Even as the Mideast is sliding relentlessly toward a major regional war with global consequences (as documented in my previous blog), the Korean Peninsula is now sliding toward a possible war as well. As reported in this blog some time ago, North Korea was immediately suspected as the culprit when a South Korean warship was torpedoed recently. It sank with heavy loss of life. The South Koreans raised the two halves of the sunken ship and conducted an investigation which conclusively documents that a North Korean torpedo sunk the South Korean ship. The first link below offers several photos presented by the South Korean investigators which even show that remnants of the North Korean torpedo were found in the wreckage (explanatory notes are to the right of each slide)!
South Korean President has “vowed stern action” and “resolute countermeasures” against North Korea for this act of war against South Korea. The slide show in the first link also includes slides of South Koreans demanding harsh retaliation against North Korea. While the rest of the world will likely try to limit South Korea’s retaliation to a “wimpy” form of retaliation such as financial countermeasures, it is hard to see how mild actions could fulfill the vow by South Korea’s President to retaliate with “stern action.” It also seems that only an act of war which spills North Korean blood will satisfy the South Korean public and prevent a severe “loss of face” by South Korea’s leader if he does not back up his “vow” with deeds. Japan has also expressed support for South Korea.
The stakes are very large. The third link reports that North Korea promises an “all out war” against South Korea if South Korea retaliates against North Korea for North Korea’s act of war. North Korea says they didn’t “do it,” but they lied continuously about developing nuclear weapons right up to the time they detonated a small nuclear device so North Korea’s words are not credible. I believe South Korea’s conclusions about the matter.
If a major war does break out in the Mideast and another war breaks out in the Korean Peninsula, the global consequences will be hard to overstate. The USA has so reduced its military forces since the “end” of the Cold War that it has no significant reserves left to support its deployed forces in the Mideast, Afghanistan and South Korea (all of which would likely be targeted if these wars occur). President Obama could potentially have to order the use of nuclear weapons to save deployed American military forces whether he wishes to do so or not. If the USA is overwhelmed with two new wars in addition to the Afghan War, that would be the perfect time for China to attack Taiwan as the USA would have virtually nothing available to help Taiwan if that happened. Since North Korea is China’s eccentric pawn, could North Korea be carrying out instructions from China?
These possible wars may occur or they may be deferred until later, but some of these latter-day “rumors of wars” (prophesied by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:6) will eventually turn into hot wars. We will have to wait and see which ones become actual shooting wars. However, it is clear the level of global danger is rising fast.
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/world/2010/05/20/south-korea-accuses-north-torpedo-attack/#slide=1
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/7013298.html
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05/19/skorean-president-vows-stern-action-nkorea-sinking-warship/
