Another day, another threat of all-out war.

[Ian]

South Korea Loses Track of the DPRK's submarines: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/australian ... rths-subs/

Not a hard thing to do, considering many are based inside tunnels. The good news is that 1) the South's Navy will be very vigilant about them and 2) the North's sub vs sub capability is pathetic. Their subs' abilities to attack surface ships, lay mines and insert special operations forces, however, are pretty good.

And it's becoming a bigger story here in the US, thank goodness. Unlike yesterday when Korea was on page 8 of my morning Washington Post, today it was on the front page, complete with a photo of a South Korean demonstrator tearing up a North Korean flag.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The Chinese have a curse that goes, "May you live an interesting life."

It's "May you live in interesting times."

You fuckin' speak Chinese?

Sure, I just throw the silverware up against the wall.

Actually, it's probably not even a Chinese saying, but rather an English invention attributed to the Chinese.

"Ancient Chinese secret, huh....?!"

Ah, I see. Good luck with that.

[Coito ergo sum]

South Korea Loses Track of the DPRK's submarines: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/australian ... rths-subs/

Not a hard thing to do, considering many are based inside tunnels. The good news is that 1) the South's Navy will be very vigilant about them and 2) the North's sub vs sub capability is pathetic. Their subs' abilities to attack surface ships, lay mines and insert special operations forces, however, are pretty good.

And it's becoming a bigger story here in the US, thank goodness. Unlike yesterday when Korea was on page 8 of my morning Washington Post, today it was on the front page, complete with a photo of a South Korean demonstrator tearing up a North Korean flag.

“North Korea is dying, and we can make things worse,” Shen Dingli, vice dean of the Institute of International Affairs at Shanghai’s Fudan University, said. “We have assumed North Korea is not a rational actor.” http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?sid= ... d=20601087

Clinton offers China proof of ship attack
By Christian Oliver in Seoul
Published: May 26 2010 06:43 | Last updated: May 26 2010 09:30
Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, on Wednesday said the US would offer additional briefings and information to China to convince it that North Korea torpedoed a South Korean warship, killing 46 sailors in March.

Beijing’s response to the sinking has been guarded and this makes it less likely South Korea will be able to marshal support for tougher sanctions at the United Nations Security Council.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1c0d9e4c-6884 ... ab49a.html

[FBM]

Alert level of both Korean and US forces bumped up a notch:


http://english.chosun.com/site/data/htm ... 01263.html

S.Korean, U.S. Forces Raise Alert

South Korean and U.S. forces have raised by one notch the level of military alert against possible aggression from North Korea.

A high-ranking South Korean government source on Wednesday said the threat of North Korean provocation has risen as sanctions against North Korea take effect following the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan.

The source added the two militaries have raised the "Watchcon" (watch condition) level from three to two, which denotes "vital indications" of a security threat.

Watchcon is a five-stage surveillance system watching over North Korean military movements. The higher the level, the more spy satellites, reconnaissance planes and intelligence analysts are deployed on more frequent monitoring missions.
englishnews@chosun.com / May 27, 2010 11:30 KST

[FBM]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_p ... 170019.stm

[Coito ergo sum]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_p ... 170019.stm

[we] will completely stop using international maritime ultra-short wave walkie-talkies and will immediately cut off the communication line that was opened to handle an emergency situation." It also warned of an immediate attack if the South's navy violated the disputed Yellow Sea borderline, and that it would consider a complete block on access to a joint industrial project in the North Korean city of Kaesong.

[FBM]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_p ... 170019.stm

[we] will completely stop using international maritime ultra-short wave walkie-talkies and will immediately cut off the communication line that was opened to handle an emergency situation." It also warned of an immediate attack if the South's navy violated the disputed Yellow Sea borderline, and that it would consider a complete block on access to a joint industrial project in the North Korean city of Kaesong.

Flicking matches at the powderkeg.

[Coito ergo sum]

Coincidence?

Syrian ballistic missiles on standby with new target updates
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report May 27, 2010, 1:44 PM (GMT+02:00)
Tags: Syrian missiles Israel-Greece

Syrian missiles on the move
As Israel's homeland defense exercise entered its fifth and last day Thursday, May 27, DEBKAfile's military sources disclose that all Syrian military units were placed on combat standby with missile batteries ordered to take up firing positions and armed with new "target updates." In Athens, it was announced that a joint Israeli-Greek air force exercise focusing on new in-flight refueling methods begins next Tuesday, June 1.

http://www.debka.com/article/8810/

The Lebanese army Wednesday boosted its units on the Israeli border "to monitor" Israel's homeland missile defense exercise "and prepare for any emergency" - the fourth to go on a war footing. Hizballah and Syria continued their offensive missile build-up ready for firing into Israel.
In its coming issue out Friday, DEBKA-Net-Weekly points to Syrian president Bashar Assad as the prime mover in setting the scene for a conflagration, reveals the massive Iran-funded weapons systems up his sleeve and brings out .

.. http://www.debka.com/article/8807/

[Gawdzilla Sama]

[Clinton Huxley]

I think everyone needs to be more "Dude". I guarantee this will not esalate into a "hot war" and I should know, I'm from the internet.

[Coito ergo sum]

China not assigning blame in South Korea sinking
By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN (AP) – 2 hours ago
BEIJING — China offered no indication Thursday of plans to join the U.S. and its allies in blaming North Korea in the sinking of a South Korean warship, saying the issue remained "extremely complicated."
U.S. officials said Wednesday that China, a key North Korean ally, had indicated it is prepared to hold Pyongyang accountable for the March 26 torpedo attack and could join in some kind of formal rebuke by the U.N. Security Council.
However, when asked about the investigation into the incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu merely repeated an earlier Chinese statement that fell short of assigning blame.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD9FV2PEG0

[Coito ergo sum]

Russia wants '100% proof' N.Korea sunk ship
(AFP) – 1 hour ago
MOSCOW — Russia will not support efforts to punish North Korea for sinking a South Korean warship until it is fully convinced Pyongyang was behind the incident, a foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday.
"We need to receive 100 percent proof of North Korea's role in the sinking of the corvette," the spokesman, Igor Lyakin-Frolov, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... OJEO9_lKgg

I thought the South said it had 100% proof, didn't they?

On May 18, the following was reported:

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that investigators had obtained traces of explosives used in a type of North Korean torpedo.

The South Korean Defense Ministry said it couldn't confirm the report. The North has denied involvement.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak spoke with President Barack Obama on the phone Monday and discussed the sinking.

The incident, along with concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, will dominate much of Clinton's upcoming talks with leaders in Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul, where she will wrap up an Asian trip next week.

Earlier Tuesday, Chosun Ilbo and other South Korean newspapers reported that investigators found fragments of what appeared to be Soviet- or Chinese-made torpedo near the wreck.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/may/18 ... p-us-says/

That's a bit vague. I wonder when they'll publicize the proof....

[Clinton Huxley]

What's that James Bond film where the media-mogul super-villain sinks a British frigate and gets the Chinese blamed so he can make a ton selling the news......

[FBM]

Well, who have been the North's closest allies in recent history? The Soviets and the Chinese. It would be no surprise that one of their torpedoes would have been made in either of those countries.

Current headline: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiap ... tml?hpt=T1

Edit: And currenter... http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/na ... 66631.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_p ... 170019.stm

[Coito ergo sum]

Alarm Rises as North Korea Threatens Attack: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/89aefe20-6963 ... ab49a.html