US Doubts North Korea’s Nuke Claims
this is probably an accurate assessment:
SEOUL, South Korea — The U.S. government does not believe North Korea’s claim that it has developed nuclear warheads small enough to fit in a missile warhead, adding to the conflicting assessments of Pyongyang’s weapon and delivery capabilities.
“Regarding that specific claim of miniaturization, we do not think they have that capacity and our assessment on that hasn’t changed,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told a Wednesday media briefing in Washington. [Stars and Stripes]
You can read more at the link, but the North Korean’s military capabilities are probably exaggerated in other areas as well.
“The DPRK has reached the stage of ensuring the highest precision and intelligence and best accuracy of not only medium- and short-range rockets, but long-range ones,” the spokesman said.
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This language reminds me of a sign that was posted at an auto repair shop just outside of Camp Page. It was an ad for the “Rocket Hi-Super Deluxe” car battery.
U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said last October that he believed the North already had miniaturization technology, and that he has to prepare as though it does.
“They’ve had the right connections, and so I believe have the capability to have miniaturized a device at this point, and they have the technology to potentially actually deliver what they say they have,” he said. “We have not seen it tested. And I don’t think as a commander we can afford the luxury of believing perhaps they haven’t gotten there.”
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Militarily, it makes sense to assume they have it and to be prepared for it.
Diplomatically, it seems like the State Department is trying to call North Korea’s bluff. If we’re not careful, North Korea might start nuking the fish in the sea instead of just firing conventional missiles at them.
I wouldn’t trust the Obama State Department not to harf any opportunity into another war. Heck, look at the “success” they’ve had in Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen…