U.S. Moves Stealth Fighters To South Korea

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets. Reuters

U.S. F-22 Stealth Jets Join South Korea Drills Amid Saber-Rattling -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The United States sent F-22 stealth fighter jets to South Korea on Sunday to join military drills aimed at underscoring the U.S. commitment to defend Seoul in the face of an intensifying campaign of threats from North Korea.

The advanced, radar-evading F-22 Raptors were deployed to Osan Air Base, the main U.S. Air Force base in South Korea, from Japan to support ongoing bilateral exercises, the U.S. military command in South Korea said in a statement that urged North Korea to restrain itself.

"(North Korea) will achieve nothing by threats or provocations, which will only further isolate North Korea and undermine international efforts to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia," the statement said.

Read more ....

Update #1: US reportedly sends F-22 jets to join South Korea drills -- FOX News/AP
Update #2: U.S. Moves Stealth Fighters to South Korea -- Wall Street Journal

My Comment: The U.S. and South Korea are sending a message to the North .... the North Korean government will now have to respond.

What Happens If Kim Jong-un Acts On His Threat Of War?

North Korea: What Happens If Kim Jong-un Acts On His Threats? -- Christian Science Monitor

In the event that the 'bellicose rhetoric' of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un turns into something more serious, the opening hours of conflict could be 'pretty ugly,' defense analysts warn.

Veteran North Korea watchers, citing what they see as increasingly troubling signs coming from the dictatorial regime, are voicing concerns that its new young leader, Kim Jong-un, could do something ill-advised, even start a war.

On Friday North Korea renewed what the U.S. has condemned as its “bellicose rhetoric,” saying Kim had ordered the nation’s missile forces to prepare to strike the United States and South Korea.

In response to the prospect of North Korea following through on this and other marginally less dire threats, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday that the US military “will unequivocally defend, and [is] unequivocally committed to the alliance with, South Korea.”

Read more ....

My Comment: Bottom line .... such a conflict would make the Afghan and Iraq wars puny in comparison.

A Look At North Korea's Missile Arsenal

Via The Telegraph

A Clear Graphic And Short Explanation To Clarify Exactly What North Korea Can Do -- Business Insider

Despite North Korea's highly-publicised missile tests, relatively little is known about the actual size and capabilities of its arsenal.

The regime is understood to have substantial numbers of short- and intermediate-range missiles such as the Nodong, a variant on the Scud missile.

With a range of around 1,000km, the Nodong could in theory strike in South Korea and Japan. However, its poor accuracy makes it an ineffective battlefield weapon and it is unlikely North Korea would be able to pinpoint US military bases in the region, although it could cause serious civilian casualties.

Read more ....

My Comment: These missiles have little military value ..... but for purposes of propaganda and to instill fear .... a perfect weapon to have.

North Korea Vows To Strengthen It's Nuclear Arsenal

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

North Korea Vows to Strengthen Nuclear Arsenal -- Voice of America

North Korea has vowed to develop and launch more advanced satellites and says the country's nuclear weapons are non-negotiable and will not be traded even for "billions of dollars" in economic assistance.

The official KCNA news agency reported Sunday that a plenary meeting of the North Korean Workers' Party Central Committee, chaired by leader Kim Jong Un, called for building both a stronger economy and nuclear arsenal.

It said the North's nuclear armed forces are not a political bargaining chip, and that they should be "expanded and beefed up...until the denuclearization of the world is realized."

Read more ....

More News On North Korea Vowing To Strengthen It's Nuclear Arsenal

North Korea says its nuclear weapons won't be traded -- FOX News/AP
North Korea: Nuclear weapons are "the nation's life" -- CBS/AP
North Korea: Nukes are our country's 'life' -- NBC
N. Korea vows to strengthen nukes amid tensions -- France24/AFP
North Korea pledges to expand nuclear program -- ABC News (Australia)

The Coming War Against Iran

The Realist Prism: Closing the Window of Opportunity for Iran Diplomacy -- Nikolas Gvosdev, WPR

While American policymakers are fond of repeating the mantra that "all options are on the table" when it comes to dealing with Iran and its nuclear program, the president publicly took one option off the table during his recent visit to Israel: Speaking to college students, Barack Obama reiterated, "Iran must not get a nuclear weapon. This is not a danger that can be contained."

If the Obama administration has indeed definitively rejected containment as an option, the United States will not develop contingencies for if and when Iran crosses the nuclear threshold. That means Washington is now committed to preventing Iran not only from acquiring any sort of deployable nuclear capability, but also, implicitly, from reaching the breakout stage where Tehran would possess the necessary capabilities to quickly assemble a bomb.

Read more ....

