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United States warns North Korea it has 'considerable military forces' and is ready to use them

The US is now pushing for tougher sanctions.

South Korea Koreas Tensions A TV screen plays images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observing the missile test. Lee Jin-man / PA Images Lee Jin-man / PA Images / PA Images

THE UNITED STATES has pushed for tougher sanctions on North Korea at the UN Security Council, warning the isolated regime’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile had drastically narrowed the path for diplomacy.

In a hard-hitting address, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said Tuesday’s ICBM test had made “the world a more dangerous place,” and reiterated that Washington was ready to use force if need be to deal with the threat of a nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

Tuesday’s launch — styled by leader Kim Jong-Un as a gift to “American bastards” — marked a milestone in Pyongyang’s decades-long drive for the capability to threaten the US mainland with a nuclear strike, and poses a stark foreign policy challenge for Donald Trump.

The US president had dismissed the idea of the North possessing a working ICBM, vowing it “won’t happen”, but experts said the missile could reach Alaska or even further towards the continental US.

At the UN, Haley called the launch “a clear and sharp military escalation”, and US and South Korean forces fired off missiles yesterday into the Sea of Japan simulating a precision strike against North Korea’s leadership.

Washington had “considerable military forces”, Haley said. “We will use them if we must.”

South Korea Koreas Tensions A US Army tactical missile is fired into the east sea during a military exercise. US Army / PA Images US Army / PA Images / PA Images

But the US focus, she told the council, was to push through tighter sanctions, and it would submit a new draft resolution within days.

In all, six sets of sanctions have been imposed on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006, but have failed to prevent its military advances.

New measures could target countries that continue to trade with North Korea, curb oil exports to the isolated country, tighten air and maritime restrictions and impose travel bans on its officials.

Haley singled out China — increasingly in the US administration’s crosshairs as the North’s sole major ally and economic lifeline — as key to any diplomatic solution, only days after Trump said Beijing’s efforts had failed.

“We will work with China,” Haley said, “but we will not repeat the inadequate approaches of the past that have brought us to this dark day.”

BBC News / YouTube

The US drive won backing from France, but raised immediate protests from fellow permanent Security Council member Russia, whose Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov warned that “sanctions will not resolve the issue.”

China’s Ambassador Liu Jieyi once more pushed Beijing’s alternative proposal for talks based on a freeze of North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests, in exchange for a halt to US-South Korean military drills — which has repeatedly been rejected by Washington and Seoul.

‘Nuclear attack’

Washington and Seoul are in a security alliance, with 28,500 US troops stationed in the South to protect it.

In a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of the G20 summit she is hosting, South Korean President Moon Jae-In said the level of the North’s nuclear and missile capabilities was already a problem, “but the bigger problem is that the speed of progress is far faster than expected.”

Sanctions and pressure, he added, should be a means to push the North to the negotiating table, “and should not break the peace itself”.

The Hwasong-14 missile only travelled little more than 900 kilometers (560 miles) to come down in the Sea of Japan, but the altitude it reached — more than 2,800 kilometers according to Pyongyang — demonstrated it can travel far further.

South Korea’s Defense Minister Han Min-koo put its range at 7,000 to 8,000 kilometers — far enough to put US Pacific Command in Hawaii within reach.

The North, which says it needs atomic weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion, said the test proved the missile’s re-entry capabilities and it could carry a heavy nuclear warhead.

Questions remain over the missile’s precise capabilities, but concerns over its implications are mounting in the South. “A North Korean ICBM carrying a nuclear warhead is a game-changer,” the JoongAng Ilbo said in an editorial Thursday.

“What worries us is the uncertainty of whether the US would defend us if North Korea attacks Seoul. We cannot be sure if the US would risk a nuclear attack on New York or Los Angeles.”

