Korean Navies Fire Upon Each Other
By Wyatt Earp | November 10, 2009
This is fantastic, because just when we think we have enough scary crap going on in the world, North Korea comes in and poops on the kitchen table. Someone, somewhere, needs to come in and slap Kim Jong-Il on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper before there is a full-fledged shooting war in the Sea of Japan.
The North Korean navy took the worst of an exchange of fire in the disputed waters of the Yellow Sea, just off of Incheon. South Korea sent one of Pyongyang’s ships back north in flames, while both sides blamed the other for the first naval battle in seven years between the two nations:
A badly damaged North Korean patrol ship retreated in flames Tuesday after a skirmish with a South Korean naval vessel along their disputed western coast, the first such clash in seven years, South Korean officials said.
North Korea’s military issued a statement blaming South Korea for the “grave armed provocation,” saying its ships crossed into North Korean territory.
South Korea reports it differently. They claim that the North’s ships crossed the 38th Parallel and refused to withdraw. When the South fired a warning shot, the North fired on Seoul’s ships, at which point both navies began exchanging fire. When one of the North’s ships burst into flames, they withdrew.
Either side could be telling the truth, but who benefits from an incursion into enemy territory? The South has tried offering appeasements aplenty in an effort to de-escalate tensions on the peninsula. They just announced a restart of badly-needed food shipments to Pyongyang, even after Kim Jong-Il’s latest rocket show off of the coast. (H/T – Hot Air)
Personally, I think the South would fare much better if they stopped thinking of the NorKs as brothers and started thinking of them as the enemy. Stop the food shipments, and see how long it takes for the country to fall. It should take about an hour.
Topics: Snarkasm | 8 Comments »
November 10th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I agree, cut them off of all supplies.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Cut off the food.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I say we send Alan Alda & Mike Farrell to North Korea and make them stay there forever. That would surely bring peace to the region. (Well, at least it would give ME a big ol’ shit-eatin’ grin and some peace of mind.)
November 10th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
How’d they know who they were shooting at? they look excatly alike!
November 10th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Here is my view for what it is worth and that is we should send in one of those stealth aircraft and kill Kim Jong but never admit it. Then wait till the next asshole steps up and if he repeats the same bs as the previous one kill him. Eventually, they will make peace with South Korea but it may take 3 strikes to do it.
November 10th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I like your thinking, Wyatt. But it won’t do any good until the Army starts to starve. After that, we’ll be able to see the fires from orbit.
BTW, I hit 100k about an hour ago–it’s all your fault, well, you an McGoo.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
You’re right Wyatt, it’s about to get MORE interesting over there… It’s gonna be another 0300 phone call to the White House, and SOMEBODY is going to have to make a decision.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Teetop – It can only improve the South’s upper hand.
Rick – They could afford to go on a diet, anyway.
B.C. – M*A*S*H* was so much funnier early on, before the preaching started.
Sssteve – Maybe it was the Chinese and they didn’t know? Heh.
Ralph – Three strikes and the North is out.
cbullitt – It’s not my fault! Congratulation, though!
Old NFO – And decision-making is not Obama’s strong point. Just ask General McChrystal.