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Updated 6.30pm
IRELAND’S JUSTICE MINISTER has said that there is no “immediate threat” to Ireland amid ratcheting tensions in the Korean peninsula.
Charlie Flanagan, who until recently held the government’s foreign affairs brief, said that Ireland must nonetheless be aware that it is “not immune” to international conflicts.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime, Flanagan was asked about Ireland’s preparedness for any kind of strike from the United States or North Korea.
“Well, I’m not sure the extent to which Ireland would be involved in that equation,” the minister said, before adding that Irish intelligence services are constantly monitoring terror threats.
While there isn’t any evidence of any immediate threat to Ireland, it’s always important to remain vigilant. It’s always important to continue to regard ourselves as not being immune to any international threat.
Last night, US President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with “fire and fury like the world has never seen” amid claims the secretive state had produced a nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attempted to de-escalate tensions today by saying that Trump was simply using language “that Kim Jong-un would understand”.
“What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong-un would understand, because he doesn’t seem to understand diplomatic language,” Tillerson said.
Tillerson was talking to journalists aboard his plane en route to the US territory of Guam, where North Korea had warned it was considering missile strikes.
Earlier today, Trump began tweeting about modernising the US’s nuclear arsenal, saying: “Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!”
Donald J. Trump / TwitterMy first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017
Donald J. Trump / Twitter...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017
In response to Trump’s “fire and fury” threat, North Korea said it is considering strikes near US strategic military installations in Guam in the Pacific Ocean
Pyongyang said it’s “now carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12″, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The plan will be finalised “and will be put into practice in a multi-concurrent and consecutive way any moment once Kim Jong-un, supreme commander of the nuclear force of the DPRK, makes a decision”, it added.
Trump’s warning came after US media reported that Pyongyang has successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead.
Speaking about the back-and-forth of bellicose language between the US and North Korea, Minister Charlie Flanagan said that the tone has been “worrying” and “quite scary”:
The fact of the matter is the rhetoric needs to be dialled down. As Minister for Foreign Affairs for some time I was always conscious of the need to ensure that language is diplomatic and to ensure that issues of international difference are dealt with around the table. We have a number of forums that can deal with these international tensions, not least the United Nations.
“I think it would be unhelpful for Ireland to become involved in the blame game, the stakes are high,” he added.
With reporting by © – AFP 2017
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does nobody learn from history. Germany was put under tough sanctions.
@Sam Lean: After it had started a war for a “mine is bigger than yours” spat.
@Sam Lean: I couldn’t really put North Korea in that catergory. Hitler was a lunatic but a great strategist. Kim is just an outright lunatic.
@The Viking: a very weak ego driven strategist as it turned out.
@Sam Lean: Nobody’s starting a war. It’s just a frightened despot trying to scare the world into leaving him alone to run his prison country for another half century. Get a grip, everybody.
@Neal Ireland Hello.:
“Professor, without knowing precisely what the danger is, would you say it’s time for our readers to crack each other’s heads open and feast on the goo inside?”
“Yes. Yes I would Kent”
@Neal Ireland Hello.: i hope youre right.
@Red hurley: Stop beimg scared of ypur own shadow , it’s embarrassing.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: you could be talking about both Trump and Kim Jong Un there!
@The Viking: “Hitler a great strategist”?Are you having a laugh.He destroyed most of his army by going into Russia in winter.What about that strategy?Idiotic I would call it.
@The Viking: Hitler was lucky at first but proved himself to be a poor strategist.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: He can only serve 8 years.
@Mick: Not poor. Just Churchill was better..
@The Viking: Nah mate. His generals won Poland and the Battle of France so quickly he had no time to ruin it. He made a dog’s dinner in Africa and Russia. Great motivator, terrible tactician. Believed his own hype, like a certain orangutan over the pond.
@The Viking: sorry no. He failed utterly once he came across opposition. Switching from RAF airfields to cities allowed the RAF to recover and eventually gain the upper hand when at one point they were all but defeated. Strategy in Russia and from there on was very poor.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: really? what makes you an authority on it?how can you possibly know ww3 wont start?
@The Viking: No, Kim is a ruthless dictator but he is not a lunatic, his strategy makes perfect sense. Nuclear weapons are the best and only instrument for the long term detriment of invasion and the survival of the Kim dynasty. Look at Gadaffi and Libya, he gave up his nukes and all of the treaties and promises from the US didn’t stop US backed rebels overthrowing him and murdering him in public via a bayonet up the arse. The Kim family was watching, and now the US are paying for it
@Billy McNamara: Even Rommel and Guderian, from the early days, praised Hitlers strategies. Hitler knew each enemys mindset. The problem lay with aristocratic generals who held back or failed to execute the orders to the letter. Do you not think Hitler studied Napoleon’s plight?