© – AFP 2017

Read: UN Security Council to meet today as North Korea provokes the US with missile tests >

Read: North Korea says it successfully tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile >

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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Jul 6th 2017, 7:35 AM

    Perhaps we can have another hunt for WMDs and de-stabilise another entire region. Let Europe pick up the pieces of another American blunder.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Jul 6th 2017, 7:41 AM

    @john Appleseed:

    The difference here is that N Korea does in fact have WMDs and is stating that they will use them. Iraq did not have WMDs. Kim is a total nut job and we need the world’s military strong nations to flex some muscle and tell him we will not let him pursue his plans for ICBM nuclear devices.

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    Mute Chris Ó Cinnseallaigh
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    Jul 6th 2017, 7:52 AM

    @Nick Allen: You gonna be on the front line so?

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:09 AM

    @Chris Ó Cinnseallaigh:

    No, I won’t be there. But like it or not we Ned the other nut job of a leader with another dodgy hair cut keep Kim under control. Not a great position to be in but the Americans voted him in and Japan caused mayhem in Korea and we are now paying the price

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    Mute Dave time
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:56 AM

    @Nick Allen:
    The difference here is that the US does in fact have WMDs and is stating that they will use them. Iraq did not have WMDs. Trump is a total nut job and we need the world’s military strong nations to flex some muscle and tell him we will not let him pursue his plans for ICBM nuclear devices. I was interested to see if it was still accurate if I flipped that statement. Who would have guessed:)

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    Mute Séa Graham
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    Jul 6th 2017, 9:24 AM

    @john Appleseed: ah but the definition of how dangerous WMD’S are is, how much resources does the country have that we can make an excuse to steal? It’s going to be a lot of sabre rattling and not much else

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Jul 6th 2017, 9:40 AM

    @Nick Allen: And all the time China is looking on and smiling, they of course have other plans for expansion and control of the South China Sea that could spark a war with neighbouring countries not to mention the US. The Chinese are also conducting a border war with India at the moment.

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    Mute Malachi
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:42 PM

    @Christopher Treacy: I’ll tell you why NK shouldn’t have nuclear weapons – their whole nuclear weapons programme is based on blackmail and aggression towards their neighbours, and a sick attempt to extort UN food aid instead of feeding their starving populace.

    It is totally amoral to let such a state have any kind of serious weaponry.

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    Mute Tom Newnewman
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    Jul 6th 2017, 1:30 PM

    @john Appleseed: Don’t think he is as smart as Saddam Hussain who piled all his WMD poison chemicals on the Kurds before the UN pen pusher inspectors arrived creating the Fake News for the zombies and MSM that he had none.

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    Mute Séamus Ó Lochlainn
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    Jul 6th 2017, 4:01 PM

    @Tom Newnewman: hahaha the conspiracy theories have come full circle now have they?! Jesus there’s no hope for the world if this comment is not a piss-take!

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    Mute Jackson Bollovks
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    Jul 6th 2017, 11:48 PM

    @john Appleseed: no need, there’s no oil or gas there

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    Mute Tristan Ua Ceithearnaigh
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    Jul 8th 2017, 1:45 PM

    @Nick Allen: The US does in fact have WMD and is stating that they will use them. Trump is a total nut job and we need the North Korean military to flex some muscle and tell him we will not let him persue his plans for a New World Order.

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    Mute rory conway
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    Jul 6th 2017, 7:40 AM

    The personalities of the two leaders is unnerving.

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    Mute RMcG
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    Jul 6th 2017, 9:13 AM

    @rory conway: Little boys with fragile egos playing with Adult toys, what could possibly go wrong.

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    Mute Tom Newnewman
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    Jul 6th 2017, 10:22 AM

    @rory conway: Have Amnesty nothing to say about warmonger Kim ?. O, yes, the usual, they will wait until US does something to counter the tyrant and then they together with all the MSM will blame the firemen for the fire.

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    Mute Daithí Uí Ciarmhaic
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:49 AM

    If he had oil there it would have been done and dusted years ago

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    Mute cortisola
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:00 PM

    @Daithí Uí Ciarmhaic: USA actually tried to dust it already in 50′s and failed.

