Wednesday, March 08, 2017

All About Us

I don't know a damn thing about North Korea, but I'm reasonably sure they don't spend their days planning to attack the US.

The world has been wondering where President Trump will face his first national security crisis. This week it has looked as if North Korea might be the first hot spot. A series of ballistic missile tests and other provocative actions by North Korea, a nuclear-capable country, have heightened regional anxieties and stirred speculation about America’s reaction.

The most recent tests involved the simultaneous launch on Monday of four missiles, which landed off Japan’s coast. The North Koreans have described the tests as drills for striking American bases in Japan, but the ultimate goal is assumed to be a strike on the United States. Some experts expect Pyongyang to have that capability within four years.

"The ultimate goal is assumed to be as trike on the United States." Okay then!

It just isn't all about us. It really isn't. But we need an enemy so the "scary North Korea" drumbeat stories are starting to bubble up. Hey, Seoul, not much to worry about if we attack North Korea!

But as the graphic below shows, most North Korean artillery can't reach Seoul, South Korea's capital.

Additionally, Seoul has significant underground bunkers and infrastructure to quickly protect its citizens, though some measure of damage to the city would be unavoidable.

Their hair might get mussed a bit!

So we're worrying about North Korean attack on the US but Seoul probably has nothing to worry about!