Military Preparing For Last Resort - War With N Korea: NY Times

[DamianTV]

If anyone can find alternate links, please post them if you come across them. NY Times is usually paywalled.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/14/u...-pentagon.html

WASHINGTON — Across the military, officers and troops are quietly preparing for a war they hope will not come.

At Fort Bragg in North Carolina last month, a mix of 48 Apache gunships and Chinook cargo helicopters took off in an exercise that practiced moving troops and equipment under live artillery fire to assault targets. Two days later, in the skies above Nevada, 119 soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division parachuted out of C-17 military cargo planes under cover of darkness in an exercise that simulated a foreign invasion.

Next month, at Army posts across the United States, more than 1,000 reserve soldiers will practice how to set up so-called mobilization centers that move military forces overseas in a hurry. And beginning next month with the Winter Olympics in the South Korean town of Pyeongchang, the Pentagon plans to send more Special Operations troops to the Korean Peninsula, an initial step toward what some officials said ultimately could be the formation of a Korea-based task force similar to the types that are fighting in Iraq and Syria. Others said the plan was strictly related to counterterrorism efforts.

In the world of the American military, where contingency planning is a mantra drummed into the psyche of every officer, the moves are ostensibly part of standard Defense Department training and troop rotations. But the scope and timing of the exercises suggest a renewed focus on getting the country’s military prepared for what could be on the horizon with North Korea.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both argue forcefully for using diplomacy to address Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions. A war with North Korea, Mr. Mattis said in August, would be “catastrophic.” Still, about two dozen current and former Pentagon officials and senior commanders said in interviews that the exercises largely reflected the military’s response to orders from Mr. Mattis and service chiefs to be ready for any possible military action on the Korean Peninsula.

...

Full article on link, looking for alt sources due to paywalling and linking policies.

[phill4paul]

Not going to happen. China will not let us wage war in their back yard.

[DamianTV]

Not going to happen. China will not let us wage war in their back yard.

That is why it has the potential to turn into a World War. If we attack North Korea for ANY reason, China attacks us.

I have a strong gut feeling that the powers that be are trying to get North Korea to attack us first, so it is clear who the 'enemy' is. NK is already pissed about bombers being moved to Guam. Sanctions. Everything. However, if total destruction is planned and we are not intended to survive, they may 'push the button' anyway and wont care if we know we are the enemy because we wont be around much longer. I swear that is their intent, to get us all killed.

[phill4paul]

That is why it has the potential to turn into a World War. If we attack North Korea for ANY reason, China attacks us.

I have a strong gut feeling that the powers that be are trying to get North Korea to attack us first, so it is clear who the 'enemy' is. NK is already pissed about bombers being moved to Guam. Sanctions. Everything. However, if total destruction is planned and we are not intended to survive, they may 'push the button' anyway and wont care if we know we are the enemy because we wont be around much longer. I swear that is their intent, to get us all killed.

I'm not a dooms day prognosticator. China will deal with the threat in their own back yard and we will be forced to allow them to. They will probably require the South in the trade off with promises of a united Korea, but it will really just be a vassal state like the city of Hong Kong.

[DamianTV]

Other side of this that is a real possibility is a Coup against Trump. Not that I have love for the guy but propping up nuclear war is a way of making people afraid of Trump. MSM tells us what to feel, so when they say 'be afraid of nuclear war', they are saying 'be afraid of Trump and support removing him from office'.

Whatever happens, we lose.

[Zippyjuan]

Military tries to plan for all possible scenarios for attacks by other countries. Totally normal.

[pcosmar]

Military tries to plan for all possible scenarios for attacks by other countries. Totally normal.

And yet damn stupid.. as recorded by history.

and when not attacked,, they attack somebody just cuz thay had it planned.

Damn stupid.

[dannno]

That is why it has the potential to turn into a World War. If we attack North Korea for ANY reason, China attacks us.