My Comment: I do not see such a conflict happening. The U.S. public and poilitcal mindset is not to get into another 'war of choice' .... especially from this President. So why all the talk and bluster .... I call this U.S. policy based on 'hope and a prayer' .... 'hope' that sanctions will have an impact, and prayer that regime change will happen. As to what is my prediction .... the U.S. and the international community will muddle along, and Iran will continue putting together the building blocks necessary for building nuclear weapons. The wild card in this calculus is .... of course ... Israel.

The Coming Food And Fuel Crisis In Egypt

Short of Money, Egypt Sees Crisis on Fuel and Food -- New York Times

QALYUBEYA, Egypt — A fuel shortage has helped send food prices soaring. Electricity is blacking out even before the summer. And gas-line gunfights have killed at least five people and wounded dozens over the past two weeks.

The root of the crisis, economists say, is that Egypt is running out of the hard currency it needs for fuel imports. The shortage is raising questions about Egypt’s ability to keep importing wheat that is essential to subsidized bread supplies, stirring fears of an economic catastrophe at a time when the government is already struggling to quell violent protests by its political rivals.

Farmers already lack fuel for the pumps that irrigate their fields, and they say they fear they will not have enough for the tractors to reap their wheat next month before it rots in the fields.

Read more ....

My Comment: Egypt has lived for decades on international aid and subsidized prices for domestic food and fuel basics. Those days are over now .... and with the unrest killing the tourist trade .... growing shortages in hard currency has only exacerbated a crisis situation into something far worse.

The Coming Crackdown On The Internet

Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry described particularly Twitter as a tool used by fighters to stir social unrest [Al Jazeera]

WNU Editor: Two stories on the internet that caught my attention today .... (1) Saudi Arabia 'may end' Twitter user anonymity and (2) Russians selectively blocking internet. A shape of things to come?

Update: We've come a long way since 1995 .... What the Internet looked like in 1995.

The Most Dangerous Place On Earth

The Most Dangerous Place On Earth? San Pedro Sula In Honduras - Where Three People Are Murdered EVERY DAY - Tops List Of The World's Most Violent Cities -- Daily Mail

* Hundreds of murders sparked by gangs and drug cartels in San Pedro Sula, where the economy is weak and poverty is rampant
* The city is followed by Acapulco, Mexico, and Caracas, Venezuela
* In the last three years, Honduran prosecutors have received over 200 formal complaints about death squad-style killings
* Police have long been accused of operating more like assassins than law enforcement officers in Honduras, but few cases have been investigated

The Honduran city of San Pedro Sula has topped a new list of the world's most violent places on earth, where tragedy, brutality and death squad killings run rampant.

At least three murders are reported each day in the coffee-exporting nation, mostly at the hands of vicious gangs and drug cartels who operate freely in an area of lawlessness, poverty and a decaying justice system.

Gunmen have taken control of slums and villages, well aware that the police are ineffective and corrupt.

Read more ....

My Comment: Drugs, criminal gangs, dysfunctional police force, rampant poverty .... a perfect cocktail for a disaster.

Limits To Israel's Iron Dome Anti-Missile System

Major General Eyal Eisenberg said the success of Iron Dome rockets in November's conflict with Gaza had given the Israeli public a false sense of security. Photograph: Nir Elias/Reuters

Israel's Anti-Missile System 'Likely To Leave Civilians Exposed In Event Of War' -- The Guardian

IDF has insufficient number of Iron Dome batteries to protect military sites and civilian areas from Hezbollah, says commander.

Israel's vaunted missile defence system is likely to leave the civilian population exposed to an incoming barrage of rockets in the event of a war as it is deployed to protect key strategic and military sites, according the country's commander of the home front.

Despite the success of the Iron Dome anti-missile batteries at intercepting rockets launched from Gaza during November's eight-day conflict, the five units currently operational are insufficient to protect against the superior firepower of Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Read more ....

My Comment: An acknowledgement on the limits of Israel's Iron Dome system. Interestingly .... this follows recent reports from critics who believe that the Iron Dome system's kill-rate capability is over-rated.

Mismanagement In The U.S. Stryker Program?

A U.S. Stryker Vehicle Rolls Down A Farm Road Near Khan Bani Sa'ad Iraq On March 1, 2008. Steve Lannen/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT

DOD Inspector General Finds $900 Million Stockpile Of Stryker Parts -- McClatchy News

The Army program charged with keeping thousands of eight-wheeled Strykers running over the past decade had its eye so much on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that it neglected to keep its books.

It accumulated nearly $900 million worth of Stryker replacement parts - most of them in an Auburn warehouse - with much of the gear becoming outdated even as the military continued to order more equipment, according to a Defense Department Inspector General report released late last year.

