# Korea can hit us, can we hit Korea? WTF do we do then? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 18, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188 "2009-06-18T16:10:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/61 "2009-06-19T03:52:11Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > While it’s true that the US does have a range of weapons like this, in many cases it doesn’t have a lot of them, especially after using up a lot of the existing stockpiles over the past decade of bombing various places. Some of the expended weapons are being replaced very slowly, others not at all, due to budget constraints, use of existing budget for sexier hardware, and loss of manufacturing capability. > > There is also a problem with the declining numbers of delivery systems. While new aircraft and other systems are individually more capable than the ones being replaced, the constant reductions in numbers means that there is a reduction in total delivery capability, with a growing dependence on ANG and AF Reserve part-time units to actually operate what’s left. Any significant US effort against North Korea right now would require stripping forces out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Hm, I hadn’t realized that things had been stripped back so far since the Cold War. Point taken. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/62 "2009-06-19T04:36:17Z")
The U.S. could hit the North Koreans even if they lived on Mars. Being able to hit them is not in question. The U.S. does not have to use ICBMs to hit North Korea. During Gulf War II, B2 bombers were launched from the U.S., hit targets in Iraq, and returned to the U.S. without landing. Targets in Pakistan, Yemen, and other places are hit from remote Predator drones being ‘flown’ by pilots sitting in rooms in the U.S. In addition, there’s at least one carrier group hanging around that area, and they could hit NK with all kinds of stuff. If North Korea is stupid enough to actually shoot a missile at Hawaii and it lands inside territorial waters, I think you’ll see some kind of response from the U.S. We’re not talking military invasion here or a nuking of a city or anything stupid like that, but I wouldn’t rule out a pinpoint strike on the launch location, or maybe one of Kim Jong Il’s palaces, or a nuclear facility. Belligerent tests and saber wrattling are one thing. Actually launching a potentially nuclear missle into the territory of another sovereign power is a pretty big escalation, and can’t go unanswered. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/63 "2009-06-19T04:56:53Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > If they are that desperate they’d hardly give away such a weapon. Nations simply don’t sell such things, ever. You may be interested to learn that North Korea [may have already done so, on one occasion](http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Syria/Nuclear/index.html). And even if that situation was not what it seemed, the resolve with which China, the US, etc., are treating the matter of searching North Korean ships indicates how serious a threat the sale of Korean nukes poses. ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/64 "2009-06-19T05:42:34Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I’m a boomer who grew up counting on the idea that when it came to nations, at least, everybody understood that whole “mutual assured destruction” thing. You hit me, I hit you, we’re both dead and really, what good is that? > > Well, this morning I read that N. Korea is gearing up to toss a missile at Hawaii in July, I guess just for target practice. According to the report I read, it won’t actually hit Hawaii, because the missile has a range of 4,000 miles and Hawaii is 4,500 miles from the Korean peninsula. > > Oh, I feel much better now. Those 500 miles make all the difference. > > Pardon me, but I have a few questions, some of which I know are stupid, because we are dealing with human beings and human beings are known to be insane: > > 1. If NK is trying to become capable of hitting us…does this mean we are already capable of hitting them? > > 2. “Us” (and “U.S”, come to think) is only Hawaii so far, is it possible for any missiles to travel the full distance between the West Coast (i.e. ME) and N. Korea? (What is that, 7,000?) > > 3. Do we have such missiles? Are they located and pointed? > > 4. If we don’t, what is our actual “Don’t you fucking dare or you’ll be SO sorry, man!” to keep NK from doing something stupid? Cuz I always just counted on the idea that it was something along the lines of “You touch one palm tree in Kekeha and your whole damn country is going to be ash faster than you can say ‘Uh oh!’, so just stop even thinking about it, you damn fools.” Please tell me I’m right. > > 5. Help! 1. Yes we are, in multiple ways. 2. Not so far, but depending on your age, you should count on it in your lifetime, if nothing changes politically. 3. See answer number one. 4. You’re right. Deterence works, at least it did for 40 years between the US and the USSR. And still does, for that matter. Now, if something silly happens (a North Korean attack), we and our allies in the battle won’t use nukes; there’s no doubt about that. It is not necessary, and unless we make some crazy diplomatic mistake, neither Russia or China will intervene on the North’s side. We’ll get air superiority quickly, to take out any further attacks on Japan and South Korea. Then we’ll do what is necessary from the air to support the South Korean Army (obviously supported by the 50,000 US troops already there) to unify the penninsula. Once there is air superiority, the best artillery, which is the US artillery, will focus on the nuclear and other outlying military sites. Once they are taken or destroyed, we might lay an humanitarian siege around Pyongyang. We’ll allow food, but not heat, for instance. Tell