NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Posted on Dec 5, 2017
Ex-NATO commander: North Korea likely getting help with nukes, rockets from China or Russia
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Retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former NATO supreme allied commander, in an interview on Sunday said North Korea is likely receiving outside help from allies like China, Russia or Iran as it races to develop its weapons arsenal.
“You’ve got to think that at least part of it is coming from either China or Russia and I have no evidence of that, but the idea that [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un] would simply be developing this on an indigenous basis within his own population of scientists simply seems unlikely given how fast it's moving," Stavridis told radio host John Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York.
"It could also be cooperation between Iran and North Korea, which we do know has occurred in this nuclear space" Stavridis continued. He added that, "it's fair to say there is some level of outside engagement that has been helpful to [Kim's] program."
Stavridis said China will have to decide whether it is going to stand by or stand up against North Korea as tensions escalate.
"China is going to have to make a choice about whether or not it will continue to align with North Korea or if they will stand with the rest of the global community and stop this. And the best tool they have, John, is they have control over oil going to North Korea. They could stop that economy in a heartbeat. We're going to need to put more pressure on them," he said, adding that "there's about a 10 percent chance" of a war.
Stavridis added that the North Korean weapons advances come at a time when President Trump has repeatedly undermined Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
"Every time Secretary Tillerson tries to talk about diplomacy in North Korea, for example, he faces a tweet from his boss, the President, saying, ‘We are not going to use diplomacy to solve this. Diplomacy is a waste of time.’ ” Sgt Jay Jones LTC Stephen F. COL Mikel J. Burroughs SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" MSG Andrew White SP5 Dave (Shotgun) Shockley SP5 Mark Kuzinski LTC Stephen C. MSgt (Join to see) SGT Michael Thorin Maj Marty Hogan SN Greg Wright SPC Margaret Higgins SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SGT (Join to see) SPC Douglas Bolton PO3 John Wagner SGT Robert George
“You’ve got to think that at least part of it is coming from either China or Russia and I have no evidence of that, but the idea that [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un] would simply be developing this on an indigenous basis within his own population of scientists simply seems unlikely given how fast it's moving," Stavridis told radio host John Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York.
"It could also be cooperation between Iran and North Korea, which we do know has occurred in this nuclear space" Stavridis continued. He added that, "it's fair to say there is some level of outside engagement that has been helpful to [Kim's] program."
Stavridis said China will have to decide whether it is going to stand by or stand up against North Korea as tensions escalate.
"China is going to have to make a choice about whether or not it will continue to align with North Korea or if they will stand with the rest of the global community and stop this. And the best tool they have, John, is they have control over oil going to North Korea. They could stop that economy in a heartbeat. We're going to need to put more pressure on them," he said, adding that "there's about a 10 percent chance" of a war.
Stavridis added that the North Korean weapons advances come at a time when President Trump has repeatedly undermined Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
"Every time Secretary Tillerson tries to talk about diplomacy in North Korea, for example, he faces a tweet from his boss, the President, saying, ‘We are not going to use diplomacy to solve this. Diplomacy is a waste of time.’ ” Sgt Jay Jones LTC Stephen F. COL Mikel J. Burroughs SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" MSG Andrew White SP5 Dave (Shotgun) Shockley SP5 Mark Kuzinski LTC Stephen C. MSgt (Join to see) SGT Michael Thorin Maj Marty Hogan SN Greg Wright SPC Margaret Higgins SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SGT (Join to see) SPC Douglas Bolton PO3 John Wagner SGT Robert George
Ex-NATO commander: North Korea likely getting help with nukes, rockets from China or Russia
Posted from thehill.com
Korea
Nuclear
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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Well that is an easy assumption- sadly they could be adding to their own demise if this goes sideways
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SrA Christopher Wright MSgt John McGowan SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl (Join to see) Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth LTC (Join to see) MSG Frederick Otero Sgt Steven Thomas SGT Mark Halmrast LCDR (Join to see) SFC Dave Beran SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Jim Arnold SFC William H. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG James BehnkePFC (Join to see) CPL Dave Hoover
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SrA Christopher Wright MSgt John McGowan SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl (Join to see) Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth LTC (Join to see) MSG Frederick Otero Sgt Steven Thomas SGT Mark Halmrast LCDR (Join to see) SFC Dave Beran SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Jim Arnold SFC William H. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG James BehnkePFC (Join to see) CPL Dave Hoover
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PO3 John Wagner
It'll go sideways if someone wants it to. That fist fucker in charge of North Korea is a joke to all the major players
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I would have to take this as a positive hit. Even though the science of the atom bomb is relatively simple and readily available even into far more hybrid nuclear weapon designs.. Nothing particularly complicated about it from a technological aspect. We designed incredibly sophisticated nuclear weapons long before even moderately complicated solid state electronic components... quite literally solid state transistors. Missile technology is however a rather complex, expensive, and sophisticated field of endeavor. Throwing a rock into the sky at the right trajectory to let it fall down in a predesignated spot isn't too hard. Creating a launch vehicle that can do this task in a sophisticated anti missile and electronic warfare theater is another.. If nothing else creating a vehicle which is controllable from its launch point yet relatively impervious to hard jamming or interference is high tech. So yes, absolutely I believe that North Korea has outside assistance. I have difficulty believing it is directly from China or Russia, nor do I believe those actors want to see a major incident.
I do believe that an actor such as Iran may be involved AND that the Chinese or the Russians are fully aware of it. They will allow it to go on as far as they like, all the while holding the "kill switch" in hand. No one wants to see all hell break loose. North Korea is simply another disposable asset for those in a position to use it.
I do believe that an actor such as Iran may be involved AND that the Chinese or the Russians are fully aware of it. They will allow it to go on as far as they like, all the while holding the "kill switch" in hand. No one wants to see all hell break loose. North Korea is simply another disposable asset for those in a position to use it.
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