Take, for instance, the $57 million worth of obsolete infrared equipment the Army has not installed in Strykers since 2007. It lingered at the Stryker warehouse until the Inspector General called attention to it last year.

Read more ....

My Comment: The sad part of this story is that one cannot help but feel that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Syria's Eastern Oil Wells Are On Fire

Black smoke billowing from Homs refinery (file photo)

Syria Says Rebels Set Fire To Three Eastern Oil Wells -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Syrian rebels have set three oil wells in the east of the country ablaze, causing a daily loss of nearly 5,000 barrels of oil and 52,000 cubic meters of gas, state media quoted an oil ministry official as saying on Sunday.

SANA news agency said the damage to the oil wells in Deir al-Zor province, much of which is in rebel hands, followed disputes among the fighters over "sharing out the stolen oil" from fields in areas they control.

It said Syria's Furat Petroleum Corporation was working to extinguish the three fires. A total of nine wells had been set on fire by the rebels, the agency added, without saying when the other six had been set ablaze.

Furat was not immediately able to comment on the report.

Read more ....

Update #1: Syria blames rebels for setting oil wells on fire -- CBS/AP
Update #2: Militants set oil wells ablaze in Syria -- Press TV (Iran)

My Comment: This can quickly spiral into a an even bigger disater .... on top of the multiple disasters that are occurring everywhere in Syria today.

Syria’s Holiest Jewish Site (2,000 Year Old Jobar Synagogue) Is Looted And Destroyed

Historic Damascus Synagogue Looted And Destroyed -- Times Of Israel

Assad forces and rebels trade blame for destruction of 2,000-year-old Jobar shul, Syria’s holiest Jewish site

The 2,000-year-old Jobar Synagogue in the Syrian capital of Damascus — the country’s holiest Jewish site — was looted and burned to the ground.

The Syrian army loyal to President Bashar Assad and rebel forces are blaming each other for the destruction of the historic synagogue, according to reports on Sunday.

The synagogue is said to be built on the site where the prophet Elijah concealed himself from persecution and anointed his successor, Elisha, as a prophet. It had been damaged earlier this month by mortars reportedly fired by Syrian government forces.

The rebels said the Syrian government looted the synagogue before burning it to the ground, Israel Radio reported Sunday.

Read more ....

Update: Video: Syria’s Ancient Eliyahu HaHavi Synagogue Shelled -- Arutz Sheva

My Comment: It is not only oil wells that are being destroyed in Syria .... it is also it's history.

Did Egyptian President Morsi Meet Al Qaeda Leader Ayman Zawahiri In Pakistan?

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi. Reuters

Report: Morsi To Smuggle Al-Qaeda’s Zawahiri Into Egypt -- Human Events

According to a new report from the Arabic-language website Misr al-Gidida [translated for this story by the author], during Egyptian president Muhammad Morsi’s recent visit to Islamabad, Pakistan, he secretly met with Ayman Zawahiri, the leader of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, and promised to smuggle the Egyptian-born jihadi back home. The Arabic report cites a Pakistani source saying that the meeting was clandestinely arranged, away from the delegation accompanying Morsi, and “facilitated by elements of Pakistani intelligence (ISI) and influential members of the international organization, the Muslim brotherhood.”

Read more ....

My Comment: This story has not been collaborated by other sources .... until something more definite is revealed, this story will be treated with a certain degree of skepticism. As to what is my take .... Egyptian President Morsi has been known to give comfort and support to well known terrorist leaders .... so it is possible that such a meeting did take place.

But I personally hope for Egypt's sake that this story is not true. Ayman Zawahiri was Osama Bin laden's number two for years, and has been directly implicated in being involved in 9/11. Any Egyptian involvement to shelter him will be perceived by the American people as a grievous affront to justice and the rule of law .... and there will be dire consequences.

Why Current Tensions With North Korea Is 'Scary'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says nuclear weapons are the "life" of his nation. (KCNA)

Why North Korea Regime Is Scary -- Scott A. Snyder, Special to CNN

(CNN) -- North Korea, under its untested young leader Kim Jong Un, has ratcheted up the threats toward South Korea and the United States to unprecedented levels and with greater intensity than ever before.

A torrent of threats has flowed from North Korean spokesmen, including a promise of preemptive nuclear strikes on the United States and calls to "break the waists of the crazy enemies, totally cut their windpipes and thus clearly show them what a real war is like."

North Korean brinkmanship, bluff, and bluster are stock elements in its diplomatic toolkit, but why have the threats become so outsized, and how worried should we be? Is North Korea playing the same game it has always played, or does the now-nuclear playbook of a rash young leader represent a new threat the we cannot afford to ignore?

Read more ....

My Comment: There is no question that the U.S. strategy towards North Korea has changed in the past few weeks .... eclipsing Iran as the world's #1 nuclear-arms threat.

