I'd be more worried if they were aiming their missiles at Russia. There would be more of a chance for them to his the USA, as inaccurate as they are lol.

Jodie,

Not a problem. N.K. making any attempt to call out the USA is compatible to a 145lb lightweight boxer in the ring with Mike Tyson. They have nothing on us and never will.

Not only that, but they haven't even perfected a missile that can go over 60 miles without self destruction. Even if they did give a try, we would shoot it down immediately with our anti-missile program which N.K. still needs a 100 years to even figure out how to do that!

The only city in range of North Korea is Anchorage. The Chinese might have a thing or two to say about dropping missles on their main stopping point between Beijing and New York.

All this endless saber rattling is nauseating. In fact what they are really doing is justifying the need for a 1+ million strong armed force, while the bulk of the country’s population starves.

The generals in the picture are well fed and look important, but in reality they are nothing more than parasites on the back of farmers and the less privileged. That’s communism for you!!!

I worked alongside some of these cardboard people. They are creepy, expressionless weirdos that get even weirder and creepier the longer you know them. (And, the North Koreans are bad, too.)

"North Korea claims US mainland within range of its missiles"

------ This also means that NK is within the range of the US. So, they should be careful what they wish for.

I hope Kim Mini Me doesn't like war games.

He'd best get to the gym if he's going to flex muscles. He thinks he can hit the U.S.; we know we can hit him. Actually, I doubt he believes their missiles can reach us and I'm quite sure he realises we have one targeted for his bedroom.

Starderup..

NK does not have nukes, they are working on it and are still a long way from it.

Of all the countries in the world that might pose a problem, NK is the least likely and the least capable. At best, NK could sustain an attack for about 12-24 hours before being out of food, fuel and ammo. Their weapons are seriously outdated and they have no means for repair to even keep their ancient equipment working. Any actual working missle they ever manage to launch would be destroyed within seconds of breaching US or SK airspace.

Every now and then they flap their soup coolers in an effort to get more aid or in response to anything SK and the US does as in this case.

So pretty much it is you that has no understanding of the "players" in this. I served in SK for 5 years in a capacity that gave me a very clear understanding of exactly what NK can and can't do. Causing any problems for the US or SK is without a doubt on the "can't do" list for them and the entire world knows it as well as Romeny does so it is a non-issue.

All this sabre rattling and tough talk from NK is mostly for their own people; who get all their news from State Television and speakers mounted in the walls of their apartments.



NK does not have nukes, they are working on it and are still a long way from it.

Ummm, it is believed they do have nukes. But their delivery systems suck.

Nuke tests by the North Koreans were detected in 2006 and 2009 and they have the facilities operating to make weapons-grade plutonium.

Not sure where you are getting your information from.

Oh -- so lets go spend another trillion dollars on defense since some 90 pound weakling, who we could wipe off the map in a instant ran his mouth.

North Korean threats to attack the US are like a retarded kid threatening to beat you up with a feather. He can try, but all you're gonna do is sit there and giggle.

He can.... take a stab at it....

I was really hoping Douchebag jr. wasn't as stupid as his dad. How wrong I was.

Ahh" N Korea one big prison camp, very sad looking world.

A treaty with the US to extend the range of their Ballistic Missiles....um....who okay'd that?

Piss on North Korea!

@creekdog, remember, Mike Tyson got his butt whipped several times by smaller guys. My take is I'm tired of these countries trying to always keep us bluffed. Get them before they do something stupid. No ground troops, just wipe them out. hit the capital, wipe it out and all the idiots with it and let the rest learn to stop their bullxxxx.

It's all hot air.

Lets count the loose canon nations that cause problems and have nuclear and/or ballistic missiles. The world isn't looking very safe. I think we need defensive strategies.

A treaty with the US to extend the range of their Ballistic Missiles....um....who okay'd that?

Wrong country...

There are reasons to both believe and disbelieve North Korea's claims:

1) The three-stage liquid-fueled rocket that NK claimed to be sending a satellite into orbit was probably just that. The reason is that a multi-stage liquid-fueled rocket is absurdly unsuited for military applications. It simply takes too long to assemble and fuel in the open and would be immediately spotted by reconnaissance satellites. Liquid-fueled rockets require over a week to assemble and fuel --- far too long to be used even as a first strike weapon.

2) Liquid-fueled rockets are extremely vulnerable in the boost phase to ground intercept from South Korea, Japan, naval forces, airborne lasers, and even from the Chinese. You have to think about them as liquid-fueled balloons that actually depend on their contents for structural support. A tiny pinhole is all that is required to bering one down.

3) The "throw weight" of North Korea's missiles, especially the three-stage rocket is not compatible with nuclear weapons. At this point in development, the NKs need to be about to throw about 1000kg (around a ton) to use a rocket for nukes. They could reduce that weight by about 40% by simply eliminating most shielding and suiciding the assembly, fueling, and weapons technicians. But this is a one-trick pony since they would lose so much expertise with each launch.

BUT

3) NK has been working with Iran on solid-fueled rockets where Iran is making huge progress, possibly placing them third (after the US and Britain) in solid-fuel technology. NK has been trading nuclear and arms technology as well as NK-made arms and NK target hardening capabilities for solid-state rocket and guidance technology.

4) While people tend to think of NK as being all vintage weaponry donated by the Soviets and China, the truth is pretty far from that. NK has a major arms-producing industry and arms sales abroad is a major producer of hard currency for Kim. NK has reverse-engineered considerable low-cost easily-produced armament in its own factories. They emphasize masses of missiles, artillery, rockets, etc over small numbers of more effective weapons. Doesn't sound like much but it is actually much more difficult to defend against than you would think.

5) NK has a huge CBR weapons program with very large stockpiles of binary nerve gases, well-tested aerosol biological agents, and really doesn't have to do anything except take its 20-90% refined uranium and make "dirty" bombs using conventional explosives. In terms of short- to mid-term effects, a dirty bomb can be just as devastating as a cleaner military nuke.

6) There really is little need for NK to hit the US mainland with missiles. The claim is good advertising for their weapons program sales, however. The major target of NK attack is within 30 miles of the DMZ. The Seoul Inchon Corridor is around 40% of SK's population, around 60% of its industry, its major port, and its financial and political capital. US 'tripwire" forces are obviously mostly along the DMZ. NKs major targets range from 5 miles away to the southern tip of SK to American military installations in Japan. If you really wanted to stretch NKs capability, you might include Guam.