I have a strong gut feeling that the powers that be are trying to get North Korea to attack us first, so it is clear who the 'enemy' is. NK is already pissed about bombers being moved to Guam. Sanctions. Everything. However, if total destruction is planned and we are not intended to survive, they may 'push the button' anyway and wont care if we know we are the enemy because we wont be around much longer. I swear that is their intent, to get us all killed.

You should have more faith in Trump.

While Trump has the world focused on Russia, he is spinning major deals with the Chinese.

NK is totally under control.

[sparebulb]

Military tries to plan for all possible scenarios for attacks by other countries. Totally normal.

How do you know this?

When you were in the military?

Please tell us why you authoritatively know.

[navy-vet]

And yet damn stupid.. as recorded by history.

and when not attacked,, they attack somebody just cuz thay had it planned.

Damn stupid.

Contingency planning is smart. Being prepared for a predictable event could save time, money, and lives. Broadcasting it might be stupid though, or it could be good strategy.

[DamianTV]

How do you know this?

When you were in the military?

Please tell us why you authoritatively know.

Planning scenarios is one thing. Moving bombers to Guam and a bunch of aircraft carriers within strike distance of NK is not "planning scenarios", its provocation to get them to attack us first, so the people know who the "enemy" is. US gets its war with NK and Iran at the same time in their typical asymetric warfare fashion..

@dannno - Even if I did have any faith in Trump, its the rest of the deep state swamp that I still expect to push things so they can enact a Coup against Trump.

There are NO MISTAKES in politics.

[navy-vet]

We had a County Emergency plan for every possible scenario one might imagine, short of an alien invasion from outer space, when we moved away from the old Civil Defense system which was focused on a nuclear incident, and into the new Emergency Management Plan that covered natural and man made disasters etc. A specific list of actions and needs to be expected etc. There was a list of resources, which had plans for sheltering thousands of folks and providing them the essentials. Any stores of diesel fuel, kerosene, gasoline, in excess of 500 gallons, anywhere in the private and commercial sectors were listed. It was scary, but we had things like contracts set up to clean the streets of debris and nails etc so that emergency vehicles could pass through after a disaster as well as a means of changing flat tires etc. The manual was like a foot thick! It has since been digitalized in multiple formats and is periodically reviewed and updated.
They even included a detailed plan to take care of the rescuers families so that they wouldn't be distracted.

It really was a good plan and I hop it never needs to be implemented.

[navy-vet]

Planning scenarios is one thing. Moving bombers to Guam and a bunch of aircraft carriers within strike distance of NK is not "planning scenarios", its provocation to get them to attack us first, so the people know who the "enemy" is. US gets its war with NK and Iran at the same time in their typical asymetric warfare fashion..

@dannno - Even if I did have any faith in Trump, its the rest of the deep state swamp that I still expect to push things so they can enact a Coup against Trump.

There are NO MISTAKES in politics.

I think it's more saber rattling and a show of strength.

[navy-vet]

Besides, the attack would come from the sea. Tomahawks or whatever from our fleet.

[nikcers]

This has more to do with China then anything.

[pcosmar]

This has more to do with China then anything.

And there we reach epic level stupidity.

[nikcers]

You should have more faith in Trump.

While Trump has the world focused on Russia, he is spinning major deals with the Chinese.

NK is totally under control.

So there was this conspiracy that the Obama administration tried to make a deal with Russia to fight aliens but it was a lie they wanted to make a deal with Russia to topple China. Trump has not really backed down the military threats in fact he is trying to be tougher then Obama

[nikcers]

And there we reach epic level stupidity.

Are you going to pretend like the TPP wasn't a mechanism to contain and divest from China? His schtick on forcing NK to denucularize by forcing China to comply with sanctions comes right from the Clinton Podesta emails.

[pcosmar]

Are you going to pretend like the TPP wasn't a mechanism to contain and divest from China? His schtick on forcing NK to denucularize by forcing China to comply with sanctions comes right from the Clinton Podesta emails.

Actually.
I fully believe that North Korea is no real threat to any except South Korea..
Absolutely NO Threat to the US.. and therefore none of our business.

I also believe that we should have never gotten involved there the first time.. and we would be just fine with less cheap imports.