Update: The following two must read commentaries explore the possibility that North Korea is NOT bluffing ....

1) Who Says North Korea Is Bluffing? -- Jacob Heilbrunn, National Interest
2) Think Again: North Korea. North Korea is a lot more dangerous than you think, but that doesn't mean that Kim Jong Un is insane. -- David Kang and Victor Cha, Foreign Policy

Leclerc Main Battle Tank of Army Forces of United Arab Emirates

AMX Leclerc main battle tank (MBT) army of the Army Forces of United Arab Emirates at International Defence Exhibition and Conference 2013 (IDEX 2013). 

Turkish Female Black Hawk Helicopter Pilots

Turkish Female  Black Hawk Helicopter Pilots

Editor's Note

Blogging will be light for the next few days. I have cousins visiting from overseas as well as my brother and his family from California, and on top of all that I am finishing up on special web project. Therefore .... for today .... blogging will return late tonight.

Update 23:30 EST: It's been a long day. Very busy this Sunday morning. Blogging will return Sunday evening.

Women Marines Face A Tough Struggle With Infantry Course

A course to train for Marine Corps ground combat units that began on Thursday was the latest effort to incorporate women, but the two women (and 12 men) were eliminated. Christopher Gregory/The New York Times

Women (And Men) Face Big Hurdles In Training For Marine Infantry Units -- New York Times

QUANTICO, Va. — A group of Marine second lieutenants, all men, stood before the ropes on an obstacle course. They looked exhausted, though the day was far from done. One by one, they took their shots at scaling the line. One by one, most of them dropped short of the top. They were already three hours behind the front-runners in their class.

Behind them, two more Marines, both women, prepared to start the course. One, a former enlisted Marine who was shivering in the 40-degree breeze, tried repeatedly to surmount the first bar, but failed. The second, a recent Naval Academy graduate, did better, meticulously, sometimes ingeniously, working her way through many of the obstacles.

Read more ....

My Comment: I give them kudos for at least trying.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel: His Strategy For Cutting Pentagon Spending

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel gestures toward a reporter waiting to ask questions during a briefing at the Pentagon, March 28, 2013. Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the ongoing sequester affecting the Defense Department's budget and North Korea's recent provocative actions. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

From Battleland:

“There will be changes, some significant changes. There's no way around it. I would say also this is an imperfect process, and any decisions we make -- and we'll have to make some and will make some -- will be within the context of that imperfection. But we don't have any choices but get through a very significant analysis, back to why I asked the chairman and the deputy to lead a review on intensifying a review on everything. I mean, what do we really need? How do we protect those strategic interests? There are some opportunities in that, I think. I think everyone would agree we would just assume not have to find the high ground of opportunities this way, but we are where we are. So that's what we're going to do.”

— Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, outlining his strategy for cutting Pentagon spending to reporters on Thursday.

My Comment: And I thought President Bush was a terrible speaker.

Peace Talks To End The Afghan Conflict?

Afghanistan's Karzai In Qatar 'To Discuss Taliban Talks' -- BBC

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has arrived in Qatar on a two-day state visit for talks with Qatari officials.

The possibility of the Taliban opening a political office in Qatar is expected to be discussed, officials say.

The setting up of an office in Qatar is regarded as an important step in formalising a channel for peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

US-led Western troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Read more ....

My Comment: Afghan President Karzai is not scheduled to meet any Taliban officials or representatives while in Qatar .... at least publicly.

The Story Behind The Current Rise In Tensions On The Korean Peninsula (Video)

U.S. Reaction To North Korea's Declaration That It Was Entering "A State Of War" With South Korea

White House Takes N Korea Threat 'Seriously', But Koreans Keep Calm And Carry On -- The Telegraph

The White House said today that it takes North Korea's latest sabre-rattling threats seriously while cautioning that Pyongyang has a long history of bellicose rhetoric.

The statement from Washington came as South Korea said there had been no unusual activity within the North's military since an angry statement from Pyongyang last night that it is entering "a state of war" with its neighbour.

The belligerent declaration came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed off on an order putting its missile units on standby to attack US military bases in the South.

"We've seen reports of a new and unconstructive statement from North Korea. We take these threats seriously and remain in close contact with our South Korean allies," said Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.

Read more ....