The North Koreans have played a very dangerous game of brinkmanship since 1953. And they are very good at it. Every President since Truman has had to deal with the North Koreans on their terms and no President has made much headway. They simply hold all the aces in the deck.

The NK propaganda machine has a central principle that every threat must be responded to. The US allowed SK to extend the range of its missiles so, in order to maintain its own warped sense of parity, the NK leadership has to claim to be able to hit the USA mainland.

The biggest problem NK has is its inability to feed itself. They lack arable land and when the peninsula was whole, depended on the agricultural South for food. It is so bad that the average North Korean is 3 inches shorter and 15 or so IQ points lower than the average South Korean. That is how bad malnutrition is. And the economy is in shambles because of Kim Jong Il's failed attempts at currency reform.

The only bright spot in the situation is that North Korea was once the industrial part of a whole Korea. Right now that industry is completely focused on armaments. But I am sure that young Kim is watching countries like Libya where the leader was ousted and Myanmar where the brutal and repressive leaders appear to be having huge success with democratization and attract new industry and tourism. NK would be ripe to start transitioning some of the armaments factories into making consumer goods for export.

Let's target NK's government headquarters. I'm sure we can be accurate enough to call that bluff. That's tax dollars I wouldn't mind putting to work.......

Don't be too worried about NK hitting us with nukes, as the ACME fuse usually sputters out before it launches! I understand that the have recruited Wiley E. Coyote as a consultant to Lil Kim Short Dong.

TFNJ

Lets count the loose canon nations that cause problems and have nuclear and/or ballistic missiles.

That would be all of them. And most of the nations that don't have ballistic missles also have loose canons.

wtw of KC

All this endless saber rattling is nauseating. In fact what they are really doing is justifying the need for a 1+ million strong armed force, while the bulk of the country’s population starves.

The generals in the picture are well fed and look important, but in reality they are nothing more than parasites on the back of farmers and the less privileged. That’s communism for you!!!

Well said, and look at all the class warfare people in this country who think that the money from the 'rich' should be 'redistributed'. What you write about is the lowest common denominator when a 'redistribution' policy is enforced by a government.

How can they WANT that?

North Korea is under heavy U.N. sanctions that have cut off its previously lucrative arms trade and further isolated the state after its failed 2009 missile test drew sharp rebukes

I’ve got an idea – why don’t we try that tactic with Iran and see if works any better….

Why the people of NK don't just revolt and take over this idiot is beyond me...I would assume they are too exhausted from trying to live every day....I mean, doesn't this country basically bea it'sizens down in every way possible?

And people here think we have it so bad...

Bluelake, what branch of military did your Messiah serve? Where did your previous Democrat Serve, oh that is right Clinton did everything in his power to avoid the draft during Vietnam...

http://www.1stcavmedic.com/bill-clinton-draft.htm

Creek Dog..

Not a problem. N.K. making any attempt to call out the USA is compatible to a 145lb lightweight boxer in the ring with Mike Tyson. They have nothing on us and never will.

Of course they have something on us...or at least they will when we have a President who will support our allies. Logistically, they sit a line away from South Korea, who we have had a constant relationship with since the Korean War. Should we truly revisit those days? Perhaps this President or his Secretary of State should be somewhat pro-active to North Korea...even if they happen to like to personally insult Hillary.

North Korea claims US mainland within range of its missiles

The NKorean mainland has always been within our range too!

Those monkey's in uniform sure like to pin shiny stuff on their chests, don't they! One thing though, put a monkey in a suit and it's still a monkey! Fire something at us and we'll blow your azzs back into the trees where you belong! BUT wait to launch your missile's until Barry and Hilly are out of their offices because we don't want them trying to apologize for us being bad Americans! You see, we won't start it but we damn sure will end it - and you!

Having been to war I can say from experience that war is not good for any living thing - but I don't believe turning the other cheek is the way to go either! Slap me and I'll slap you back - twice as hard, I promise!

I sure do see a lot of pre-9-11 mindset comments on here

I guess 3000 DEAD Americans and tens of thousands of DEAD

Us Troops (defending this country) is just not enough of a DEATH TOLL

to wake up BO DemocRATS....I wonder what number of DEAD will wake them up?

Liberals & their leftest sissy "Please like us" view of the world get decent Americans Killed..

Just look at history Leftest are always the most dangerous to American Security.

Love2troops

Just look at history Leftest are always the most dangerous to American Security.

.....agree, but not just in America - project world wide and you'll hit the scope!

Commonsense-- you do know that the statement that you quoted was about South Korea, Correct?

their ICBM's cant even have a successful flight.. they crash and burn every time.. if they tried to launch a nuke, heaven forbid, they would likely nuke themselves. someone needs to take them away from them so they don't hurt themselves. Possibly they are trying to make a joke? well i sure think its funny

If there ever was a country that was looking for death by cop.............

They have nothing on us and never will.

Yeah, and that's how they will find all of our skeletons; propped up by keyboards and melted monitors.

@laffinatfools,

Your bizarre post is incredibly wrong on a number of points:

1) North Korea has an estimated 10-12 nuclear weapons and this increases by about one every six months.

2) The North Korean Army has huge underground depots of food, ammunition, gasoline, diesel, etc. These are sufficient for 90-180 days of full out warfare.

3) North Korea's military targets are extremely hardened and virtually invulnerable to conventional air attack. They have more bunkers than we have bunker buster bombs.

4) All along the DMZ are thousands of indirect fire positions in peek-and-shoot caves. There are an estimated 11,000 artillery pieces, thousands of rockets and thousands of heavy mortars all pre-surveyed and ready to roll. There are about 2,000 T-72 variant tanks along the DMZ. If NK were to attack, 20,000 US forces would immediately disappear along with 40% of South Korea's population, 60% of its industry, its major port and financial and political capital. And that's just the first 15 minutes.

The US would find it very difficult to attack NK and do any significant damage with conventional weapons and every President since Truman has faced that reality.

BTW I was a North Korean intelligence analyst for a number of years and I, unlike you, DO know what I'm talking about.

This points up the need to preserve a strong military, not give away all our nukes and have someone in the white house with the 'nads to do what's necessary to protect our country and it's interests.