@Paul Culligan: Absolute babble.
Hitler hadn’t a notion what he was doing, continually overruled his generals in the later years because of his ego which led to a catastrophic defeat on the Eastern front.
Hitler was responsible for countless military blunders during WWII, it doesn’t matter who you quote, the battles tell the story.
Imagine thinking a guy who was so arrogant that he cancelled his weapons programs after France fell (and then scrambled to get them going again when it was clear he was losing) was a master tactician. He was a grade A dunce when it came to military matters, but one of the best public speakers the world will ever see.
@Malachi: Hitler was a meth amphetamine addict with Parkinson’s disease. No wonder his military decisions were poor.
@The Viking: So is Trump
@Frank Cooney: forced to act ? He annexed Poland in 3 weeks and France shortly after . The Brits were lucky that hitler turned his attentions to Russia and a disastrous campaign there allied to the American entry to the war post pearl harbour . Otherwise they would now be a swastika over London.
Usual US thing… overemphasise an enemys capabilities to justify increasing military spending. And I wouldn’t be too hard on Trump on this…its been going on since the 1950s…
In other news.. 2 other countries on the far side of the world don’t like each other and have had strong words to say to each other …Charlie Flanagan says we are grand and not to worry…Charlie is brilliant like.
The Americans are skilled and subtle diplomats. Everything will be fine
2 Lunatics facing off, the world has to be concerned
@Tony Hartigan: Not at all tony, Trump is Orange, Kim is yellow, I think it would be hilarious, like two tellytubbies fighting.
Forget mayweather and mcgregor id pay to see this one.
@Trevor Hayden: say eh oh….
@Trevor Hayden: they do the bluster but it’s not them that get their hands bloodied. You’re trivialising a seriously frightening situation
Will DCC be raising the NK flag in solidarity with the people NK?
@Remy: Not a bad idea , nice to see someone who cares ,
@Remy: probably
“No immediate threat to Ireland” – why would there be?
It’s odd how it occurs to Irish people that we are prominent enough and significant enough to be a possible target.
@Tony Daly: “Why would there be?”. There isn’t. That’s the point!
Time for Vlad to phone his friend Donald and persuade him to defuse the situation.
A war of USA against Russsia/China and North Korea would have the potential to cause immense human suffering.
@Tony Daly: well Tony if that war was to develop the good news is that human suffering- or in fact any suffering would be over quickly as would anything else.
@Tony Daly: It wouldn’t be fire and fury it just would be the end of days.
So US military agents are reporting WMDs are a threat to us security?
Sound familiar?
Arms industry creating a new revenue stream more like.
America now has the perfect storm of 2 egomaniacal idiots facing off against each other. And what is the US doing? Flying military aircraft over North Korea’s restricted airspace and sitting on their southern border. I wonder why they feel the need to show their strength?
I can not understand why America a country that has never won a foreign war always seems so gung ho about getting involved in them
@Francis Devenney: WW1, WW2?
@Ronan Fahy: The world wars, the Korean war, Bosnian war, Iraq 1 (and Iraq 2 was a military victory over Saddam’s army at least). Arguably the cold war.
What do you mean they haven’t won foreign wars? They win military victories all the time (not that they’re always justified of course).
@Malachi: They didn’t win the Korean war otherwise there would not be a south and north Korea…..
send in the “navy seal team” and take out that lunatic Kim Jong Un-like they did with Osama Bin Laden
@TheBluffmaster2: sniper for the lunatic and yer man in Korea too…..
@TheBluffmaster2: illegal, unlawful and it will leave a vacuum for another egomaniac to fill.
@TheBluffmaster2: Seal Team 6 left behind a wrecked stealth helicopter, which almost certainly ended up in China and accelerated the Chinese research program 10 years. It was a PR triumph and a military disaster.
@George Salter: they took out Bin Laden-surely worth a helicopter or two.
@TheBluffmaster2: Hardly. They got a PR exclusive by removing a Saudi extremist who was interested in attacking various US interests in formerly Muslim countries, and in return gave their only real rivals a 10- year catchup.
@George Salter: the seal team blew up the helicopter
@TheBluffmaster2: If only it was that simple.
America has destroyed Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and Syria, it has North Korea surrounded by thousands of troops it carries out exercises like operation decapitation in order to intimidate North Korea no wonder the Koreans feel they have to defend themselves.
Thanks Charlie for those outstanding words of “leadership”, with all your years and years of experience in whatever you think you’re an expert on, which is very limited in all fairness!
@Adrian: Quite good at collecting his expenses in fairness…….
Feel much safer now thanks Charlie, will we be getting more iodine tablets aswell?