More News On U.S. Reaction To North Korea's Declaration That It Was Entering "A State Of War" With South Korea

US takes North Korean threat 'seriously' as Pyongyang enters 'state of war' -- Times of India/Reuters
US warns North Korea of increased isolation if threats escalate further -- The Guardian
North Korea's Kim is making U.S. officials nervous -- L.A. Times
"North Korea is not going to war," senior U.S. official says -- CBS News
Aggressive talk from North Korea concerns U.S. leaders -- Washington Post

Update: This is going to ratchet up tensions even further .... U.S. Pledges Further Show of Force in Korea -- Wall Street Journal

Navy SEAL Team 6 Member Killed During A Parachute Training Exercise

Navy SEAL Team Six Member Died In Training Accident Where He Crashed Into Another Soldier During A Parachute Exercise -- Daily Mail

A member of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6 was killed in a mid-air collision during parachute training on Friday.

The service member who died was not identified, and one other Navy SEAL was involved in the incident suffering less severe injuries.

The second SEAL remains hospitalized and is being treated for his unspecified injuries.

Read more ....

Update: Official: Navy SEAL killed, another injured in Arizona training exercise -- CNN

My Comment: Out prayers are with the family and loved ones.

World News Briefs -- March 30, 2013

North Korea Says It Is In 'State of War' With South -- The Guardian

Official news agency continues stiff rhetoric with announcement that nation is entering state of war with neighbour

North Korea said on Saturday that it was entering a "state of war" with South Korea in a continuing escalation of tough rhetoric against Seoul and Washington after coming under international sanctions for its nuclear test.

"From this time on, the North-South relations will be entering the state of war and all issues raised between the North and the South will be handled accordingly," a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency said.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Arms shipments stepped up to Syria rebels.

Syrian rebels enter strategic Aleppo neighborhood.

Kuwait PM says two Kuwaitis among 94 accused in UAE plot trial.

Land Day: Riots in Qalandiya; clashes on Gaza border.

Jordan's king swears in new reformist government.

Yemen's victory: Getting everyone in the same room - with no swords drawn.

Egypt launches first direct flight to Iran in more than three decades.

ASIA

North Korea: 'Time has come to settle accounts' with United States.

Russia urges US and North Korea to show restraint.

Afghanistan's Karzai in Qatar 'to discuss Taliban talks.

Strong American role still exists at Afghan-controlled prison.

Karachi: Principal killed in grenade attack at school.

Nothing found in hunt for 83 miners buried in Tibet landslide.

AFRICA

France to stay course in Mali through 2013.

South Africa's Zuma to join summit on Central African Republic.

Ivory Coast to exhume bodies from post-election conflict.

Bashir to make first visit to South Sudan since split.

Kenya Supreme Court upholds Uhuru Kenyatta election win.

At least 17 dead in Tanzania building collapse.

Nelson Mandela breathing without difficulty - presidency. Nelson Mandela "comfortable", treated for pneumonia.

EUROPE

Bank of Cyprus depositors could lose up to 60% of their savings. Big depositors in Cyprus to lose far more than feared.

Slovenia will not be the next Cyprus: finance minister.

Italy's president says he won't stand down early to help end gridlock.

Russia raids hundreds of NGOs.

Sicily revokes permission for US military satellite station.

Ex-Anglican leader says Britain's PM alienating Christians.

Latvia rescues 220 people stranded on ice floes in Gulf of Riga.

AMERICAS

"North Korea is not going to war," senior U.S. official says.

Defense Department says giving Purple Heart to Fort Hood survivors would hurt Hasan trial.

Member of SEAL Team 6 killed, another SEAL injured in parachute accident.

Argentina offers to pay debts with cash & bonds.

Sparks fly in short campaign in Venezuela.

Police uses tear gas in row at Brazil World Cup stadium.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Free Syrian Army commander praises Al Nusrah Front as 'brothers.

Cyprus jails Hezbollah operative for Israel attacks plot.

New York to resume search for remains from September 11 attacks.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg faces $1 billion tax bill.

Newest Cyberattacks on US banks are destroying data rather than stealing it.

The countries that produce the most spam.

What Is The Damage That The North Korean Military Can Inflict In The Event Of A Shooting War

North Korea Could Inflict Significant Damage In Attack -- USA Today

WASHINGTON – North Korea's massive but poorly trained and equipped military could cause significant damage in the early stages of an attack on its southern neighbor.

But any attack would ultimately be repulsed by superior U.S. and South Korean forces, military analysts say.

It's unclear how serious North Korea is on following through on its threats, but North Korea has increased its bellicose rhetoric recently, renewing worries that its unpredictable leader, Kim Jong Un, could take actions that might trigger a wider conflict.

Read more ....

My Comment: I have mentioned more than once in the past that in the event of war, U.S. fatalities on the Korean Peninsula will quickly dwarf all U.S. fatalities in the past 10 years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. As to what the impact of war will be on the Korean peninsula .... South Korean civilian casualties will be in the tens of thousands, North Korean military casualties will reach horrendous levels from U.S. precision airstrikes, and the cost to the South Korean economy will be in the trillions. On a geopolitical level .... this will be the number one issue on the world stage for 2013 .... bar none.