Iran and North Korea are our biggest worries - right behind the huge loans held by the Chinese.

Nukes don't have to be delivered by missile......

Just look at history Leftest are always the most dangerous to American Security.

I love how eager some people are to volunteer other people to fight wars. I don't suppose you are going to sign up are you? War mongers like you are the biggest threat to American security. I don't understand the people that think we should be in a constant state of war at all costs. How can you be so quick to advocate sending our young men to die yet have the ironic screen name Love2troops? If you loved them so much you would want to keep them at home so they can have a more normal life (and protect our borders and home land where the real risk lies).

Where's Mitt the Twit on this one? Last I heard he wants us to get involved in Syria. Really? They are no threat to us and they don't even have any oil. Iran is a huge threat and a big oil producer, so let's go start something with them -- and with North Korea, just to swat that pesky little mosquito.

Mitt knows too well that WW2 is what got us out of the Great Depression, so what better way to jump start our so-so economy than a new war with two fronts in the middle east -- Syria & Iran -- and another front in Asia-Pac. It's absolutely brilliant, and we can pay for it all the GWB way, by just selling another couple trillion worth of Treasury bonds!

First of all, this is nothing more than chest-puffing. They have to do SOMETHING after one of their officers killed two of his comradskis and ran South.

Second, they have to justify their military's existance to their people to help ensure they don't revolt (the military after all gets all the best food and accomodations to keep you safe- uh, why doesn't the US do that? For non-flag officers, I mean).

Third, Kim Jr. appears to be more moderated in his steps- keep in mind he is still consolidating power- he has to keep his allies, his military, and his people reasonably happy- and the military is the most dangerous to him right now. Remember he has a western education.

Fourth, every 6 months or so North Korea makes this claim and others, or shells SK islands in "retaliation". Of the two, I'm happy to let them huff and puff and try to blow our brick house down as opposed to throwing shells at our allies. A very small price to pay.

Fifth, I see this much like "peacocking" or a puffer fish. I think their military knows all too well that, even if they puff themselves out to their largest, they know the US can wipe them out easily, especially with our overly well reported success of Drone useage and satelitte technology- it would be nothing at all for us to send a few drones over and Kim & Co can eat Reaper missiles for breakfast- and the US endangers not a single US life.

Lastly, I'd like to hear (but would be appaled if I actually did) what that defecting soldier has to say (and whether or not he is really just a spy for the NK to diseminate misinformation in a believeable manner). Hopefully his intel is real and actionable, and gets to the hands of those that can do the most good with it (regardless of whether "the most good" is ignoring the bluster or stopping the threat).

I only pray that NK and Iran don't get enough sense together to coordinate their attacks (provided both of them actually can generate such a threat), or even worse, that China (with all their recent cyber attacks on US and allies) isn't masterminding a proxy war (China gathers the intel, refines their stealth and carrier tech, diseminates that and other tech & war knowledge to Iran/NK, gets Iran & NK to start something at the same time, then when the US and allies are war weary even further (Iraq/Astan + Iran/NK) China then makes its move, possibly even with help from its one time enemy Russia (a la Germany, Japan, Italy, Spain Axis powers of the mid 1900s) where the only real threat was from Germany/Japan (Russia/China)

So where is Berry? Didn't he say he wanted to sit down and have some of those unconditional talks with North Korea?

"Berry"? Berry who? Marion Berry? Raymond Berry? Chuck Berry? Even the rest of the dolts who try to insult the President's name spell it "Barry"!

And take note, your big hero Romney said not one word about N. Korea in his big foreign policy speech yesterday. You know why? Because N. Korea doedsn't have any oil while Iran does, and he's catering to his bosses within Big Oil and Big Energy. You do know of the Koch brothers, don't you?

Perhaps this President or his Secretary of State should be somewhat pro-active to North Korea...

Tell us, please, exactly how the President has not been "pro-active" toward N. Korea. What is your definition of "pro-active"? Do you mean we should simply invade them? Nuke them? Yeah, that makes sense, nuke 'em 'til they glow,,,and drop radioactive waste on China and piss off a nation who can really cause us trouble! Brilliant, Sherlock!

Sheesh...

So far they failed to reach space and all they hit was the China Sea on two failed attempts. Iran also has claimed missile success only to have been caught photoshopping the launch pictures. Both take Gaddafi's "line of death" to absurd levels. Both countries seem to rely on the discredited military theory called the Mahan Doctrine of the one knockout punch or "one decisive battle". The Japanese relied on it and tried it in 1941 with the Dec 7 attacks. It went really bad for them as we destroyed about 70% to 90% of amost everyone of their major cities. Bin Lauden tried it and ended up a old broken man wrapped in a blanket and watching a 15 inch TV in his own self made prison until we put a bullet in his head.

And we've had missiles that can reach North Korea for 60+ years now. Next thing you know they are going to announce the invention of color television.

Berry"? Berry who? Marion Berry? Raymond Berry? Chuck Berry? Even the rest of the dolts who try to insult the President's name spell it "Barry"!

This close to his ousting do you really think I care about the spelling of his name? You are certainly welcome to your indignation but, I'm not going to loose sleep over it.

And take note, your big hero Romney said not one word about N. Korea in his big foreign policy speech yesterday. You know why? Because N. Korea doedsn't have any oil while Iran does, and he's catering to his bosses within Big Oil and Big Energy. You do know of the Koch brothers, don't you?

I suppose of we expected Romney to cover every aspect of foreign policy we could have sat around for several hours while he outlined our response to enemies of our state and consideration of allies.

http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?c=sy&v=88

If you look at the chart Syria, is barely a blip on the oil market. As for Iran, you get that the children of the revolutionaries are revolting against the way of life that their parents sentenced them to. I truly believe that the Persian people will rise up against the Mullahs and get their country and long respected identity back.

"Big bad Oil" and "Big bad energy" my goodness I feel a chill at the very mention? Oh no really the dreaded Koch brothers...you really have me quaking in my boots now. I will see your Koch brothers and raise you a George Soros.

"Mr. Soetoro" one and done and back in Indonesia with a billion dollars so generously offered up from American tax payers and green energy failures.

Fire missiles ... You push button , No you Push button.... Your push button ... No you push button.. let me check warranty ...

And the attack is over !

@denver bill 2 - the shortest distance from NK to NYC is north up towards the pole and back south again. still much too far for NK to hit anything but maybe some uninhabited ice fields in northern russia however.

