uber-flying-car-elevate-self-driving-vtol
As I said about a month ago, EXK will be better than fine (though it should fill today’s gap up)…
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=EXK&p=D&yr=1&mn=1&dy=22&id=p26015120575&a=538037431
Can’t government ever do anything well?
http://www.dailynews.com/business/20170905/after-big-re-opening-las-angels-flight-railway-is-closed-again
IPT is getting ready to outperform a lot of its peers. Here’s IPT priced in USA:
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=IPT.V%3AUSA.TO&p=D&yr=1&mn=3&dy=0&id=p10813726607&a=541054696
Ira’s Morning Flash
USA has already just about reached last year’s high…
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=USA.TO&p=W&yr=4&mn=1&dy=0&id=p88866225480&a=445290028
The Norwegian seismologists say the bomb was about 120 kT and the Chinese seismologists say around 108 kT. That is pretty close.
With Hillary gone and not in The White House, The North Koreans had to play their hand even though they didn’t want to. Trump is very street smart and he was on to them. That is such a good thing because they would like a few more years to further their nuclear technology and we would be toast. They know as do The Chinese that The Donald will not be a Neville Chamberlain, remember The Munich papers and peace in our time.