List Of North Korea's Threats And Declarations For The Past Month

Kim Jong Un inspects the second battalion under the Korean People's Army Unit 1973, honored with the title of "O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment", on March 23, 2013, in this picture released on March 24, 2013. (Reuters/KCNA)

A Running List Of North Korea's Near-Daily Threats (Updated) -- Passport/Foreign Policy

If you're having a hard time keeping track of the multitude of threats issued by North Korea in the last few weeks, you're not alone: Kim Jong Un's young regime is on a seemingly endless tear of warnings and provocations. From threats of a nuclear holocaust to artillery strikes near disputed borders, here are the latest shots across the bow from the Hermit Kingdom, beginning with those that followed international sanctions over Pyongyang's third nuclear test in February:

Read more ....

Update: North Korea: timeline of escalating threats -- The Telegraph

My Comment: Is this all planned .... or just being down on an ad-hoc basis .... no one knows. But I do agree with what Russia's foreign minister said yesterday .... this is all spiraling out of control.

North Korea's Official Declaration Of ‘War’

Here’s North Korea’s Official Declaration Of ‘War’ -- Washington Post

A few notes about this document just released by North Korean state media.

First, North and South Korea have technically been at a state of war since the Korean War began six decades ago. So, while this “declaration of war” certainly sounds scary, the rhetoric alone does not change anything substantial.

Second, North Korea does not appear to have taken many concrete steps toward actual war. There have been no reports, for example, of the country massing its troops along the border. War is a big, complicated logistical undertaking, especially when you’re a particularly poor country trying to shuffle 1.1. million troops into place. They’re not exactly a lightening-response force.

Read more ....

Update: North Korea's 'state of war' declaration: full text -- The Telegraph

My Comment: Over the years I have read many of North Korea's government statements .... but I have never read anything like this. We are now in uncharted waters.

North Korea: State Of War With South Korea

North Korea Says It’s In ‘State Of War’ With South Korea -- Bloomberg Businessweek

North Korea said it’s in a “state of war” with South Korea, escalating threats against the neighboring nation a day after putting its forces on standby to strike South Korean and U.S. targets.

“Every issue raised between the North and South will be dealt with in a wartime manner,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said today, citing what it called a special statement. U.S. stealth bomber flights over South Korea this week are “unacceptable” and North Korea’s statement is a “final warning” to the U.S. and its allies, KCNA said.

Read more ....

More News On north Korea's Statement That They Are In A 'State Of War' With South Korea

North Korea says it is entering 'state of war' with South -- NBC
North Korea says enters "state of war" against South -- Reuters
North Korea enters 'state of war' with South -- BBC
North Korea: 'state of war' against South Korea -- The Telegraph
The Korean Peninsula’s ‘State of War’ -- Wall Street Journal
North Korea warns South Korea of ‘state of war,’ threatens to close joint factory park -- Washington Post/AP
North Korea’s war threats are unacceptable, says Seoul -- Euronews
South Korea Warns North of Punishment Should War Declaration Go Beyond Words -- Voice of America
US warns North Korea of increased isolation if threats escalate further -- The Guardian
North Korea's Kim is making U.S. officials nervous -- L.A. Times
"North Korea is not going to war," senior U.S. official says -- CBS News
Aggressive talk from North Korea concerns U.S. leaders -- Washington Post

Spanish Tiger Attack Helicopter in Afghanistan.

Tiger Attack Helicopter Spanish Army Airmobile Force (FAMET) in Afghanistan.

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- News Updates March 29, 2013

Command and control: the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. There is a risk that an apocalyptic war with South Korea is the logical end result of the North's bizarre ideology Photo: Reuters

The Korean Threat -- Telegraph editorial

No matter how ridiculous the North Korean regime might appear, the West cannot ignore its constant threats and insults.

The mindset of North Korea’s Stalinist leadership is difficult to fathom. Even though the dictatorship is isolated and bankrupt, it invites war by taunting its South Korean neighbour and threatening to attack United States bases in the Pacific. These could be empty words. Kim Jong-un’s regime has to deal with economic failure, defecting soldiers and an uncertain division of power between the military and the party – so this latest confrontation may be a rational attempt to shore up support at home by rattling a sabre at the enemy abroad.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Could a Korean Armageddon really happen? -- Aidan Foster-Carter, The Guardian

Why North Korea regime is scary -- Scott A. Snyder, Special to CNN

Analysis: NKorea threat may be more bark than bite -- Jean H. Lee, AP

Iraq may be destined for a break-up -- Henri J. Barkey, Gulf News

How Obama Is Failing Syria -- Fouad Ajami, Real Clear Politics

Israel and Turkey let bygones be bygones -- Washington Post editorial

How Turkey views Israel’s apology -- Aylin Kocaman, Jerusalem Post

What really happened in Jerusalem -- Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post

Iranian-Pakistan gas link has gains in pipeline for Zardari and Ahmadinejad -- Simon Tisdall, The Guardian

The Falklands: Small Islands, Big Questions -- William Ratliff, Real Clear Politics

World News Briefs -- March 29, 2013 (Evening Edition)

War bunker: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over an urgent operation meeting with his generals after the country put its rocket units on standby to attack U.S. military bases in South Korea and the Pacific.

