Jim Morin for May 27, 2010

If this leads to war

(and it wont, because he really is just a small frog and a small pond, and China will probably stomp on him if he does anything that hurts business)

but if it does we will be in the amusing position, since China supports North Korea and gives it millions, that our tax money will used by both sides, since we are paying China billions in interest on the loans that Bush took out to pay for his wars.

I’ll bet a torpedo will take out Seoul real easy.

Considering the anti US demonstrations and rhetoric of much of the population of S. Korea, I am a bit conflicted about our continued presence there.

Of all the ungrateful nations of the World, that continue to exist because of the US actions on their behalf, the S. Koreans take one of the top prizes.

My son served in the military and was stationed in so.Korea near the DMZ. He met his wife (of 25 years) there. He also worked there for two years as a civilian, (in Seoul) and his son went to school there. He has mentioned to me several times how the South Koreans love America.

His wife, who is now a naturalized American citizen,

has experienced MUCH prejudice in this country, yet she continues in her sweet forgiving nature.

I’m not saying ALL So. Koreans are this way, but the majority are grateful to have the protection of the American military.

^ I’m glad your son and daughter-in-law are doing okay, it’s so unfortunate she’s experienced such prejudice.

I went to school with South Koreans (who were studying here largely to stay out of THEIR Army- sound familiar?) and have friends who served there and married Korean wives. S.Korea has built it’s own military, and has a really good fighter they developed that we refused them the electronics which would make it better than the F-16. They produce some pretty good cars and sell them here. They ARE an ally to this country, and it is largely OUR policies that have cost us more than necessary.

I am a little surprised that one of their ships actually DID get “torpedoed” given the high alert status they should have maintained- but remember the Pueblo??

The administration IS working with China on the “twit” issue- and maybe they will finally step up- but he does strike me as kind of the Asian Rush Limbaugh- the problem being his nut followers are an actual army.

Hmm… F-16’s are completely irrelevant in the face of the F-22 and F-35… wonder what that was about then?

We’d have to borrow money from China to wage war on their buddy.

Jade- just read the F-35 is 53% over budget, out-year maintenance projections heading toward a half-trillion $, PLUS purchase cost. The Korean F-50 is probably better than the 22 OR 35. Reading up on the F-35 “sophisticated” “low image” covering, makes me think of the 45 year old Lotus in my garage.

From what I just read the F-50 is a version of the T-50 and it’s classified as a “light fighter.” It apparently has a very attractive cost and maintenance… but in combat it’s still nothing compared to the F-22… . There’s nothing in the world that can compete with that plane… so beyond the cost of the plane there’s really no reason to make so many… which is why that project was stopped, “why make something you don’t need because no one else’s is anywhere close?”

The F/A-50 is a single-seat fighter/attack variant based on the T-50. It is equipped with the Israeli EL/M-2032 pulse-Doppler radar, extra fuel tanks, enhanced avionics, FLIR, RWR, counter-measure dispersion system (CMDS), a longer radome and a tactical datalink.[11][12] The EL/M-2032 was chosen over Lockheed Martin’s preferred AN/APG-67(V)4 radar or the AESA SELEX Vixen 500E.[13] In December 2008, South Korea awarded a contract to Korea Aerospace Industries to convert four T-50s to F/A-50 standards by 2012. The Republic of Korea Air Force has requested to have 60 F/A-50 fighters by 2013 and eventually acquire 150 F/A-50s to replace A-37 Dragonfly attack aircraft along with F-4 Phantom II and Northrop F-5 fighters. Wikipedia: T-50 Golden Eagle

I will say that I am biased about the F-22/F-35. The company I work for has a large stake in the aircraft… however a lot of my friends are defense contractors also… they’re of the consensus that nothing challenges those planes.

The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 during the years prior to formally entering USAF service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite a protracted and costly development period, the United States Air Force considers the F-22 a critical component for the future of US tactical air power, and claims that the aircraft is unmatched by any known or projected fighter,[2] while Lockheed Martin claims that the Raptor’s combination of stealth, speed, agility, precision and situational awareness, combined with air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities, makes it the best overall fighter in the world today.[6] Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, Chief of the Australian Defence Force, said in 2004 that the “F-22 will be the most outstanding fighter plane ever built.”[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-22_Raptor

If there was to be a war between North Korea and America, it would already have been declared.

Glad he survived, Radish.