Always thought that Korea was unfinished business, a probable fault line in international diplomacy, & only a matter of time before it erupted, the only question being which direction across the 49th parallel.
A collapse of the North Korean dynasty does not seem likely, as occurred in East Germany following glasnost in the USSR, & it seems that they are upping the anti to force a way into a negotiating position with a view to breaking the economic blockade.
China could trigger that anytime, & the sooner the better, before we are faced with a ” fire & fury” phase, Trump’s war cry version of “shock & awe”.
@William Kelly: Are the US going to invade Canada as well…LOL! You need to get your parallels and perpendiculars right…
Now that Charlie Flanagan is on the case I’ll sleep easy at night.
Korea cannot be left carry on like this… this guy need to be taken out..
Trump started this war with words with Korea. !
The USA has not learned from history…..getting involved in things that have nothing to do with them . Remember the of Iraq and Vietnam .
‘Multi concurrent and consecutive’, even Google translate would do a better job than that
That’d be the last button ol’ Kim ever pressed
Weapons of Mass Imagination
The ego on Charlie suggesting we might pose such a threat we are at risk of been taken out.
Buggar.
Why a need for a war, I m sure the US with all their technology drones etc… Could just take him out. Then move in and help the people.
The North Koreans would do well to eliminate Kin Jong Un although previous attempts have fared badly.
Congress needs to send a confidential message to Trump that war will not be authorised unless as a proportionate retaliation aimed at deterrence from future conflict.
@Tony Daly:
Illegal, unlawful and it will leave a vacuum for another egomaniac to fill.
I wonder where I heard that response before
@Tony Daly: Congress is irrelevant when it come to authorising war. Obama set the precedent with Libya.
@Shane Kinsella: factually incorrect.
@Shane Kinsella: Article 1 of the US Constitution gives exclusive prerogative to Congress to authorise war or not to authorise war.
Libya is irrelevant.
@Tony Daly: I think you could be incorrect on that one- & so is Shane (regards Obama) ..
@Tony Daly: That’s not quite how it works. A ‘mandate’ for multiple wars was obtained as an extension of the War on Terror, without need for congressional approval each time.
In theory congress must approve war – in practice it’s much different.
Fire and fury ,that would be the Waterford cork match the week end ,up Waterford
Two untreated narcissistic megalomaniacs are about to plunge the world into nuclear war and nobody in either country seems able to stop them.
Wow we dodged a bullit . Its was either Guam or ireland that NK had missiles lined up
I blame the fairies.
ICBMs are not going to be much of a threat to the US because they are so detectable with a massive heat signature coming out of their ass plus they take quite a while to reach their destination, enough time for an interception and disruption. America has the well tested and proven Patriot missile defence system. Even I could knock out Conor McGregor as long as he didn’t hit back or defend himself. However, if Trump wants public opinion to go his way, he may just not protect Guam to get his Pearl Harbour/9-11 type excuse to unleash fury. Not good for Guam.
@Shea Fitzgerald: Pearl Harbour was different, it was a surprise attack no one saw coming.
Trump has advance warning of tensions over Guam, if nothing was done to defend the island it would make him look militarily incompetent (surprise).
@Shea Fitzgerald: an ICBM launched from North Korea would reach Los Angeles in about 30 minutes.
@Malachi: The US new pearl harbour was going to be attacked why do you think the brand new aircraft carriers where not there they needed an excuse to get involved in WW2 the people didn’t want to go to war
@Shea Fitzgerald: A Patriot missile will only take out outdated rocketry like Korea is using it wouldn’t be in the same timezone as a modern Chinese/Russian like the Satan ICBM which travels at 27 times the speed of sound. The problem for the Koreans – the South that is, they have have hitch themselves to a loose cannon like Trump who actually believes their technology makes them invincible it doesn’t. There are 200,000 American civilians in South Korea mainly in Seoul. NK has enough Sarin/Anthrax, has enough lunatics in legions of armies and also gods knows what kind of chemical how is your father Biomuck to make the entire region uninhabitable. But just so long as Uncle Sam can stick oul glory on the bio mess and say we won is all that matters.
Hang on, let me grab some popcorn…
Good man Donald, you are the man for the minute.
Minister says no threat to Ireland feck off to Joe Jacob’s world minister and send us some iodine tablets…
Why wouldn’t north Korea develop nuclear weapons? They aren’t the terrorists invading half the world . The South and terrorist America are playing out a war on their doorstep. Great to see them depend their land
@free Palestine: Ah yes, defending their land by threatening everyone around them.
That’s a classic.
@free Palestine:
The Korean war started when NK invaded SK, but you knew that right?
It’s OK, I am pretty sure that I still have that pack of iodine tablets somewhere!