Kim Jong Un Reveals His 'U.S. Mainland Strike Plan': Pictures Inside North Korean Leader's War Room Show Him Plotting To Attack America (With A Map Of Target Cities On The Wall Behind Him) -- Daily Mail

* Tens of thousands turn out for show of force in Kim Il Sung Square
* It follows images of U.S. stealth bombers flying over Pyeongtaek
* Tensions on Korean peninsula rising after Pyongyang's latest nuclear test

North Korea today released photographs of Kim Jong Un inside his military command centre signing the order to put rockets on standby to attack the U.S. mainland.

The pictures, which appeared in the state-run Rodong newspaper, show Kim surrounded by his generals, large-scale maps and diagrams during an 'emergency meeting' at an undisclosed location.

A chart marked 'U.S. mainland strike plan' appears to show missile trajectories that the NK News web site estimates targets Hawaii, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Lawlessness spreading in rebel-held Syria.

Syrian rebels capture key southern town.

Mortar kills 20 at Damascus university as Turkey denies expelling refugees.

Officials: Car bombs kill 19, wound 72 in Baghdad. Iraq: Car bombs hit worshippers in Baghdad and Kirkuk. Bombings kill 23, wound dozens in Iraq.

Iran criticizes Qatar for giving embassy to Syrian opposition.

Report: Israelis, Turks to meet next week.

Iraq says it will stop and search more of Syria-bound aircraft to check for weapons.

Israel ups security along Lebanon border ahead of Land Day.

Natural gas to begin flowing from Tamar field, off Israel's Mediterranean coast.

Jerusalem's long Good Friday: tears, prayers and rented crosses.

ASIA

Global powers cast wary eye as Korean tension escalates.

N. Korea's Kim aims rockets at DC, LA, Hawaii and Austin. NKorea orders rocket prep after US B-2 drill.

N Korea holds mass rally supporting Kim's call to arms.

Russia warns against military activity near North Korea. North Korea tensions: Russia's Lavrov fears 'spiral'.

China to spend $16 billion to tackle Beijing pollution crisis.

Taliban attack targets Pakistan security commander.

Chinese naval fleet heads deep into disputed waters.

Quarter of U.S. firms in China face data theft: business lobby.

Japanese study warns of China's rising military assertiveness.

Muslims vanish as Buddhist attacks approach Myanmar's biggest city.

11 killed in Pakistan suicide attack.

Taliban spread terror in Karachi as the new gang in town.

Shoe thrown at Pervez Musharraf as he gets bail extension.

Sri Lanka crowd attacks Muslim warehouse in Colombo.

AFRICA

Juba says Khartoum complicit in border raids.

French troops to remain in Mali all year.

UN approves DR Congo 'intervention brigade'.

Ousted Central African Republic leader Bozize seeks exile in W. African nation of Benin.

At least two dead in Tanzania construction site collapse.

Kenyan separatists deny being behind deadly resort attack.

Egypt's top Islamist accuses opposition of sowing unrest.

Britons in aid convoy kidnapped and sexually assaulted in Libya.

Nelson Mandela 'making steady progress' in hospital. Mandela making 'steady progress' in S Africa hospital.

EUROPE

Hundreds of migrants rescued off Italian coast.

Azeri election monitor under attack, rights worries grow.

Putin restores Soviet 'Hero of Labour' title.

Cyprus says threat contained, no plan to leave euro.

Attempt to end Italy crisis stalls, president mulls next move.

Defiant Francois Hollande pledges supertax on companies.
Putin promotes Russian People's Front as new power base.

Bosnia's 'Monster of Grbavica' gets 45 years.

Serbs in Kosovo jailed over deadly riots.

French tycoon Alain Afflelou's private jet used for £40m cocaine trafficking.

AMERICAS

White House to release budget plan on April 10.

Venezuela's precampaign season off to a roaring start.

Colombia kills leader of ELN guerrilla group during military operation

Departing UN official blasts Haiti's rights record.

Clashes as Chile students march for education reform.

7,000 dental patients warned of potential HIV, hepatitis exposure.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Gitmo prisoners on hunger strike demand bottled water. Guantanamo guard commander defends prison water.