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    Mute Ken Hayden
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:29 PM

    @cortisola: The North Koreans invaded the south in 1950 . The General in charge of U.S forces at the time wanted to use Atomic weapons against the North Koreans and their Chinese allies , but was removed from command .

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    Mute Tom Newnewman
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:40 PM

    @cortisola: They saved the south of Korea. Ask yourself if Samsung, Hyundai etc. and a decent standard of living exist if your anti US buddies had succeed in enslaving all of Korea and then Japan. The ordinary citizen world wide would not have affordable cars, phones, cameras etc.

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    Mute Séamus Ó Lochlainn
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    Jul 6th 2017, 4:10 PM

    @Daithí Uí Ciarmhaic: 100%. Robert Fisk made that point 15 years ago.
    In a similar vein how the US and Brits were ‘bringing democracy to the poor souls of Iraq’ (but chose to ignore Africa).

    Tom you should read some of his writing to help you.

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    Mute Colin O Leary
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:01 AM

    Could they not play Rock Paper Scissors and call it a day

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    Mute Luke Duffy
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    Jul 6th 2017, 11:23 AM

    @Colin O Leary: the atlantic did a good article on the various options on how to deal with NK. Well worth a read:
    https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/07/the-worst-problem-on-earth/528717/

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    Mute cortisola
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:07 PM

    @Luke Duffy: Not a mention of WannaCry2 ransomware made by North Korea to attack western computer systems ?? As we all know if destroyed systems in China and Russia before even reaching USA. If their missile accuracy is same we have nothing to worry about.

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    Mute DeFonz
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:13 AM

    Mrs Rí Chun-Hee veteran Pyongyang TV Newscaster announced she is ready to vigourously debate the matter with snivelling US president spokesman Sean Spicer.. “he will get mighty hammer blows raining down on his head from me” …said an angry Mrs Chun-Hee who was not in a conciliatory mood last night..

    Sean Spicer failed to confirm he could take up this challenge, as he was tending shrubs in the White House garden.

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    Mute Ken Hayden
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:35 PM

    @DeFonz: As the saying goes , if all you have is a hammer , everything looks like a nail .

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    Mute Paddy Reid
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:26 AM

    Yes, a third world war would result in millions of casualties, but think of the memes it would generate!

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    Mute David Kavanagh
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    Jul 6th 2017, 10:04 AM

    @Paddy Reid: If there was a Third World War communications would be the first thing to go down. Say good goodbye to memes, the Internet, Sky tv etc. Satellite debris would be raining down all over the world. Hello to food/fuel rations and electricity black outs.

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    Mute cortisola
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:14 PM

    @David Kavanagh: If there was a Third World War we wouldn’t need food or fuel for long…

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    Mute Ken Hayden
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:31 PM

    @cortisola: “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

    ― Albert Einstein

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    Mute OU812
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    Jul 6th 2017, 7:36 AM

    …and we’re off…

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    Mute Alan
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    Jul 6th 2017, 10:26 AM

    Ah sanctions. A great way to affect every one in the country except the people in charge.

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    Mute saoirse janneau
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    Jul 6th 2017, 7:37 AM

    Cowboys and Indians

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    Mute John Mullan
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:58 AM

    USA ready to use overwhelming force. That ain’t news

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    Mute Dave Hogan
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    Jul 6th 2017, 9:56 AM

    America will not tolerate any country that defends itself.

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    Mute Malachi
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:31 PM

    @Dave Hogan: Defends itself? Laughable.

    North Korea has been an aggressive blackmail state for years. If you think they’re only defending themselves you’re only kidding yourself.

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    Mute BogumilM
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    Jul 6th 2017, 3:22 PM

    @Malachi: Technically, at this moment they are defending themselves.

    On the other side we have USA and west countries fighting against legal Syrian government, we have CIA and west inteligence behind riots/coup on the Ukraine, where legal president was removed.

    This is regular war for oil, gas and pipelines. NK is only a part of it. For China, Russia and Germany/France it could be very handy to tie USA and probably UK with the NK war.

