Is the US powerful enough to destroy NK if they successfully landed a nuke?

[Draeth]

The problem is not and has never been the military capability of the U.S. versus North Korea. We're talking about a country about the size of Ohio, with less than 10% of the U.S.'s population and 0.067% of its GDP.

The problems are:

• How many people is the U.S. prepared to allow to die in allied nations (South Korea, Japan) over hostility with North Korea?
• How many war crimes is the U.S. willing to commit in this conflict to bring it to and end?
• What happens to the planet when World War 3 starts with China and Russia opposing the U.S.?

Unfortunately, under the current administration, the answers to those questions are:

• Trump doesn't care.
• Trump doesn't care.
• Trump doesn't care.

So if the bombs start flying we're probably looking at nuclear holocaust.

[Eurytos]

The only fear is Japanese and South Korean Casualties, or NK would likely be a puddle of ash right now

ummm, surely the millions of innocent North Koreans that died would be of some consequence

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They won't land a Nuke on US soil, they might in Japan though...

they can reach Guam. Guam is US territory. Guam is US soil.

[Soeroah]

There's absolutely no way North Korea would win in a nuclear battle with the US.

The problem is nukes are war crimes, now, and if Trump used them to attack NK without the United Nations approving it I'm pretty sure it could lead to another world war. Which the US would still probably win, especially if nukes are on the table and Trump were in charge because he'd have no hangups using them, but the death toll would likely be worse than every other war in the planet's history put together.

It'd be one of the shortest wars in history, but anyone thinking their day to day life wouldn't be affected, almost anywhere in the world, would be deluding themselves.

[Eurytos]

lol, I like how people think there is a "winner" in a nuclear war

[Deleted]

Well, if they struck us we could definitely wipe them out. Nobody would protect them at that point.

The real issue is preventing a strike to begin with. Hundreds of thousands of American citizens could die in any strike on US soil, and millions would likely die in South Korea and Japan. If we can prevent nuclear war we should. Our options range from totally isolating North Korea to engaging them in a war.Either way we have to disarm the threat

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The problem is not and has never been the military capability of the U.S. versus North Korea. We're talking about a country about the size of Ohio, with less than 10% of the U.S.'s population and 0.067% of its GDP.

The problems are:

• How many people is the U.S. prepared to allow to die in allied nations (South Korea, Japan) over hostility with North Korea?
• How many war crimes is the U.S. willing to commit in this conflict to bring it to and end?
• What happens to the planet when World War 3 starts with China and Russia opposing the U.S.?

Unfortunately, under the current administration, the answers to those questions are:

• Trump doesn't care.
• Trump doesn't care.
• Trump doesn't care.

So if the bombs start flying we're probably looking at nuclear holocaust.

China and Russia would not engage the US if we were attacked first.

[Z-Man]

How are you so sure about that? Putin has proven to be thoroughly sociopathic, monstrous, and power hungry, I'm sure given the shadiness of Russia lately, he would be seduced by the prospect of conquering US land.

So factor in Russia as a potential enemy.

Russia overextended their logistics train just trying to get into Eastern Ukraine. A conventional war with Russia probably means Poland gets bigger.

[Nefastus]

The longer USA takes to act, the worst things will get. More time for N. Korea means more weapons, better nuclear tech. They are just getting more dangerous. Are we all waiting until they actually have enough warheads and missiles to wipe out USA or something like that?

[Beazy]

Kim Jong Cunt doesnt have the balls to shoot first.

His entire family is made of shit talking, bitch made, do nothing, pussies. I worry more about West Nile Mosquito Virus than NK.

[chazus]

How is US anti missile work, like if they start shooting nukes at us how fast could we shoot them down?

We have more missile defense systems in place than NK has materials to make nukes with, if they could even build and launch one successfully. Most of it is ship-based intercept programs.

The thing is, you say "if they start shooting nukes"... They can't just 'start launching a lot'. It's impossible. They don't have the capability. It's not even a 'what if' scenario.

Could they launch ONE? Maybe two? Possibly. Maybe. Unlikely, but not impossible. Maybe even a handful. We have literally hundreds of intercept missiles based on ships, land, and other systems for intercept as well.

In any actuality, our biggest problem is them hitting South Korea or Japan, which we would have difficulty doing anything about.