[navy-vet]

I seriously doubt that China wants war anymore than NK or us. War would be the end for all.

[nikcers]

I seriously doubt that China wants war anymore than NK or us. War would be the end for all.

president 11 written himself into the Chinese constitution and the state run media newspapers have been writing headlines for a year saying war with the United States is inevitable, they have already conditioned their population to accept it, our government would prefer to use North Korea and human rights as a scape goat. The very first thing Trump did when he became president is pissed off the Chinese by talking to Taiwan.

[navy-vet]

Well, if that's true then the Chinese are pretty stupid because they will perish with the rest of us.

[nikcers]

Well, if that's true then the Chinese are pretty stupid because they will perish with the rest of us.

I do wonder if the people that control the Fed would go to war with China so they don't lose the dollar hegemony? I don't think the people who control the Fed will perish.

[FSP-Rebel]

[phill4paul]

Actually.
I fully believe that North Korea is no real threat to any except South Korea..
Absolutely NO Threat to the US.. and therefore none of our business.

I also believe that we should have never gotten involved there the first time.. and we would be just fine with less cheap imports.

YOU'D BE DEAD! Good thing the Federal government saved you from communism.

[navy-vet]

I agree, we probably shouldn't have ever gotten involved in Korea but then there was a lot of stuff happening and we needed to be secure in Japan while we dealt with them. Too bad Truman isn't around to explain that, but I believe if he was we might be surprised.
Anyway, we committed through the UN to maintain the peace. The regions stability is dependent on us now I fear.

[navy-vet]

I do wonder if the people that control the Fed would go to war with China so they don't lose the dollar hegemony? I don't think the people who control the Fed will perish.

As long as the fed people are stuck living on planet Earth, they would be wise to avoid killing it.

[Intoxiklown]

We had a County Emergency plan for every possible scenario one might imagine, short of an alien invasion from outer space, when we moved away from the old Civil Defense system which was focused on a nuclear incident, and into the new Emergency Management Plan that covered natural and man made disasters etc. A specific list of actions and needs to be expected etc. There was a list of resources, which had plans for sheltering thousands of folks and providing them the essentials. Any stores of diesel fuel, kerosene, gasoline, in excess of 500 gallons, anywhere in the private and commercial sectors were listed. It was scary, but we had things like contracts set up to clean the streets of debris and nails etc so that emergency vehicles could pass through after a disaster as well as a means of changing flat tires etc. The manual was like a foot thick! It has since been digitalized in multiple formats and is periodically reviewed and updated.
They even included a detailed plan to take care of the rescuers families so that they wouldn't be distracted.

It really was a good plan and I hop it never needs to be implemented.

There are actually several plans for a possible alien invasion as well. There was even a documentary made about it after some people involved with such plans talked about it (regarding things they could publicly talk about).

I always tell people that if an alien invasion did in fact happen, we're in deep crap. Because if it's an invasion with the intent of capturing resources...considering that we know now water, minerals, ect are EVERYWHERE in space. If a race had the physics for deep space travel they'd have no need to come to earth when they could get those exact same resources peacefully and easily from asteroids and dead worlds. The only two resources earth has that is rare (as best as we know) are chlorophyll and protein. Plants and animals (us). So, an invasion wanting resources is straight out of a horror movie.

[pcosmar]

There are actually several plans for a possible alien invasion as well. There was even a documentary made about it after some people involved with such plans talked about it (regarding things they could publicly talk about).

I always tell people that if an alien invasion did in fact happen, we're in deep crap. Because if it's an invasion with the intent of capturing resources...considering that we know now water, minerals, ect are EVERYWHERE in space. If a race had the physics for deep space travel they'd have no need to come to earth when they could get those exact same resources peacefully and easily from asteroids and dead worlds. The only two resources earth has that is rare (as best as we know) are chlorophyll and protein. Plants and animals (us). So, an invasion wanting resources is straight out of a horror movie.

That's why there is a UN Space Alien Ambassador.

[Swordsmyth]

That's why there is a UN Space Alien Ambassador.

I thought that was for California.