Ground invasion would secure N Korea's nuclear sites: Pentagon
Iran Press TV
https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/dprk/2017/dprk-171105-presstv01.htm
Sun Nov 5, 2017 08:23AM
The Pentagon has reportedly said that a ground invasion of North Korea is the only way to locate and secure all of its nuclear weapons sites.
The new assessment of a possible war on the Korean Peninsula came in a letter the Pentagon wrote to US lawmakers, The Washington Post reported.
The letter by Rear Adm. Michael J. Dumont, the vice director of the Pentagon's Joint Staff, was written after two House members, Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), requested information about "expected casualty assessments in a conflict with North Korea," including for civilians, US and allied forces in South Korea, Japan and Guam.
Pentagon officials "assess that North Korea may consider the use of biological weapons" and that the country "has a long-standing chemical weapons program with the capability to produce nerve, blister, blood and choking agents," reads the letter.
According to the Pentagon, calculating "best- or worst-case casualty scenarios" is very difficult and would depend on the "nature, intensity and duration" of the attack; how well civilians can be warned to go to shelters in South Korea as well as the preparedness of US and South Korean forces to respond to North Korean artillery, rockets and ballistic missiles using their own retaliatory barrage and airstrikes.
The Pentagon has in its letter also highlighted the possibility of "opposition from China or Russia."
Meanwhile, 16 lawmakers released a statement, calling on President Donald Trump to stop making "provocative statements" that hamper diplomatic efforts and risk the lives of US troops.
The Pentagon's "assessment underscores what we've known all along: There are no good military options for North Korea," said the statement, organized by Lieu and Gallego and signed by 14 other Congress members who are veterans, all but one of them Democrats.
An exchange of insults between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has fueled fears of a military conflict.
Trump has threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea if necessary. Pyongyang, on the other hand, says it will continue to develop its nuclear and missile programs as a deterrent against the US and its regional allies, including South Korea and Japan.
North Korea, which carried out its sixth nuclear test in September, says it wants a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the United States.
Google translate:
Iran Press TV
https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/dprk/2017/dprk-171105-presstv01.htm
Sun Nov 5, 2017 08:23AM
The Pentagon has reportedly said that a ground invasion of North Korea is the only way to locate and secure all of its nuclear weapons sites.
The new assessment of a possible war on the Korean Peninsula came in a letter the Pentagon wrote to US lawmakers, The Washington Post reported.
The letter by Rear Adm. Michael J. Dumont, the vice director of the Pentagon's Joint Staff, was written after two House members, Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), requested information about "expected casualty assessments in a conflict with North Korea," including for civilians, US and allied forces in South Korea, Japan and Guam.
Pentagon officials "assess that North Korea may consider the use of biological weapons" and that the country "has a long-standing chemical weapons program with the capability to produce nerve, blister, blood and choking agents," reads the letter.
According to the Pentagon, calculating "best- or worst-case casualty scenarios" is very difficult and would depend on the "nature, intensity and duration" of the attack; how well civilians can be warned to go to shelters in South Korea as well as the preparedness of US and South Korean forces to respond to North Korean artillery, rockets and ballistic missiles using their own retaliatory barrage and airstrikes.
The Pentagon has in its letter also highlighted the possibility of "opposition from China or Russia."
Meanwhile, 16 lawmakers released a statement, calling on President Donald Trump to stop making "provocative statements" that hamper diplomatic efforts and risk the lives of US troops.
The Pentagon's "assessment underscores what we've known all along: There are no good military options for North Korea," said the statement, organized by Lieu and Gallego and signed by 14 other Congress members who are veterans, all but one of them Democrats.
An exchange of insults between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has fueled fears of a military conflict.
Trump has threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea if necessary. Pyongyang, on the other hand, says it will continue to develop its nuclear and missile programs as a deterrent against the US and its regional allies, including South Korea and Japan.
North Korea, which carried out its sixth nuclear test in September, says it wants a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the United States.
Google translate:
La invasión terrestre aseguraría los sitios nucleares de Corea del Norte: el Pentágono
Irán Press TV
https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/dprk/2017/dprk-171105-presstv01.htm
Dom 5 de noviembre de 2017, 08:23 a.m.
Según los informes, el Pentágono ha dicho que una invasión terrestre de Corea del Norte es la única forma de localizar y asegurar todos sus sitios de armas nucleares.
La nueva evaluación de una posible guerra en la Península de Corea se produjo en una carta que el Pentágono escribió a los legisladores estadounidenses, informó The Washington Post.
La carta del contraalmirante Michael J. Dumont, subdirector del Estado Mayor Conjunto del Pentágono, fue escrita después de que dos miembros de la Cámara, Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) Y Rubén Gallego (D-Ariz.), Solicitaran información sobre "lo esperado". evaluaciones de víctimas en un conflicto con Corea del Norte, "incluso para civiles, fuerzas estadounidenses y aliadas en Corea del Sur, Japón y Guam".
Funcionarios del Pentágono "evalúan que Corea del Norte puede considerar el uso de armas biológicas" y que el país "tiene un programa de armas químicas de larga data con la capacidad de producir agentes nerviosos, ampollas, sangre y ahogo", se lee en la carta.
Según el Pentágono, calcular los "mejores o peores escenarios de bajas" es muy difícil y dependerá de la "naturaleza, intensidad y duración" del ataque; qué tan bien se puede advertir a los civiles que vayan a refugios en Corea del Sur, así como la preparación de las fuerzas estadounidenses y surcoreanas para responder a la artillería norcoreana, los cohetes y los misiles balísticos utilizando su propia represalia y ataques aéreos.
El Pentágono también ha destacado en su carta la posibilidad de "oposición de China o Rusia".
Mientras tanto, 16 legisladores emitieron un comunicado e hicieron un llamado al presidente Donald Trump para que deje de hacer "declaraciones provocativas" que obstaculicen los esfuerzos diplomáticos y arriesguen las vidas de las tropas estadounidenses.
La "evaluación del Pentágono subraya lo que hemos sabido desde el principio: no hay buenas opciones militares para Corea del Norte", dijo la declaración, organizada por Lieu y Gallego y firmada por otros 14 miembros del Congreso que son veteranos, todos menos uno de ellos Demócratas .
Un intercambio de insultos entre Trump y el líder norcoreano Kim Jong-un ha alimentado temores de un conflicto militar.
Trump ha amenazado con "destruir totalmente" a Corea del Norte si es necesario. Pyongyang, por otro lado, dice que continuará desarrollando sus programas nucleares y de misiles como un elemento de disuasión contra Estados Unidos y sus aliados regionales, incluidos Corea del Sur y Japón.
Corea del Norte, que llevó a cabo su sexta prueba nuclear en septiembre, dice que quiere un misil de punta nuclear capaz de llegar a Estados Unidos.