An Old US Tradition Comes Alive Again

“On February 8, 2015, North Korea test fired five of what it termed “cutting edge” anti-ship missiles. … the successful testing of anti-ship missiles at a range of 200 km, as reported by South Korea’s defense ministry, is a development of note but not of alarm.”

“The Diplomat” Feb., 2015“

“North Korea threatened the US with “merciless” attacks if an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson, which is currently taking part in joint South Korean drills “infringes on its sovereignty or dignity”

Reuters, March 2017

The North Korean anti-ship missile is a sea-skimming, high speed missile with a single-missile hit probability of 70%. The North Koreans have the latest Russian version (shown above) of these mothers. We don’t know how many, but with a single-hit kill probability of 70% how many would it take? (They are also land, air and sub-launched.) The USS Carl Vinson is a rather large target, and even if it is well defended, the only question in my mind is what happens when North Korea launches a swarm of Silkworms at the Vinson.

I think we’re going to see the first example of what many people have been saying – the US carrier fleet is an expensive, vulnerable and obsolete floating target. It is a US version of France’s impregnable “Maginot Line”, and the Silkworm is the NK version of the German Panzers, already positioned for the NK version of the German end-run through the Ardennes that rendered all that expensive French military “planning” irrelevant.

I am sorry for all the men and women who have been sent into range of this North Korean ship-killer, because I think that Kim is literally insane enough to launch his missiles at the Vinson and not really care what happens next.

How many wars has the US started by taunting “the enemy” with a ship or two and then using the attack as an excuse? It’s an old tradition among really stupid people who love war and don’t care about how many Americans and of course other, lesser people die.

Going down in a blaze of glory will suit Kim just fine.