Look out the N.K. chairman is flexing his muscles.

It's more like a two year old that shouts give it back or else.

@chuck in olathe - preserving a strong military has nothing to do with occupying foreign countries, installing their leaders for them, or spending more than half the nations federal budget on fighting in other countries civil wars for them.

Perhaps the American respnse should be that because of this threat, we are now dedicating one US FBM Submarine to covering targets in North Korea. That would be 24 missiles with about 8 warheads each, or 192 Nuclear Bombs ready to launch within minutes. Now, do you wish to make any more threats to someone you are technically still at war with, or would you perhaps like to sit down and discuss a peace treaty to really end the Korean War?

@ txmom32:

Thanks for injecting a little intelligence into the conversation. It's funny how the liberal mindset involves denial and tunnel vision in almost everything political.

Barry has failed miserably, completely and publicly in every aspect of his foreign policies. He and his sectretary of state were complicit in the murder of our ambassador through negligence and ineptitude - and have spent the time since the murder trying to cover their behinds with lies instead of putting all available resources into finding the murdering terrorists.

Of course, before you can begin a search for the murdering terrorists you have to first ADMIT this was a terrorist attack - but if you do that you have to admit you failed in recognizing the danger and preparing for it.

If Barry cannot man up and do this then he is most obviously not the person anybody should want in the Oval Office.

@ kevin;

You can look at what is going on right now in the middle east and get a sense of what happens when you gut the military, ignore the intelligence gathered and present a weak front to the world community.

Romney is correct - "Hope" is not strategy.

Shawn1999: we keep going with the war on terror and soon we shall be a larger most efficient version! I prefer Mother Theresa's outlook... I will not go to a ant-war rally. But I will go to any pro-peace one! Infinitely wise choice even if she didn't understand why. On a side note we all have seen just how good their missles are. Unless China has given them the ones that work and are only testing fake ones that fail out :-)

What we truly need to be concerned with is when we have slave labor like workers pumping out everything from computers to USA flags! Then we have the same entities crying that our (US) govt. is a socialistic monster by helping it's poor being destroyed by these non-made-in-the-USA products (with inflated costs as the labor is only 50 to 75 cents an hour). I wonder when people will stop following their own personal wealth enhancement and start working together like the rest of us poor people do. The right wingers of all nations are a reflection of a section of us. W/o crazy ideas from us to enable them (from covetting the rich to believing in Santa Clause) we'd all just get along :-)

SEOUL -- Isolated North Korea claimed Tuesday that the U.S. mainland is "within the scope" of its missiles, two days after South Korea struck a deal with the United States to extend the range of its ballistic missiles.

I feel an apology coming on. Or, this has all the makings of an apology tour.

Islam has been around as long as Christianity. We have been two opposing forces spawned for the same demise. The difference being we still have food in our bellies while the rich in other nations w/o true freedom as us (the USA) are forced to find scraps again. Thankfully we have a large wad of cash but it's slowly moving to the top and out of our nation through:

1. the worst unsustainable trade deficit in the world ever

---when we pay the Chinese, Indians, etc. to make stuff that means cash is gone from our economy

2. these same trade deficit enablers do not make phones, computers, and even USA flags (for example) cheaper to purchase, which in turn makes Apple and other companies seem rich

3. then hiding their money in the Cayman islands further removing cash from our system.

Then we wonder why more cash was printed and everyone has little money and the slide goes further toward the rich every year increasingly faster? We have a limited amount of cash to work with just like Monopoly the board game (here and every nation). When a person removes said cash from the game to play in another nation (building stuff overseas) it is gone from our game :-) At least sell the stuff at lower costs instead of increasing their wallets and ducking out of their duties to pay taxes... which that money in turn is used to help the poor that are devasted by the above 3 primary issues that US citizens keep getting fooled into not even considering when they vote :-( We will come around, I pray it's sooner than later!

• JmB66,

So...... what's your point?!

They have 5 or 6 nuclear weapons in all from which not a single one can be shot over 60 miles without self destructing from pure failure. My son's science class can shoot a rocket that far, "Here in the USA". We've been able to reach them (N.K.) for over 60+ years.

Our technology today can put a nuclear warhead down the chimney of Kim's house dude... Whatya scared or something. You need to have more faith in our Country or you'll be protesting against something you don't even understand dude....

• Devils son

Right on brotha!

Have a nice day...

@ creekdog:

Nukes don't require a missile for delivery. Other than that I agree with you, but I'd feel better with having something other than a apologist in the White House.

Just to clarify: I'm not anti-wealth... I will be wealthy physically as I am spiritualy. My difference being is I play within the rules and won't look to change the rules because I run the bank (the person distributing the money in a Monopoly game) nor seek to influence politics to not notice (putting up the smoke screen of birtherism, hate w/o justification of the poor who mostly are disgruntled that when starving will commit suicide to end their pain for their "cause", and beating war drums to engage all of our high level of patriotism for something more important than any one man's obscenely vast physical wealth... God Bless the USA).

Soooo ????

What does all this have to do with Big Bird not being on the dinner table ??

Elmo

Also, if you haven't watched the debate this past Saturday between Jon Stewart and Bill O'Riley it is a must see. Near the end the one question was, "What is the USA's worst problem" O'Riley, "Capitalism" He clearly stated that Fox News is merely picking up on the chatter on the Internet and amplifying those fears to make vasts amounts of money through negative rhetoric which helps nothing to get better. Believe me or watch O'Riley state it himself.

Perhaps Obama shouldn't have followed the Bush policy for an Iraq exit strategy/date set but I am concerned that unless we build factories for other nations to produce their own goods, fixing up everything we destroyed will not help us in the long term (nor them). I guess it's weak of Obama bucking the status quo when he gave the order to take out Bin Laden in Pakistan? We know many politicians from McCain to Romney clearly stated they would not violate International laws by going in to take out Bin Laden.

What message is sent when a drone you can't hear or see launches a hellfire that you don't see coming to take you out? I don't see that as being weak I see that being part of the teachings of the Art of War... we are unapproachable if a drone is doing the work for us. It obviously has created fear in the Middle East that their "right wingers" are using to secure their own wealth/power. They have no Navy to invade us... ours is larger than the next top 13 COMBINED. Our Air Force is top notch... same for the Army and Marines. So if you fear so dearly sign up and become part of the best people in the nation... the US military!