them publicly that we’ll take care of any medical issues. The people might be fed better in the city than before the war that way, and get better health care. You get the idea. We’d coopt the farmers in the country, encouraging them to figure out how to allocate their resources to their own liking, offering perhaps some micro lending, etc. Once the families from the South can make contact with their rural relatives in the north, and we allow some communication between those in the rural areas and those in the still (presumably) besieged Pyongyang, there might be a general willingness among the Kims to allow the North to be saved without the cities to be destroyed. Or we can figure it out from there. But this is a quick and dirty thought about how a military planner might hope the war would go. Lots of unknowns–would the natural distrust of a rural community be overcome by an influx of contacts with relatives in the South? Would southern relatives be sensitive enough not to offend the poorer, less sophisticated northerners? How would an “humanitarian siege” really work? Could it? But I still contend this is the quick and dirty version of any response to what a silly event would be. ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/65 "2009-06-19T06:05:20Z")
Just to make a couple of additional points–if the North attacks, there will be undeniably be serious damage to Seoul. There is no way to militarily avoid that, so we must keep those 50,000 troops there for a while, just to make sure the North knows that a screw up is fatal for them. Second, if the North decides to send a missile into Japan, there may or may not be anything we can do about that. If we were, right now, for instance, to unilaterally decide to take out the launch site just because of the announcement by the North that their next test would be in the direction of Hawaii, I don’t think Russia and China would support us. And believe me, we want their support in working with North Korea, and it hasn’t been hard to get, in response to events, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/66 "2009-06-19T09:16:23Z")
Couple of things. [ul][li]There are _two_ Koreans. Usually, when someone in the English-speaking world says _Korea_, they’re referring to _South Korea_ (the Republic of Korea). _North Korea_ is a different place and is officially known as the _Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.[/li][li]There are plenty of us civilian types (I, for one) living in the ROK who would greatly appreciate, if it comes to that, any missiles launched to attack the DPRK hitting on the right side of the 38th.[/li][li]The United Nations Command has approximately 28,000 US Service members stationed in the Republic of Korea.[/li][li]If the DPRK wishes to hit American military personnel, there are plenty of targets closer than Hawaii. Seoul comes to mind.[/li][li]All males in the ROK are required by the constitution to serve in the military (some do receive exemption, some are prohibited, and conscientious objectors refuse to serve and are incarcerated or otherwise punished). The vast majority of males peform their military service.[/li][li]The ROK military isn’t a joke. Also, they routinely train alongside US troops and are thus familiar with modern military strategy and tactics. They also have modern equipment.[/li][_]It would be political suicide, IMHO, for Kim Jeong-Il to attack ROK. For one thing, the ROK provids food and other aid to the DPRK. For another, senior military leadership in the DPRK certainly do not believe their own propoganda.[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/67 "2009-06-19T10:39:36Z")
Oops. I misspelled the first part. It should read: [ul]There are _two_ Koreas.[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/68 "2009-06-19T11:50:07Z")
[quote=“Monty, post:66, topic:500188”] Couple of things. [ul][li]There are _two_ Koreans. Usually, when someone in the English-speaking world says _Korea_, they’re referring to _South Korea_ (the Republic of Korea). _North Korea_ is a different place and is officially known as the \*Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.[/li][li]There are plenty of us civilian types (I, for one) living in the ROK who would greatly appreciate, if it comes to that, any missiles launched to attack the DPRK hitting on the right side of the 38th.[/li][li]The United Nations Command has approximately 28,000 US Service members stationed in the Republic of Korea.[/li][li]If the DPRK wishes to hit American military personnel, there are plenty of targets closer than Hawaii. Seoul comes to mind.[/li][li]All males in the ROK are required by the constitution to serve in the military (some do receive exemption, some are prohibited, and conscientious objectors refuse to serve and are incarcerated or otherwise punished). The vast majority of males peform their military service.[/li][li]The ROK military isn’t a joke. Also, they routinely train alongside US troops and are thus familiar with modern military strategy and tactics. They also have modern equipment.[/li][li]It would be political suicide, IMHO, for Kim Jeong-Il to attack ROK. For one thing, the ROK provids food and other aid to the DPRK. For another, senior military leadership in the DPRK certainly do not believe their own propoganda.[/ul][/li][/QUOTE] This.