:-)
Always thought that Korea was unfinished business, a probable fault line in international diplomacy, & only a matter of time before it erupted, the only question being which direction across the 49th parallel.
A collapse of the North Korean dynasty does not seem likely, as occurred in East Germany following glasnost in the USSR, & it seems that they are upping the anti to force a way into a negotiating position with a view to breaking the economic blockade.
China could trigger that anytime, & the sooner the better, before we are faced with a ” fire & fury” phase, Trump’s war cry version of “shock & awe”.
I’m grand – I found the old packet of iodine tablets lol
Well done Donald…Give him hell because that Commie is very dangerous
@cormac o neill: Donnie is chewing the guam over this one on the fairway :) But could you please for once think of all the pregnant women and their embryos that could be wiped out from all of Donnie’s “fire and fury” :) You do “love both,” no matter what,yes :)
Perhaps if Thrump and his family were to move to Guam ..
Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell are going after each other on twitter. By the way, Trump actually has a social media director!!!!
@Dave O Keeffe: imagine be social media director for Trump , just imagine for like ten minutes …
@WilhelminaMCallaghan: thanks, tried to imagine it, I immediately went bald and developed a heavy drinking problem.
Check their family tree Trump & Kim Jon . un must be related along the line ?
Jaysus folks calm down. It’ll all be old news within a week. Relax on the canned foods etc.
Joe Jacob has a fact sheet. We’ll be alright.
Jaysus as long as we’re alright. Back to what you were doing lads.
Why don’t them two dudes just put them on a table and measure them up already?
If Bannon is sober he can even help being the judge of which is bigger. Ffs.
Time to fill up the bathtub with water.
I wish someone would light a fire under Trumps Arse then he might talk sense
There I was ready to take my iodine tablet which I have saved all these years. Its not the threat from Korea we should worry about its people like Flanagan and his pals.
If that anus orifice says we are safe, I’m going to recommend building shelters in ones back yard
His Ego has stretched to the size of his arsenal
What in gods name has it got to do with Ireland? Why even release the statement…clown
@Malachi: they rolled late into WW1 the Russians won WW2 they lost in Korea Iraq isn’t over Vietnam was an ass kicking The cold war is still a work in progress
@Francis Devenney: How in God’s name did they lose in Korea/Iraq?
Their military beat the opposing military in battle in all three instances (Iraq 1,2 and Korea).
@Francis Devenney: Russia won ww2? nope – they won on the eastern front. the western front was won by massive effort of the US backing UK and france. Love reading historical revisionists, flat earthers and america haters. away with your fake news.
Fortunately the idiot US President needs Congress to endorse war. The irony of Trump promising no US involvement in foreign conflict during his election while now doing his level best to goad Kim Jong Un into conflict.
For now it is just sabre rattling and bellicose posturing but two big egos could do something even more stupid.
@Tony Daly:
It isn’t the US getting involved in foreign conflict. Kim is directly threatening the US
@Nick Allen: America has been threatening North Korea since the 50′s. They should go home and let the people in this region sort out their problems. I ve been there and evrryy one of these countries hate America.
@Tony Daly: except the president doesn’t need any declaration or approval from Congress to give the order for military action
@Brendan Keegan:
American forces are not in North Korea, where should they go home from?
@Nick Allen: They flew bombers close to north Korea well before Kim threatened them with attacking Guam. The planes took off from Guam. The Us is pushing
@Nick Allen: armed hostilities against another sovereign State requires a declaration of war under domestic US law and under Public International Law.
Under the US Constitution, only Congress can authorise a declaration of war.
It’s simple.
@Nick Allen: Hello Dozy . Have you ever been anywhere. I suppose sailing up and down the coastline is a designed to bring peace.
PRNK could fire it’s entire arsenal of missiles and not hit Guam. Should be good for a laugh. Trump is only looking for a reason to look tough hence he’ll go all the way with the most stupid kid on the block. It looks good at home….
@Paul Murphy: Death of innocents is good for a laugh?
@Paul Murphy: You should try to stay sober before you talk complete shite.
Er… Why would there be a danger to Ireland….
Bet Iceland are not worried,..
They’ll still be open at 9am tomorrow morning and still have 1 security guard near the checkouts..
Paranoid President threatens paranoid country and paranoid president responds by threatening paranoid country.
What a thick stupid thing to say . The world and this nation is already suffering from the leaks at Fukishima , how much worse will it be when the nukes start dropping . Flanagan will be underground in the bunkers with air-conditioned comfort .
Proves what a liar Trump is. You LITERALLY CANNOT modernise and make nuclear wepons stonger in 6 months. This clown is the most vacuous US president ever.
Yes Donnie, everyone knows that you have the biggest dick… I mean arsenal.
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