We need to focus on what's destroying our poor and it's not Islam, birtherism (for or against), or the mirage of Christianity being persecuted here in the USA... ask Jesus about what being persecuted is. Furthermore, look at the teachings of Jesus and not the words printed but the facts we know of this great selfless man... he built no churches, he gave no tithe, he healed and fed the poor w/o asking for payment only love, and he died for these convictions instead of fighting back. If you can't admire these 3 principles then why call yourself a Christian? Globalization left unchecked will ruin the world and enable the "New World Order" which are the mega corps already in power.

How cute, North Korea says they can hit mainland US. They cant even hit Japan, let alone the US. Yet, the US, Japan, and South Korea are all capable of hitting North Korea. Lets see how they fair.

Oh, and the last time they tried to launch a missle it blew up in their face. Please try to send a nuke our way North Korea. That way you can wipe yourselves out and we wont have to worry about you anymore.

Lee...

Islam has been around as long as Christianity.

Is that a true or false question...the answer is false. Six centuries separate the two faiths. Jesus came before Mohammad.

The three-stage liquid-fueled rocket that NK claimed to be sending a satellite into orbit was probably just that.

Someone should have told them that cow urine does now make a great propellant.

Who all out there have we not pissed off? Everybody that is a threat to us! we help Only a bunch of poor desperate countries that "need " our help. We send aid to countries to feed their starving and clothe their naked and give them shelter clean water and medicine. for God's sake when is this going to stop? we can't take care of our own starving naked sick citizens!!! WTF.

The greater majority of posts on this thread have emphasized that NK is the mouse that roared compared to the US Big Bad Wolf. What makes everybody so sure China and Russia will not pull NKs' irons out of the fire as they did once before?

I didn't realize we were within 38 feet of NK. That's about as far as they can make their mssiles fly.

These guys continually want to kill there own people? Nut jobs if u nuke us ur people will starve to death.
Maybe they should threaten Russia, then the Russians can send them food too.

maybe you people think they are hot air but they are zealots. If their rockets can make it to our mainland , with nukes, they can inflict serious damage to our people, if only a small part of it and that damage will close the land for years. Quit playing their mind games and do our thing with our seal teams and our own missles first and let people see that if u want to hold the world hostage Mr. Leader, then BEWARE!

The only way we are within range of their missiles is if they walk them all the way over here. Or maybe they are going to use our Cold War flying saucer as a delivery system.

Unfortunately, if this new nutcase is anything like his predecessor, he's completely convinced that a) North Korea will be able to wipe all of the US off the map with a single barrage that of course will be one hundred percent successful and accurate - after all, the Great Leader demands it - and b) that if something DOES go wrong, China will come to the rescue. However, it seems that there are at least a few sane people in positions of power - they haven't launched yet - and until they actually appear to be a real danger, instead of a threat on the level of a Scooby-Doo villain, I doubt that the US will do anything except sit back and watch them implode. Why do we need to barge in, spending money and lives, and topple a regime in a country whose populace literally cannot handle reorganization into a real system after sixty years of the country existing solely to stroke the leader's ego, when we can just sit back and watch them do our job for us without having to raise a finger or seem like the bad guy by striking first?

Silver...Post # 2 --- eeerrrrr Obama has castrated defense spending.

If North Korea gets one lucky hit...Americans will DIE ..

A. Stevens begged BO for help BEGGED!!!!

Obama basically said Kiss my ass I've got Obama Phones to hand out ...

I've got Hollywood parties to attend.....I've got a gravy train Gig to protect..

Obama doesn't "care" about a damn thing except his own DUMBO EARS skinny SELF!

NO respect for States Rights ... NO respect for the US tax payer ... NO respect for Military!

They had better be very certain, because they only get one attempt before they are referred to as " the dead zone where North Korea used to be."

Love:

He hasn't taken any money out of the defense budget yet, and even when he does, the U.S. currently constitutes 43% of the entire planet's military spending, so I don't think it'll hurt too much to cut back a little bit...I think to do so IS respectful to the taxpayer when we're in so much debt. And I fail to see how telling our soldiers they don't have to risk dying in a country that doesn't even want us there anyway shows no respect for the military.

Also, the U.S. was founded on the principle of Federalism: a strong national government. States Rights were shown to be a failed system under both the Articles of Confederation and by the Confederacy in the Civil War.

Your last paragraph couldn't be more wrong.

Silver...Post # 2 --- eeerrrrr Obama has castrated defense spending.

I see you're one of those low information types. Or at the very least, believe whatever biased news source told you that.

In the last defense budget, Obama asked for a record setting amount of money, and got it

NO respect for Military!

That's why he placed priority on why we even went to the Middle East in the first place. Bush had eight years to get Bin Laden, but thought that walking away from our war front and our troops was a much better idea after he was able to get the war he really wanted in Iraq. Want to talk about not caring for our troops again? That whole mission accomplished photo op costs us millions of dollars and redirected a whole carrier group away from its mission. What were you saying about caring for our troops?

Your name implies you care about our troops, but clearly you seem confused.

If North Korea gets one lucky hit...Americans will DIE ..

If they get one hit in, our nearly one trillion defense budget is a joke, right? Maybe you should spend less time fear mongering.

With North Korea's past performance of rocket failures I believe the only way that they could reach the US with one of their missils is if it is loaded on a cargo ship dropped off in Mexico and loaded on a truck and driven across the border..............so technically they are correct the US is within range of their rockets.

"Also, the U.S. was founded on the principle of Federalism: a strong national government. States Rights were shown to be a failed system under both the Articles of Confederation and by the Confederacy in the Civil War."

This is unfettered nonsense. A cursory review of the debates involving the Federalist papers and the Bill of Rights reveals that most of the founders were horrified by the potential for a dominant Federal govt.

SEOUL -- Isolated North Korea claimed Tuesday that the U.S. mainland is "within the scope" of its missiles, two days after South Korea struck a deal with the United States to extend the range of its ballistic missiles.

This is all it took to get the chicken littes stirred up. The word isolated should be enough for an intelligent person to know that if North Korea does ANYTHING, they will have no chance of surviving the retaliation of art least a dozen nations to include China, and Russia.

North Korea is believed to be developing a long-range missile with a range of 4,160 miles or more aimed at hitting the United States, but two recent rocket tests both failed.