^ Also, the real issue isn’t whether the US could bomb North Korea hard enough to turn South Korea into an island. The issue is how the Chinese would react to whatever course of action the US may take. For example, if NK actually hit a US target with a (non-nuclear) missile the Chinese _might_ “allow” the US to take out one or two key military sites in NK, with a pointed silence to Kim Jeong-Il to indicate that China will not put up with their shenanigans. But an invasion or attack on civilian sites? No, not unless we want to properly restart the Korean War… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/69 "2009-06-19T13:16:51Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The real issue isn’t whether the US could bomb North Korea hard enough to turn South Korea into an island. The issue is how the Chinese would react to whatever course of action the US may take. > > For example, if NK actually hit a US target with a (non-nuclear) missile the Chinese _might_ “allow” the US to take out one or two key military sites in NK, with a pointed silence to Kim Jeong-Il to indicate that China will not put up with their shenanigans. But an invasion or attack on civilian sites? No, not unless we want to properly restart the Korean War… It depends on the target. An NK strike against a US military target is one thing. An NK strike against a civilian target? Quite another. I would hope, and more or less expect, that Obama would not be so deferential to the Chinese if NK decides to attack some civilian target like Hawaii (or Tokyo, for that matter). There comes a point when the rest of the world needs to accept that the US will act on its own accord, and the Chinese do not dictate US military or foreign policy. I think Afghanistan post 9/11 is a better analogy than Iraq. I don’t recall a lot of pressure to get permission from the Russians to invade Afghanistan, and, as mentioned, any action by NK against the US or Japan necessarily presents a very serious threat to South Korea. The interests of South Korea and the USA and Japan are going to be something the Chinese can suck it up and deal with. If Beijing wants to keep Most Favored Nation status, continue to sell to Wal-Mart, and expect any kind of repayment of US foreign debt, then they better keep their traps shut about restarting the Korean war. Like they say, if you owe somebody a hundred dollars and you don’t repay them, **you** have a problem. If you owe someone [800 billion dollars](http://www.treas.gov/tic/mfh.txt) and you don’t repay them, **they** have a problem. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/70 "2009-06-19T14:28:11Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > It depends on the target. An NK strike against a US military target is one thing. An NK strike against a civilian target? Quite another. > > I would hope, and more or less expect, that Obama would not be so deferential to the Chinese if NK decides to attack some civilian target like Hawaii (or Tokyo, for that matter). There comes a point when the rest of the world needs to accept that the US will act on its own accord, and the Chinese do not dictate US military or foreign policy. It’s not a matter of deference, it’s a matter of knowing where the line is that, if crossed, would result in a more adverse relationship. Yes, as you point our, the economic intertwining means that a US/China war is pretty unlikely. It doesn’t mean they can’t hurt us. There’s a reason we keep giving them Most Favored Trading Nation status, after all. IM completely inexpert O, one conventional missile strike on, say, Oahu would probably result in the US targetting NK’s military capability including any nuclear material development sites, military bases, etc. On the other hand, attacking Pyongyang would not only not accomplish anything strategically but would inflame our allies in South Korea and possibly Japan, in addition to China being pissed off as the remaining populace of Pyongyang flee to the borders. If NK actually nuked Honolulu, well…all bets are off then. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/71 "2009-06-19T15:00:17Z")
And my even less expert opinion is that even a conventional missile strike is an act of war. Which means that North Korea will cease to exist as a political entity, one way or another. Pressure, from both sides of the aisle and damn near unanimous from the public would be overwhelming. Either Obama goes on national TV within six hours of the attack and makes a ringing speech declaring war on NK (bonus points for BO if he can avoid the phrase “a date that will live in infamy”), or he would be quietly shuffled off to Walter Reed suffering from “exhaustion” while Biden and Pelosi and Reid do it. Or we work out way down the effing line of succession until we get to someone who understands where trade considerations end and survival begins. Bush’s approval ratings went over 90% while he was getting set up to invade Afghanistan. That same 90% would be ready to support anyone who was willing to respond to acts of war as nations who want to be taken seriously do. And that does not include playing “Mother May I?” with the Chinese. Kimmie can bluster and threaten, and we will do what we can short of war to try to contain the threat. But there is a line that one does not cross, if one wants to avoid having Tom Clancy novels written about what happened to you. IYSWIM. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/72 "2009-06-19T15:41:04Z")
I think the entire world pretty much knows by now that if you cause large numbers of American casualties, we don’t give a shit what any other country says, we’re coming for you. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/73 "2009-06-19T15:45:06Z")
