# So, Are We About To Go To War? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226 "2017-04-25T16:54:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/61 "2017-04-26T22:55:29Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > With few exceptions, the Senators who left the secret briefing on NK said it was unhelpful, provided no new information, failed to clarify the administration’s policy, and failed to explain why NK is suddenly a crisis. Some Senators questioned why the meeting was held. Others said it was not clear that the discussion was even classified. Also, apparently Trump only showed up briefly and made an ass of himself. > > [Senators Say Their White House Field Trip Didn’t Clarify Trump’s North Korea Policy - TPM – Talking Points Memo](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/senators-field-trip-to-white-house-north-korea-trump) It’s all a smokescreen to hide how truly important the meeting was and the mindblowing info they don’t want the public to know about. ::nods sagely:: ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/62 "2017-04-26T22:58:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > To back this up, in a previous life I worked for a company that gathered radar data on these launches, and evaluated them as a ‘disinterested third party’ between the Air Force and the missile builders. Very routine. In further addition: These missiles are also in UK inventory, and we have certain responsiblities to provide routine test data to them - These tests are scheduled LONG in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/63 "2017-04-26T23:00:43Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > It’s all a smokescreen to hide how truly important the meeting was and the mindblowing info they don’t want the public to know about. ::nods sagely:: More to the point, if the Administration feels a need to lob a few cruise missiles, they can claim with a fairly straight face that they’ve ‘consulted with Congress.’ ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/64 "2017-04-26T23:06:36Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > AIUI that is a highly exaggerated death toll. We’d be looking at, perhaps at most, half a million dead from a North Korean nuke, which even right now is still only at the Nagasaki-size stage. Not 10-20 million. Actually, DPRK detonation estimate results range from 10KT to the 45KT range, raising the plausiblity of a weapon substantially larger than either of the WWII nukes. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/65 "2017-04-26T23:08:17Z")
More to the point, the USA wants to impress it’s domestic audience/taxpayers by cock waving military options it won’t ever use vs. NK. This is China’s game - oil, aid, trade. Kim trolls the USA is all. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/66 "2017-04-26T23:19:39Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > More to the point, the USA wants to impress it’s domestic audience/taxpayers by cock waving military options it won’t ever use vs. NK. Which reminds me of [this cartoon](https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18056777_1170807639711774_3180973743412910595_n.jpg?oh=d405ca69bd15363715208caf8c17e1cf&oe=599215E8). ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/67 "2017-04-26T23:51:34Z")
> [@Tranquilis](#): > > In further addition: These missiles are also in UK inventory, and we have certain responsiblities to provide routine test data to them - These tests are scheduled LONG in advance. Slight correction: the missile being tested here is the land based, silo launched Minuteman III ICBM which Great Britain does not and has never possessed. Great Britain hosted the intermediate range PGM-17 ‘Thor’ missile system briefly in the late 'Fifties to early 'Sixties as a stopgap prior to the deployment of Atlas and Titan ICBMs (and later Titan II and the solid propellant Minuteman and Peacekeeper families) in the continental United States, but the British never controlled these. Britain did maintain a fleet of _Resolution_ class ballistic missile submarines carrying the UGM-27 ‘Polaris A-3’ SLBM which were retired and replaced by _Vanguard_ class submarines carrying the current UGM-133A ‘Trident II/D-5’ missiles supplied by special agreement with the US. The Trident is the basis of the US Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile program which performs separate but equivalent T&E flights which is shared with the British Royal Navy deterrence program. These tests are, as **Tranquilis** notes, planned and funded years in advance, and notification of planned tests is provided to not only strategic allies but also to other ‘interested parties’ in order to assure that they are not mistaken for operational launches of the active weapon system. They are not and have never been used as an ostensible show of force or in response to actions of another state, although obiovusly successful flights of the system demonstrates the readiness and reliability of the system which is a necessary aspect of deterrence strategy. Whether you equivalence it with North Korea’s action or not, it is not intended as provocation. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/68 "2017-04-27T00:13:27Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Slight correction: Thank you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/69 "2017-06-12T17:26:54Z")
Eek! Wrong thread. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/70 "2017-06-13T01:59:53Z")
The US is ALWAYS at war somewhere. Right now, it is illegally occupying territory in Syria, a UN member and bombing its army. It is also occupying territory and setting up bases in Iraq. Again. Of course it is still dropping bombs on Somalia and refueling Saudi planes bombing the hell out of Yemen. And Afghanistan, of course. And what is so amazing about all this is US Americans regard all this as perfectly NORMAL . On the other hand, if China sails its COAST GUARD ships around the South CHINA Sea, Washington goes batshit. And what are those damn Iranians doing in the Persian Gulf, anyway. Then there was the fictitious county that 30% of Trump supporters agree should be bombed. No lie; look it up. This is just for starters. This is 50% of your tax dollars at work. Sigh! ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/71 "2017-06-14T01:42:13Z")
The US has yet to produce a generation without finding a war for it. The DoD is absolutely loath to promote soldiers with out “Actual Combat Experience”. Once it had enough bodies run through Iraq I, the old Vietnam survivors became expendable. Including my BIL - who, to this day, blames the Commander-in-Chief for the loss - imagine not being allowed to bomb hospitals! The “bomb them back to the stone age” mantra really did have its fans. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/72 "2017-06-14T02:10:55Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > - imagine not being allowed to bomb hospitals! The “bomb them back to the stone age” mantra really did have its fans. The ones that lived seem to have based Trumpcare on that very principal. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/73 "2017-06-15T19:47:22Z")
A few thoughts: A) My initial thoughts were the same as **Race\_to\_the\_Bottom** posted, 69 responses later. [I get ninja’d a lot because I try to read the whole threads before posting something redundant.] B) **Stranger** , your military/political knowledge is quite impressive and much appreciated. You’re an ROTC professor\* or something#? C) > [@Bayard](#): > > Also, apparently Trump only showed up briefly and made an ass of himself. Well, that’s nothing new. (Okay, that’s a cheap shot – which, from me, is nothing new.) Seriously though, in the redundant/nothing new category: I’ve been seeing this crap from NK for a few decades now. I wonder if current Kim just didn’t learn the game% properly from his Dad and Gramps: 1. Move a few troops around to make it look like you’re preparing to rush the DMZ or planning to somehow reunify the peninsula, 2. make the international community nervous enough to try to placate you and get them to agree to send food and other support for you to distribute amongst your [Del]top brass[/Del] constituents, 3. Back off, 4. When the international deal nears its expiration, start rattling sabres again. This happened with Bush I and Clinton. It happened with Russia during Reagan’s decade (which is how the Kims probably learned it); seems like the deal is about ready to expire. –G! - Like Harry Tasker or Jack Ryan # Like Tom Clancy % The behavior reminds me very much of a _terrible two-year-old_ making trouble until someone feeds him. He learns to be quiet until he’s hungry again. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226/74 "2017-06-15T19:52:25Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > **Stranger** , your military/political knowledge is quite impressive and much appreciated. You’re an ROTC professor\* or something#? I think the technical term is “Steely Eyed Missile Man”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-about-to-go-to-war/785226.md?page=3)