Short definition: As soon as they launch anything it's tracked and targeted.

Love2Troops,

Quit smoking and start reading. CONGRESS screwed our troops (several times under both Obama and Bush). If I recall correctly, OBAMA stated that Congress's budget resolution CANNOT TOUCH MILTARY PAYCHECKS (and we know that Congress won't touch their own paychecks, perks, and pensions- those alone could halve the deficit)

BillBodine & Relayerdave:

"We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union..."

The opening sentence of our constitution expresses a union of the states, not their Independence. The entire basis of replacing the Articles of Confederation was that allowing states to act on their own was a complete failure.

Yes, there was heavy debate at the constitutional convention concerning the fear that creating such a strong central government would be no better than being ruled by a king, and the Federalist papers were a means for those who supported the Constitution's principle of federalism to sway those who were against it by convincing them that there were sufficient checks on the federal power as to protect the peoples' rights, and the concept won out in the end.

Also, the Constitution was approved without the Bill of Rights, they were passed approximately two years after the ratification of the Constitution as an additional layer of protection to the rights of the people.

If you need proof that we're a federalist nation, look no further than Article IV, Section 2:

"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding."

In other words, Federal law is superior to ANY state law. Always. So In what sense do you think our country isn't Federalist?

South Korea struck a deal with the United States to extend the range of its ballistic missiles.

Barry better hustle over there and apologize for something, anything. Maybe do some ring kissing too......................

that was Bush the hand holder and kisser.

ani3ani thats right! I know what GW would do if he was in power. He attack Spain. Drive your doublewide to DC and protest.

Adam-post # 3.4

Excuses excuses excuses

blame blame blame

hiding hiding hiding

slander slander slander = BO & his pathetic administration

btw BO stands for Barrack Obama I think the initials fit cuz this mans

record ....STINKS....... much like .... Body Odor ..... BO applies in several ways :)

ani4ani

Barry better hustle over there and apologize for something, anything. Maybe do some ring kissing too......................

You are in dire need of both an education ,and a course in etiquette and that is painfully obvious. Whenever a Head of State greets another they do so in the host nations customary fashion. Are you so simple that you don't think that any other U.S. President has ever bowed or shown respect for another nations leader? You also need to get over the "Barry" B.S.

Well Cuba already has Russian Scientists building' Cocaine" subs. Several have been capturated off the coast of Florida. Several have been intercepted by the coast gaurd. A simple head nod and the Cubans whould have no problem loading up some koreans or Jihid terrorist into these subs. We've been to South America pulling our asses many times. Oh course we all know how much better we are than these countries (Cuba). We think that we can go in there and do whatever we feel that will benifit our own country. This will catch up with us in due time.

Go hide under your bed and wrap yourself in tinfoil. Radiation will not go through it. Honestly, NK speaks and some people panic and pi$$ their pants.

Hey, North Korea - if you are feeling froggy, jump!! The US submarines could completely sanitize every square inch of North Korea in about 30 minutes. An attempted missile shot at the US would be just the provocation needed for immediate, thorough reprisal. It would be sad to lose a west coast or Alaskan city, but at least we wouldn't have to listen to all this saber rattling anymore. It would probably improve Chinese relations also.

Nah, none of us will panic. We will all be sitting at our computers when our bones melt and fuse to the keyboards.

Maybe a Chinese Fan to keep a Cool-Head?

A missile coming from NK to the USA would likely be loaded with flyers asking the American people to please send rice or the next missile will be worse - they wil ask for rice and government subsidized pink slime. Just one problem for NK, the missile would likely and in Mongolia. Good luck with that Kim!

It's much more likely that N. Korea would put its nukes on a truck and drive them under the DMZ in some previously unknown tunnel. They've found 4 tunnels so far, but there is believed to be at least 20 others.

I find it difficult to believe that we don't possess the technical capability to know whether any tunneling is going on along any border that we care about. We are being kept ignorant on this.

We have stretched ourselves so thin that we can't keep up with all the subversives. Nukem first ask questions later.

We have stretched ourselves so thin that we can't keep up with all the subversives. Nukem first ask questions later.

It saddens me that such people who have zero understanding of the regional politics are allowed to vote. NK is not a threat to the US. They aren't even really a threat to SK. As long as the US maintains normalized relations with China NK will saber rattle and nothing more.

Advocating genocide because you are scared and too stupid to figure out what's going on is pathetic.

NK is a Rabid Dog. China needs to put it's dog on a leash or it will be killed. China holds the most cards at this time and they need to stop the NK that they created and support!

Japan holds peace talks

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor & China

US/Allies kick German @$$

US/Allies kick Japanese @$$

Japan swears to fight to the last citizen

US nukes Japan twice

Japan surrends

Japan grows to be among top tech industry countries (not sure exact placement)

Let's try this experiment again!

In a war between NK and SK, China would sell anything to anybody with money. Since NK has no money, they would be screwed

I would rather have a President with a brain than balls of steel. By the way it was Cheney, not Bush, who had those balls.

One does not preclude the other. You can be smart and have "balls of steel". Obama will show the world in his second term, and that is what scares the RE-peat-the-lie-to-the-PUBLIC-ans.

I just wish BO had some balls period.

All this "leading on my behind" foreign policy

of Dumbo Ears aint going so well.....Not to worry

Obama is on the Job BIG BIRD is alive...........

Ambassador Stevens & 3 patriots are .......D E A D

tyvm Barry!

You can't blame Obama for Stevens without blaming Bush for 9/11.

Both had intel previous to the events and did not act (for various reasons- we can't say they should have since we don't know how "solid" the intel they received was or what other information they had which may have appeared to downplay or negate the threat). Since I (nor you) are privy to those briefings, neither of us can say what the correct course of action should have been (even if we did, we have the benefit of hindsight while they did not)

Furthermore, Obama took Bush's rules of engagement using drones and EXPANDED viable targets- INCREASING those that could be targeted & killed. The difference between the two is Bush acted quickly, while Obama acts slowly- slow isn't bad- it can be measuring and weighing all options, letting some dust settle to see what's really happening and whether the dust was the worst, or if it was just a smoke screen for something worse. You want to jump right in when you can't even tell if there's solid ground where you plan to land.