> [@](#): > > For the OP, considering the United States has a contingency plan for invading Canada if need be (one of our strongest allies), I am pretty sure the military brass have developed plans to blow North Korea to smithereens. I think you guys have tried to get us already…a few times. > [@](#): > > Even though these war plans were just wildly imaginative speculation, there have been real invasions of Canada by Americans in the past. During the Revolutionary War, General Benedict Arnold led a failed attack on Canada, and during the War of 1812 U.S. troops attacked Canadians several times, but were driven back. In 1839, Americans and Canadians met in a deadly confrontation over a border dispute… it cost the life of one American cow and a Canadian pig. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/74 "2009-06-19T15:47:35Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > And my even less expert opinion is that even a conventional missile strike is an act of war. Which means that North Korea will cease to exist as a political entity, one way or another. Yes. Only online would this really be an argument. If North Korea somehow blindly hit Oahu (pop. 875,000+) with a missile, the response would be overwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/75 "2009-06-19T15:56:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > And my even less expert opinion is that even a conventional missile strike is an act of war. > [@Chimera](#): > > I think the entire world pretty much knows by now that if you cause large numbers of American casualties, we don’t give a shit what any other country says, we’re coming for you. This is correct. The UN Charter allows a country to legally act in self defense. If NK acted with aggression toward the US, SK or Japan, (or anyone) the US could respond legally in self defense. A missle strike would definitely rise to the level of aggression. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/76 "2009-06-19T17:03:13Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I try not to think about it. I have to apologize for whooshing myself. When you first said you were a boomer, and I initially replied, I swear in my alcohol haze that you meant you were a “boomer”, as in, a nuclear-missle submarine crewmember. Hence my being so taken aback initially that you would not know something like this. I realized shortly thereafter that you were referring to “baby boomer”. Shit. :smack::smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/77 "2009-06-19T20:51:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yes. Only online would this really be an argument. If North Korea somehow blindly hit Oahu (pop. 875,000+) with a missile, the response would be overwhelming. Really? I had no idea Oahu was that big. Still doesn’t mean we’d go after civilian targets. Kim Jeong-Mentally-Ill rules at the sufferance of the military. Hit enough military targets and they’d shoot him themselves and sue for peace. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/78 "2009-06-19T21:08:41Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Really? I had no idea Oahu was that big. Most Hawaiians live on Oahu. That said, it’s not really relevant because even if North Korea can hit Oahu with a missile, it’s unlikely they could hit it with a missle carrying a nuclear weapon, which is a very different matter. Any nuclear weapon North Korea would possess would likely be one big sumbitch. I think it’s safge to assume their missile launches show off the absolute max range of their missiles, which means they’re probably not carrying warheads of substantial weight. So the missile, even if it hits Oahu, will likely just drop onto a mountainside. And North Korea won’t do that because it wouldn’t make any sense to do so, even from their weird perspective. The USA absolutely WOULD go to war against them and nobody would mind. If Kim Jong-Il wants to start a war they’re not going to draw a nuclear response on purpose; they’ll just invade South Korea. ---
**Author:** ![xcalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/5daacb/32.png) [@xcalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/79 "2009-06-19T22:36:13Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The United States does not possess that many conventional weapons. > > I’m a little stunned, like others, that the OP is unaware of the fact that the United Styates possesses nuclear weapons and the means to launch them at targets around the world - did we not all see “The Day After”? However, I think there’s also a common misconception that the USA has this unlimited ability to just blow countries away from the air at its leisure and, apparently, almost effortlessly. > > I assure you that is not the case. Hopelessly defenseless goobers like Saddam Hussein’s circa-2003 Iraqi army can be pretty seriously damaged by aerial attack but even in that war it was certainly not the case that the USA could “take out all their surface installations” with conventional weapons. The claims of aerial warface success made during wars are always exaggerrations. NATO’s bombardment of Kosovo and Yugoslavia in 1999 was especially noteworthy for its lack of damage caused to military targets. > > If war were to break out on the Korean peninsula there is no chance at all that the US could stop the North Korean army purely with conventional air power, or even seriously blunt their advance before Seoul was destroyed. The U.S. doesn’t have that many planes and they don’t drop that many bombs and you can be sure the North Koreans are not going to lie down like the Iraqis did. > > The Allies would likely win the war, but it would be extraordinarily bloody and would require boots on the ground. You assume in a crisis situation only conventional weapons would get used. I’m not so convinced. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188/80 "2009-06-19T22:38:01Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I have to apologize for whooshing myself. When you first said you were a boomer, and I initially replied, I swear in my alcohol haze that you meant you were a “boomer”, as in, a nuclear-missle submarine crewmember. Hence my being so taken aback initially that you would not know something like this. > > I realized shortly thereafter that you were referring to “baby boomer”. > > Shit. > :smack::smack::smack: You’re not alone - that was my first thought as well. Well, not that he \*was \*a boomer, but that it was funny he’d use that word in a post wondering about US nuke capabilities 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/korea-can-hit-us-can-we-hit-korea-wtf-do-we-do-then/500188.md?page=5)