I know that it's probably a little too early to start worrying about the South Korea/North Korea showdown that started in this morning's early hours, but the situation has the potential to spiral out of control fast. It could make the conflicts in the Middle East look like General Jackson's march on New Orleans in the 1800's.
North Korea's latest unprovoked military attack on South Korea -- the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island near the Northern Limit Line demarcating the Korean Peninsula's maritime boundary -- is a stark reminder that the Korean War never ended. This morning's attack is the most aggressive move since the ceasefire was declared in 1953.
South Korea's president said "enormous retaliation" is needed to stop Pyongyang's incitement, but international diplomats urgently appealed for restraint.
The only people the leaders of North Korea hate more than the South Koreans are Americans and Japanese. For all purposes, North Korea is practically a nuclear power. There's a significant risk that they would be able to launch medium-range nuclear missiles and strike targets in Hawaii or the west coast proper, possibly taking out Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Having friends in Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, I'm beginning to worry a bit.
The North Korean army has the second largest army in the world with almost 10 million troops, all contained in an area the size of Mississippi. In case you're wondering, the United States has the 9th largest number of troops. North Korea has an aging dictator who could care less how his foes would retaliate. And, the country's communist brothers in China are sitting on the sidelines, refusing to get involved - lest we forget how much money the United States already owes China. China has every reason to get involved, but, has inexplicably, remained silent.
Even if North Korea were to table the nuclear option, they still have more than enough conventional weapons to level Seoul, the capital of South Korea, several times over. The South Korean military is intertwined with the United States. No matter what happens, we're involved.
The United States has about 28,500 troops deployed in South Korea who are warily watching the situation. There are more than 50 U.S. Navy vessels in the area, including a carrier strike group led by the USS George Washington.
Before the September 11 attacks of 2001, there was talk about reducing America's military. At the time, there were serious doubts that the United States would ever need a force able to sustain two conflicts at once. Now, it seems more and more likely, we may have a third.