Umm, yes we are. But do not let that keep you from being afraid of the boogeymen (il and the Ayatollah) of the Right. N.K. is not stupid enough to use nukes just like Iran is. They are baiting us to attack them preemptively so that use of such weapons is justified.

Easiest way to get rid of trolls is to ignore them.

Thank you, perfectly stated. The behind the sceen politics of war are never going to be written about to the extent that the American public can really understand whats going on. It is sad that in these third world countries we have so many spies and backdoor policy involvement it seems inevitable that something has to give sooner or later. But I for one do feel safer now than in contrast to four years ago. People must have forgotten about the morning of 9-11 and the days that followed...the empty feeling of how vulnerable we were and that seemed to be amplified by all of the controversy that followed. I don't feel as if something that unimaginable and to that magnitude is possible now. I vote Dem. and miss the days the GOP actually stood for more than addressing the American public and spouting how their legislature is outweighed by the notion that "first" we make sure Obama has one term in office. Had Romney been in office i'm sure we'd be searching for bomb shelters by now. I have confidence our president can and will do what is right for the USA.

I don't feel safer, and I certainly don't feel more secure! I'm also certainly not afrtaid of being nuked by North Korea!

Prehaps the Republicans would have worked with the obama admin. better if obama never spewed his racist BS by telling the Republicans they had to ride in back of the bus. obama began dividing us right off the bat with that remark.

7.62x39mm said:
"Prehaps the Republicans would have worked with the obama admin. better if obama never spewed his racist BS by telling the Republicans they had to ride in back of the bus. obama began dividing us right off the bat with that remark."

Show us a single legitimate source that demonstrates that Obama actually said that. Glenn Beck drawing that inference from the actual Obama stump speech and then spreading the false claim that Obama made such a racist remark does not count.

Disagree with the man's policies. But lying about him (and listening to just about anything Glenn Beck says --the man is a for-profit crackpot desperate for an audience) just prevents clarity and making decisions based on real problems. Do you want to fix this country or just take out your animosity toward the non-white guy that is currently president.

@Athos.....It was during one of his speeches shortly after the election. You can't dispute FACTS as the speech was shown on the news. Not only did I watch the speech on the news and hear him countless other Americans did also. Millions saw and heard him make the statement.

Yeah, Trueism, the North Korean missile program is entirely his fault. Good one.

Obama didn't say anything even mildly racist by telling the Republican minority that they were not going to be allowed to continue driving the bus, since they had already wrecked it. He didn't kick them off the bus, as I would have, but someone has to be willing to ride in the back, or it is not going to be an effective bus ride to anywhere productive.

Athos ...post #10.4

It took about 30 secs to find the RACIST BIGOTED comments made by Obama

google......Obama tells GOP (voters) they can sit in the back of the bus...

If your an honest person you'll feel pretty stupid for denying it happened.

We are MUCH safer today than when Obama came into office.

1) We are moving rapidly toward a more inclusive form of health insurance. Not perfect, but more people will be covered. It is quite legitimate to say that healthcare provides safety from disease and accident in the same way that body armor would provide safety from a bullet.

2) We are out of the Bush Depression and are adding new jobs every month. Jobs in the private sector are a form of safety for individuals.

3) Bin Laden and 23 of the top 26 al-Quaeda leaders are dead and the al-Quaeda organization itself is badly fragmented and disorganized. Covert strikes in places like Yemen and Pakistan and Somalia are keeping the organization on the run. In fact, al-Quaeda is so bad off these days that it is trying to make peace with government forces in the Philippines --- a major victory over Muslim insurgency.

4) The stock market is at remarkable highs. That is a form of safety (though it is still a commodities market in stocks and subject to unpredictable ups and downs.) Corporations are showing record profits and both the financial and auto industries are still intact even though problems still exist with both.

5) We are basically out of Iraq and no more lives being lost there. The prediction by Colin Powell to GHW Bush in the First Gulf War is rapidly coming true, however. Iraq and its oil are becoming a dependent client of Iran, the Kurds in the north are gearing up to continue to seek autonomy and a homeland, and the Sunnis in the east are becoming the anti-Iran and anti-Shiite government insurgents. But we are not hearing daily reports of deaths there.

6) Afghanistan is winding down. We are still losing troops there, but the fewer troops that are in Afghanistan, the safer they are. Disentanglement from Afghanistan and Iraq leaves the US military with more options in dealing with other situations.

7) We have make choices not to become entangled in Egypt and Syria and lost no blood and very little treasure there. For a change we are allowing other countries/organizations to take the point in "brush fire" situations and are not over-reacting and causing long term harm. NATO (after a bit of prodding) took the lead in Libya and Turkey is taking the lead in Syria. Yes, all that has made us safer.

The world situation is a lot like driving a car. You keep your car in good shape and your tires and brakes and lights in good working order and your chances of an accident go down. But driving a car can never be completely safe because no matter how well you drive or how good your car is or what safety features it has, there is always a chance that a drunk with bald tires and no brakes will come across the line and hit you head on. The same applies to diplomacy. You cannot respect the sovereignty of other countries without some risk that their issues will not coincide with yours.

Well, considering there were 12 attacks on U.S. Embassies under President Bush, and there's only been 1 under President Obama, yes, I'd have to say I feel approximately 12 times safer...

And North Korea's most successful missile goes 60 miles offshore before detonating itself, so they're not even close to being a threat, and even if they were to attack us with a missile, which wouldn't even be enough to take out a city, and it's unlikely their targeting abilities would allow them to hit a densely populated area anyway, we'll retaliate with a nuke and wipe their stupid ass country off the planet.

JN,

More importantly if they could they would NEVER tell us that they could. The only reason to blab is to look bigger than they are, like butterflies do to scare off predators with the markings on their wings to make them look like some bigger creature.

If NK or Iran really could do what they claim there would be no warnings, they would just do it.

Geowil,

Exactly- which is also exactly why its so important to make sure that neither the Norkies or the I-Rans ever get that kind of tech.

Love2troops

Athos ...post #10.4

It took about 30 secs to find the RACIST BIGOTED comments made by Obama

google......Obama tells GOP (voters) they can sit in the back of the bus...

If your an honest person you'll feel pretty stupid for denying it happened.

================================

According to Fox:

"he said Republicans had driven the economy into a ditch and then stood by and criticized while Democrats pulled it out. Now that progress has been made, he said, 'we can't have special interests sitting shotgun. We gotta have middle class families up in front. We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back.'"