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    Mute Malachi
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    Jul 6th 2017, 3:46 PM

    @BogumilM: The “legal” Syrian government, eh? From where do they derive their legitimacy, could you tell me?

    What people elected Assad as leader? Hint, his father doesn’t count.

    North Korea are not “technically” defending themselves, not sure why sticking the word technically in there makes the false statement true. They have been continuously blackmailing the UN and threatening their neighbours for decades, not to mention actually being the cause of the last major war in the region.

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    Mute Cormac Ó Braonáin
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    Jul 7th 2017, 4:00 PM

    @Malachi: “The “legal” Syrian government, eh? From where do they derive their legitimacy, could you tell me?”

    From the host of international monitoring organisations that were there, which included American organisations. Or indeed from the opposition parties in Syria who, while being crushed in the election, came out and said they were happy with the legitimacy of the result.

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    Mute marty johnbann
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    Jul 6th 2017, 10:08 AM

    Need votes for next election?start a war

    7
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    Mute Wodanaz von Mises
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    Jul 6th 2017, 7:52 AM

    And there goes another POTUS ‘red line’ .
    Must suck for him having to act as an adult with responsibilities in the real world after spending his whole life in a parallel golden tower playground.

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    Mute Eamonn Sheen
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    Jul 6th 2017, 11:19 AM

    The yanks itching for yet another profit making war.

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    Mute Adrian
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    Jul 6th 2017, 9:53 AM

    You couldn’t beat them before and you won’t beat them again!

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    Mute Stephen Maher
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    Jul 6th 2017, 10:56 AM

    The global weapons and war industry is about to recieve a boost.

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Jul 6th 2017, 8:37 AM

    This is a job for Thrump to sort out ,no doubt

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    Mute David Sutcliffe
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    Jul 6th 2017, 1:40 PM

    The USA is and has been the only treat to world peace causing terror and distruction were ever they go in the name of democracy.. nobody can blame Kim for wanting to protect himself and his country look what they done to Iraq Libya Afghanistan Yemen Bosnia etc and now there on his door step simulating invading his country people need to open there eyes America is the problem to the world not north Korea

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    Mute Terry O'Callaghan
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    Jul 6th 2017, 4:29 PM

    Get on with it…and less of the bluff

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    Mute Austin Rock
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    Jul 6th 2017, 10:50 AM

    Yeah we know America has a big one and wants to use it – unfortunately all the military options for america in Korea are very very bad ones for south Korea, Japan, China

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    Mute Brendan Keegan
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    Jul 6th 2017, 11:01 AM

    @Austin Rock: Kim will fire if fired on so America will suffer millions. Too many fir the newspapers to print all their names. Simple thing for America to do is go away and leave the North Koreans to sort things out.

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    Mute Tom Newnewman
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    Jul 6th 2017, 1:37 PM

    @Brendan Keegan: Weak with starvation and fear the population are slaves indefinitely without help just like South Koreans would have been without US. And you support this.

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    Mute Brendan Keegan
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    Jul 6th 2017, 10:57 AM

    Why does North Korea want these weapons? Because the shit in America would be sticking their noses in and ruining another country. I have been to both Koreas and America has been only interested in getting in the North to spy on Russia and China
    These people could sort out their own problems but bully boy want to bully them into having McDonalds and selling then guns.Vietnam is happy since the they beat them. America go home.

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    Mute Malachi
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    Jul 6th 2017, 12:36 PM

    @Brendan Keegan: Ruining another country? Jesus christ.

    Only someone completely unacquainted with the totalitarian nightmare and famine state that is NK would think it could be “ruined”.

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    Mute Tristan Ua Ceithearnaigh
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    Jul 8th 2017, 1:42 PM

    What many people fail to remember is that the US dropped bombs on Korea equivalent to all the bombs that were dropped in the WW2 Pacific theatre of war. It is no wonder that North Koreans are determined more than ever that the US never does the same again.

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    Mute Neil Neart
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    Jul 6th 2017, 9:25 AM

    China is not worried about the nuclear threat from North Korea so why should the USA worry?

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