White House plays down threat of imminent North Korea attack

[ProSense]

White House plays down threat of imminent North Korea attack

US seeks to lower temperature of Korea crisis by stressing 'we are not seeing large-scale military mobilisation' from Pyongyang

Ed Pilkington in New York and Justin McCurry in Seoul

The White House sought to lower the temperature of the North Korea crisis on Monday, pointing out that despite Pyongyang's verbal threats to retaliate with force against the imposition of UN sanctions there were no signs of any troop movements that would suggest imminent military action.

The Obama administration adopted a note of muted concern, in contrast to the increasingly shrill language emanating from both North and South Korea in recent days. At a White House press conference, President Obama's spokesman Jay Carney stressed that though the US was continuing to monitor the situation diligently, "we are not seeing large-scale military mobilisation and repositioning of [North Korean] forces".

Pyongyang's aggressive stance was nothing new, Carney said. "This pattern of bellicose rhetoric is not new. It is familiar, we take it very seriously and we take prudent measures in response to it, but it is consistent with past behaviour."

Carney made clear that the US posture was designed with both Koreas firmly in mind. While Obama wanted to show the North Korean regime that its provocative behaviour "only isolates them further", the administration was also applying pressure on Seoul to dissuade it from taking any unilateral action.

- more -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/01/white-house-plays-down-north-korea-attack

[zappaman]

1. But...but....

I've read easily a dozen threads (admittedly most from one poster) about how war is imminent!

Who should I trust on this???

[Rex]

2. Of course you should trust a person posting on the Intertubes

before trusting the Feds! Did you know that some people that post on the Intertubes are NEVA wrong?!? NEVA, EVA!

[LeftofObama]

5. You can't post anything on the internet

that isn't true. It's the law!

[Rex]

6. HAHAHAHAHA!

Where did you read that?

[LeftofObama]

8. That woman said it in that car insurance commercial.

Then she says that she met her date on the internet and he's a French model. The guy (French model) is just some guy that looks like he lives in his mom's basement and the only french he knows is "Bon Jour".

[Rex]

9. Hehehehe...

[The Straight Story]

12. Well, in the case of Iraq - I think trusting people on the net was wiser

[Rex]

16. Trusting your own eyes was much more informative.

Didn't need the WWW to know that.

[ProSense]

3. It's an

epidemic, starting with the media. There seems to be so many people fanning the flames of war it's like they either want war, want Obama to start a war or want people to believe Obama is looking for ways to start a war.

[zappaman]

4. No one wants war

but some people wish for bad things in life so others can feel as miserable as they are.

This NK bullshit is just that...bullshit.
They are just looking for attention as usual.

But that won't stop Chicken Littles for making OP after OP about this non-event.

[ProSense]

13. Most people do not, but

you have to admit that NK's rhetoric is exciting John Bolton and the neocons.

[zappaman]

14. True.

And many here as well.

[Posteritatis]

20. It's possible to worry about it happening and know it isn't happening right now at the same time.

I'll start getting scared when I hear of North Korean troop movements or suicidally stupid things like actually trying to fuel or deploy missiles in this climate, but the fact that those haven't happened yet doesn't mean the brinksmanship isn't alarming.

[gordianot]

7. Talking trash tends to increase the odds of getting punched in the mouth.

No one should doubt even the North Koreans would not announce the date of a sneak military attack. In this day it is really hard to hide intentions. Problem would be an escalating incident with escalating retaliation from both sides The much vaunted North Korean nuclear arsenal lacks a delivery system. North Korea as with American Republicans have an endless supply of stupid. Immanent probably not, possible yes.

[sarisataka]

10. The usual red flag

newly announced 'training maneuvers' combined with 'routine re-positioning of units'. It allows a country to put a large portion of its military in motion and concentrate forces under plausible circumstances.
It can be difficult to tell if the cover story is true or a sham, if done correctly allowing strategic surprise and perhaps even tactical.

[Starry Messenger]

11. I think NK basically RickRolled the media in the West.

Jesus, it was like Red Dawn here.

[Brother Buzz]

15. That, or Kim Jong Un scored a bootleg copy of the film, The Mouse that Roared

[Starry Messenger]

17. Or watched those silly videos everyone was posting a couple of weeks ago

that gave fake voiceovers in English of supposed views of NK of Western society. Several people here thought they were real too. NK has internet now, they could be trolling! lol

[ProSense]

21. It's weird. n/t

[Dash87]

18. North Korea is full of it and just wants food and supplies.

This is nothing new for them.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

19. Don't post stuff like this. It upsets the "Obama is a warmonger" crowd. nt