Where's the bus? This is something YOU and Fox COMMENTATORS added to MAKE it a racist remark. You are worse than you accuse Obama of. And if someone had crashed a car (like the Republicans did for 8 years under Bush and two more while they held Congress), then why WOULD you want them to drive??? Why SHOULDNT American families be more important for a few years? We ARE the most important thing!!!!

FAMILIES ensure there is a populace for future!!

FAMILIES are the end-consumers!

FAMILIES provide the work force and leadership of tomorrow!

And we already know that 47% don't matter at all to Mitt. Obama has stated they are #1 to him

Now, while all politicians lie, and I don't favor either politician over the other (and I blame BOTH parties for the current state of the union), at least Obama is making claims he cares about the right things. Mitt admits he doesn't.

Read more: #ixzz28pRrsFTJ

On a side note, the phrase Obama used "Sitting shotgun" originally applied to the wagon trains- one drove the horses, the other sat next to the driver and held the shotgun to fend off outlaw attacks. It later becomes used for armoured trucks (same configuration) then used by children for claiming the coveted front seat.

But since you want to make it racist- yes, Republicans are relegated to the back of the car where they are used to sitting their rich, overpaid fannies while hard working Democrats chauffuer them around. They should be used to it by now and not have any complaints- they should keep out of the driver's seat since they don't know how to drive and let those that do... do. Let them keep pretending to be (self) important while the real inlfuencers decide the course (after all, if a chauffeur wanted, all he has to do is drive the Republican off a cliff. Won't matter how much money or delusions of power they have then, would it?)

My point exactly, Shawn1999. I was hoping someone would look it up and free themselves from the hearsay repetition. Someone in an opinion piece drawing an inference from a quote is not the same thing as "obama said it in front of millions." I saw the same speech and took no offense. But then, I wasn't looking for any justification to make things up about him. I have enough honest disagreements with his policies to keep me busy without ignorant, ad hominem attacks.

Didn't they also claim that the birds themselves wept when Jim Jung Il died?

Although I personally think they were just sad that there weren't even any crumbs around for them to eat...

No, it was raining that day, so the heavens wept (I thought it was the tortured souls weeping tears of joy personally...). But they did tell everyone that attendance was mandatory and offered lifetime hard-labor camp positions available for anyone who didn't appear to be mourning enough.

I think Il Kim also invented the airplane.

Note on the trains- according to what I've read, when China sends trainloads of supplies to North Korea, and North Korea steals the trains and sends the crew home, so China used very old trains they didn't mind losing (otherwise they wouldn't even have those).

That's sad and hilarious at the same time.

Do they send the crews back on foot, or at least let them hitch a ride on one of those old Soviet army trucks?

An EMP weapon? To do what? North Korea has few sophisticated electronics!

I imagine they do most of their rocket science via abacus.

@Ned,

The North Korean military is almost invulnerable to EMP attack. Their command and control is all in deep underground bunkers and their vehicles are all old-fashioned distributor-type and newer vehicles are actually downgraded to electro-mechanical instead of electronic ignition systems. They use buried landlines for most military communications and their older tube-type technology is not effected at all by EMP (in such things as radars) and slightly newer transistor technology is not very vulnerable at all.

People like to think that somehow that North Korea is backwards in military technology. But it is like comparing an AK-47 to an M-16. You can make 22 AK-47s for the same cost as one M-16. The ammunition for an AK-47 is about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of a round for an M-16. The North Koreans can easily manufacture AK-47s in its own factories and is actually doing to and exporting them to make foreign exchange. Choosing lower tech weaponry does not mean backwards so much as it means pragmatic.

And you have to remember that it was a North Korean advanced Kilo-class diesel electric submarine that sunk a fully-manned and armed South Korean anti-submarine warfare corvette.

To be fair, the South Korean corvette apparently remembered there was a truce on.

Because Obama hasn't made one single solitary decision in his

narcissistic presidency unless he thought it would benefit HIM ...

EGO- ------ MONEY (tax payers money not HIS!) ----- -POWER = BO administration

He could give a crap about the American Tax Payer or American Security

witness poor dead A. Stevens

There is no "arms race". You grossly misunderstand the military realities of the situation.

First of all, we already have multiple missiles with range to hit North Korea. So the idea that we're starting an "arms race" is absurd. It isn't a military provocation any more than staging a routine military exercise on another nation's territory... which also provoked an attack from the North. If they're going to be so damn touchy about everything, too bad, we're not going to coddle them.

Why should SK not be able to protect itself? Only the North claims international range on it's missiles not the South.

You can stir, or spin your toilet bowl any way you want, however; it wont wont get clean untill obama gets flushed this Nov..

He is always BENDING OVER to kiss something. Even the gay people are sick of Barry. This election year, let's kiss his a$$ goodbye!

Obama foreign policy =

"If I render the American people 100% defenseless (gun control, gutting military)

will you bad guys pinkie promise never to attack us again?"

Thanks --- with Love BHO ...... Heres an Obama phone for ya! ~~kisses~

And you and "we have had enough" are always interjecting uber right wing, anti-Obama rants into every news story you comment on. You don't like him. We get it. Your use of "bending over", "kiss", and "a$$" in this instance indicates mental constipation on your part. A shame you have a need to attempt to "relieve" yourself in the presence of others.

Nik,

it is a type of physiological warfare, if you forgive the use of the term, much like Sun Tzu's mentioning in the "Art of Warfare"; here are a few:

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” <- high relevance to this article

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself,
you will succumb in every battle”

“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.”

Some seem to think that spouting that nonsense, while it is partially true, will help Romney by turning Obama supporters pessimistic.

I am reading into it too. Like, a test missle isn't going to come all the way over to a US city and land, that would be a serious offense, right? So that thing needs to self destruct somewhere? How about 60 miles or so, maybe BEFORE it goes into China's airspace? They obviously don't care if they get near SK's airspace...

Story like this also makes us Americans feel superior for already having the capability. But really, can it be that hard? Weren't a few countries flinging things in space 50 years ago? Hasn't NK been wanting this capability for a long time? I don't believe if they are that determined it would take them half a century to figure it out.

Yes, it can be that hard.

There's a reason rocket science is held up as a benchmark of difficult intellectual tasks (next to brain surgery).