[Gaexion Ramza Beoulve]

The U.S. has enough nukes to destroy North Korea.

The U.S. has enough nukes to destroy the U.S.

The U.S. has enough nukes to destroy the world several times over.

The U.S. has just enough nukes to destroy Texas, if we really concentrate and spread them out.

[chazus]

The longer USA takes to act, the worst things will get. More time for N. Korea means more weapons, better nuclear tech. They are just getting more dangerous. Are we all waiting until they actually have enough warheads and missiles to wipe out USA or something like that?

You make it sound like that's something they can do.

Their technology and resources are decades away from being anything remotely dangerous... And even then, they still don't really have the resources or research to become a threat.

[Radaney]

There is no military on this planet stronger and more experienced then the us army.

And they have mad dog mattis.

Nobodies more experienced at fucking up as well.

But to answer the thread, obviously.

[Lilly32]

I remember reading an article talking about the effects ousting Kim Jung Dong would have on South Korea. Most of N. Korea's population are basically a bunch of poor, uneducated rice pickers. Not trying to sound racist but its the truth. If Korea was reunited as one the entire populous of the most of North would have to be put on some form of wellfare, that the South would not be able to afford. Its not like they can all just go work for Samsung. Over time the people in the North have been so brainwashed and so mistreated they wouldnt be able to function normally. Not to mention the only thing on their resume would be "rice picker" The most humane, and economically sound plan would just be have most of the North Koreans wiped out in the ensuing war.

[Aquinan]

We have enough nukes across the globe to turn NK into glass. NK wouldn't stand a chance at surviving.

That much fallout will kill more than just NK.....

[Deleted]

One of our nuclear submarines is enough to wipe out all of North Korea, so yes. War with NK would be similar to Mike Tyson in a fight to do the death with a baby. Even if they landed multiple nukes on the US, we would have enough firepower to takeout any nation with our submarines alone.

The only fear is Japanese and South Korean Casualties, or NK would likely be a puddle of ash right now. China and russia talk about backing NK, but they won't. Especially China, our economies are intertwined.. thats why when we were about to put a lockdown on *all* chinese banks and cut massive trade china all of the sudden realized they could stop trading with North Korea.

And then China & Russia get involved and then little Timmy wont be coming home for Christmas!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/ma...could-destroy/

[Nefastus]

You make it sound like that's something they can do.

Their technology and resources are decades away from being anything remotely dangerous... And even then, they still don't really have the resources or research to become a threat.

Thats what people used to say before they got their nuclear program going. Being iddle while they constantly say they will destroy USA as soon as they can isn't a good idea.

[Beazy]

And then China & Russia get involved and then little Timmy wont be coming home for Christmas!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/ma...could-destroy/

Depends on who shoots first. If its the USA, the entire earth would turn on us. If KJU shoots first, hes royally fucked. No one will help him.

[unbound]

I'm just wondering if North Korea were to ever be successful somehow in landing a nuclear WMD on US soil, could we actually muster the strength after such an attack to fight back?

Their doomsday threats of October 9th seem so ominous I just hope if they do pull anything off, we could respond than be frozen in terror.

Under any President, the response would be swift and devastating. Even our current president won't mess that up, and our military is extremely powerful.

If NK was stupid enough to actually launch a nuclear weapon at the US, neither China nor Russia would stand in the way.

However, this is about posturing more than anything else. The threat of it happening is what makes the whole situation problematic. There aren't any good answers to how to address this as the entire situation is complicated when you understand that this has as much to do with the entire region as it does with a single country.

[Beazy]

Thats what people used to say before they got their nuclear program going. Being iddle while they constantly say they will destroy USA as soon as they can isn't a good idea.

Meh. . . . its all shit talk. Just like Iran. Iran is always talking about killing Israel, yet they don't have the balls to invade.

[Breccia]

Honestly, I'm fairly sure we could send our civilians over to NK and they'd win a war. It might be exaggeration, but not hyperbole. The number of Americans who own eight or more guns, is larger than the entire military of North Korea.

Obviously I'm not suggesting anything remotely like this, but if there's even a question about "US civilians vs North Korean military" then it should be clear our military would stomp them into the ground. The question is only how much damage Japan and South Korea would take before that was resolved.