American who fought with Al Qaeda against Syria's Assad arrested in Virginia.

France ready to blacklist armed wing of Hezbollah.

ECONOMY/FINANCE.BUSINESS

Amazon to buy Goodreads for undisclosed sum.

World's oldest bank reports £2.7bn loss.

BlackBerry prolongs its day of reckoning.

UN Approves A Combat Force To Target DR Congo Rebels

UN Combat Force To Target DR Congo Rebels -- BBC

The UN Security Council has approved the creation of a special combat force to carry out "targeted offensive operations" against armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

It is the first time the UN has given an offensive mandate to its troops.

The 2,500-strong brigade will be asked to "neutralise and disarm" rebels.

The existing 20,000-strong UN peacekeeping force has been widely criticised as ineffective in ending the two-decade long war.

Troops from Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa are expected to form the bulk of the new brigade which is expected to be deployed by July.

Read more ....

More News On The UN Approving A Combat Force To Target DR Congo Rebels

UN approves DR Congo 'intervention brigade' -- Al Jazeera
UN backs Congo peacekeeping force -- The Australian
Security Council Authorizes Intervention Force In DR Congo -- RTT News
UN Council approves 'offensive' peacekeepers for DR Congo -- The International News/AFP
Congo-Kinshasa: UN Security Council Creates Offensive Force for DR Congo -- allAfrica.com
DR Congo hails UN approval of 'offensive' peacekeepers -- Global Post/AFP

Heavy Fighting Reporting In South Sudan

Map of South Sudan. Image from Safari Notes

S.Sudan Says 150 Killed In Battle With Rebels -- Reuters

* S. Sudan struggles to assert authority in vast area
* Rebellion started last year following election loss

(Reuters) - More than 150 people have been killed in a battle between South Sudan's army and insurgents in the eastern Jonglei state, officials said on Thursday.

The African country's army earlier this month launched an offensive against rebels led by David Yau Yau in Jonglei where the government hopes to search for oil with the help of France's Total.

Since winning independence from Sudan in July 2011, South Sudan has been struggling to impose its authority across vast swathes of territory bristling with weapons after decades of civil war with Khartoum.

Yau Yau mounted a rebellion last year, with support from his Murle ethnic group, after losing local elections in 2010.

Read more ....

More News On Heavy Fighting Reported Between South Sudanese Troops And Rebels

South Sudan: Over 160 Killed As Army, Rebels Clash in S. Sudan -- allAfrica.com
South Sudan Clashes Over Airstrip Leave At Least 163 Killed -- Huffington Post/AP
143 Rebels Killed as South Sudan Captures Airstrip -- Voice of America
163 'killed' in clashes with rebels in South Sudan -- Africa Review
Juba Says Khartoum Complicit in Border Raids -- Voice of America

War In Mali -- News Updates March 29, 2013

France To Cut Mali Troops To 1,000 By Year-End -- Reuters

(Reuters) - France will reduce its troop numbers in Mali to 2,000 by July and to 1,000 by the end of the year, down from 4,000 at present, President Francois Hollande said on Thursday.


After its intervention in January to halt an advance by northern al Qaeda-linked rebels towards the capital Bamako, France is keen to wind down its presence quickly and hand over to African and U.N. troops.

Hollande said France was determined that Mali should hold elections as scheduled in July but insisted that France did not have a preferred candidate.

"The days when France chose Africa's heads of state for it are over," he told French television in an interview of more than one hour to defend his 10-month-old government's record.

Read more ....

More News On The Conflict In Mali

French troops to remain in Mali all year. -- The Telegraph
French Intervention In Mali To Continue Through End Of 2013, Hollande Says 1,000 Troops Will Remain -- Huffington Post/AP
France to cut troop levels in Mali -- CNN
France to reduce troop levels in Mali -- UPI
Mali conflict: Hollande sets French troop timetable -- BBC
France may permanently station soldiers in Mali -- RT
63 soldiers, 600 Islamists dead since January: Malian army -- Times of India/AFP
UN Considers Mali Stabilization Mission -- Voice of America
UN’s Ban Recommends Putting 11,200 Peacekeepers in Mali -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Mali: UN's Ban Ki-Moon - 11,200 Peacekeepers Could Be Needed for Mali -- allAfrica.com
Ban calls for peacekeepers in Mali -- UPI
Ban proposes Mali peacekeeping force -- Al Jazeera
British troops arrive in Mali -- UPI
UK troops arrive in Mali to help train soldiers -- BBC
Mali secular rebels who oppose military presence in north Kidal region appoint administrator -- Washington Post/AP
Mali’s coup leader: ‘Coup isn’t a nice word’ -- Max Fisher, Washington Post