World North Korean leader says he has 'nuclear button' but wont use it unless threatened

[Eugene]

Last edited Sun Dec 31, 2017, 11:55 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Washington Post

By Simon Denyer December 31 at 9:31 PM

BEIJING — North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un boasted in an annual New Year’s Day speech Monday that he had a nuclear button on his desk and that the entire United States was within range of his weapons — but he also vowed not to attack unless threatened.

Kim promised to focus this year on producing nuclear warheads and missiles for operational deployment, adding that the United States could now “never start a war against me or our country.”

But he also struck a conciliatory note, opening the door to dialogue with South Korea and saying he would consider sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games to be held in his southern neighbor in February.

“The United States should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table,” he said during the nationally televised speech, according to a provisional translation by the Associated Press. “The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range.”

But Kim also said those weapons would not be used unless his country faced aggression.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/world/wp/2017/12/31/north-korea-leader-says-he-has-a-nuclear-button-on-my-desk-and-that-the-deterrent-will-prevent-war-with-united-states/

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EDIT: article updated at link

Original headline: North Korea leader says he has a 'nuclear button on my desk' and that the deterrent will prevent war

[SHRED]

1. A suicide button.

[quartz007]

2. No way rocket man will start a war

He likes his chocolate donuts and whiskey way too much for a suicide mission. Once the dunderhead in white house figures that out, he can stop threatening rocketman.

[GeorgeGist]

3. The dunderhead is more likely to say ...

hold my

[quartz007]

4. lol he consumes a 12 pack every day!

He is addicted to caffeine!!

[cstanleytech]

5. Thats assuming he actually has missiles and nukes because my money is on Russia supplying them to

North Korea though in the case of the nukes they are probably not just giving them to them rather they are probably sending in a team of Russian specialist to place and detonate them.

[NickB79]

6. They do have short-range capable missiles for sure

Even if the US mainland is still out of range, there is no question US assets in South Korea and Japan are in range of domestically produced systems.

He could kill millions simply by nuking a few cities and military bases within 500 miles.

[bluestarone]

7. yes not to mention his

biological weapons

[cstanleytech]

9. Sure but that's if he actually has nukes but if Russia is behind this I doubt they would be foolish

enough to actually give the North Koreans nukes.

[paleotn]

12. possible, but I doubt it.

I figure Kim wanted the real thing, or nothing at all. It's the ultimate "don't fuck with me" card, thus every tyrant since '45 has at least entertained the idea. It's also not all that hard to develop home grown weapons. Hell, with the right equipment, you could build a gun type weapon in your garage. The kicker is the U235. NK has it's own nuclear reactors, so weapons grade Pu isn't all that hard to produce, with the right expertise.

[cstanleytech]

17. What Kim really wants is not to have the people of North Korea kill him and

the only way he can do that is to appear strong so I would not put it past him to be pretending to have nukes or to be able to build sophisticated missiles.
After all considering the sanctions in place I doubt they have the materials to build the missiles so someone is likely supplying them and Russia is the best bet for that right now as they want the US distracted from other things like Russia's interest in acquiring land just outside its borders but to do it they need a weakened NATO and the US has the largest military among all the NATO members.

[olddad56]

8. well Trunp has a huuge, better nuclear button on his desk, so there.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. Can we lock Kim Jong Un and Trump in the same room?

Then they can have their big dick contest and the rest of us will be spared.

[paleotn]

13. I'm all for that option.

[Maynar]

11. Oofa

There's a visual I didn't need.

[Nash Teeth]

14. Probably just a knife switch

not a button.

[Igel]

15. Sanctions are an "act of war."

So said the Great Kim.

Oddly, he was echoing his hero, Putin, who said that US sanctions against Russia were, well, an act of war.

(In a world in which words are violence, lack of trade is apparently invasion. An actual invasion, however ... Sweetness and light. As long as the correct side's doing it.)

[EX500rider]

16. He's confused..the button goes to the trap door to the crocodile pit.

[Fred Sanders]

18. Getting out of the West media warmongering bubble for a minute, SK President Moon

welcomed the speech and also wants talks. Kim wished Moon success on the Olympics. So Western ramped up fears on that proven to be BS.

And where is the threat to America as some media insist the speech was about. More like attack us, we attack you. Like all nations say.

Peace should be encouraged. America and Trump would be interlopers.

[Javaman]

19. Kim or tRump?