"War With North Korea Suddenly No Laughing Matter"

While American media has been engaged in a sex-scandal feeding-frenzy, North Korea "Decoders" have been frantically sounding alarms of a nuclear North Korea.

According to The Wall Street Journal:

"North Korea boasts about its nuclear weapons program by releasing photos and videos of its missiles. But in them are tiny clues to their true capability. A team of U.S. analysts, working outside the government, shows how they decode these images to determine when North Korea is bluffing--and when it is showing true power."

The consensus? North Korea isn't bluffing.

Long dismissed as a joke, North Korea "...is far more sophisticated than most people realize," claims Jeffrey Lewis of Middleberry Institute of International Studies.

Lewis' team analyzes video footage frame-by-frame and are able to determine an accurate estimate of North Korea's true capabilities, including:

• type of fuel used
• engine power
• potential distance capabilities
• size and weight of missiles
• whether they have nuclear warheads

According to Lewis and other open source independent researchers, they provide a 'check' when government public statements don't match up with private analysis.

For instance, while testifying at the U.N. Security Council, Ambassador Nikki Haley said, "North Korea has not yet passed the point of no return," in regards to nuclear weapons.

"Not true," says Lewis. "They're wrong. North Korea already has nuclear weapons. The door for a military option is basically closed."

Lewis' position is based on two assumptions:

1. some missiles are already armed with nuclear warheads
2. destroying all of North Korea's missiles wouldn't be possible

Lewis believes video footage suggests North Korea is capable of horizontal fueling, meaning the missiles can be prepared for launch hidden in tunnels without being detected.

So even a 'decapitation strike' that takes out leader Kim Jong-Un would not stop a nuclear armed North Korea. Apparently, things have gone too far for that.

A wise man once said: "I expect North Korea and Iran to simultaneously create 'war' in the near future intending to destroy, distract and/or disable Israel and the USA and this, possibly before years' end..." --Pastor Jack Hibbs, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" --John 14:27.

News:

• WashingtonTimes.com: Fresh concern over possible Iran-North Korea nuclear links; U.S. national security circles worry about depth of military cooperation.
• CNN.com: For the first time since the end of the Cold War, Hawaii will test nuclear sirens; Nikki Haley: "If war comes, we will destroy North Korea."
• HAARETZ,com: North Korea fires ballistic missile it says can reach mainland United States. Trump says: "I can only tell you that we will take care of it." 

"Kim Jong-Un: Crazy Fat Kid or Credible Threat?"

On December 30, 2011, North Korea, already a rogue state, became much more dangerous when 27-year old Kim Jong-Un assumed power.

Almost from the get-go, Kim was mocked for his bizarre behavior and "that chubby face", as described by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday.

"He's a fool," Duterte said, "and a son-of-a-..." (you -know-what) who is "playing with dangerous toys."

Last March the North Korean dictator went ballistic after Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called him a "crazy fat kid".

"China is the only one that can control Kim Jong-Un, this crazy fat kid that's running North Korea," McCain said.

Enraged, Kim responded by calling McCain's remarks, "tantamount to a declaration of war."

Fast forward 5 months, 11 missile tests, and escalating war provocations pouring out of North Korea, and we have this: U.S. officials believe Kim Jong-Un has built a miniaturized warhead and has an arsenal of 60 nuclear bombs capable of hitting Hawaii, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

Suddenly, this roly-poly-little-fat-faced twerp seems like a credible threat that has the world holding its breath as war rhetoric reaches crisis level.

Kim Jong-Un and Trump Locked In Extraordinary Standoff

A wise man once said: "North Korea risks the end of its regime and the destruction of its people if it does not back down. It is grossly outmatched by the allied armies now pitted against it..." -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you" (Isaiah 43:1-2).

News:

• DEBKAfile: U.S. Defense Secretary warns N. Korea to stop before it is destroyed; strongest terms yet.
• NBC News: Reports that N. Korea has fitted nuclear warheads onto missiles were confirmed on Thursday.
• The Washington Times: Military solution in place to address N. Korea threat says Defense Secretary on Thursday 

"World Instability"

Inch by inch, step by step, national security experts see the risk of nuclear conflict slowly creeping up on the world.

Late last year the Project for Study of the 21st Century (PS21) released a poll of 50 experts from around the globe including:

• leading international relations academics
• former senior military officials
• private sector political risk specialists

"This is the first survey we know of like this," said Peter Apps, executive director at PS21. "There has been plenty of talk of rising tensions with Russia and China in particular, but it's very rare to try and put numbers on that."

So what were the numbers? 52% of the experts believe the risk of a nuclear conflict between great powers would grow over the next 10 years, with 80% expecting proxy confrontations and other forms of "ambiguous warfare" to also increase.

Peter Apps went on to explain: "the aggregate figures show that most major potential for nuclear or conventional wars seem broadly unlikely--but the numbers are still high enough to be worrying. Clearly this is a risk that cannot be entirely discounted."

And now we've got tensions between China and the Philippines escalating dangerously over competing claims in the South China Sea after an international court ruled against Beijing's territorial claims.

China has vowed to ignore the ruling and Beijing's ambassador to the United States warned the decision will "intensify conflict and even confrontation."

Meanwhile, North Korea, under Kim Jong Un, is busy becoming more and more unpredictable. Aggressively arming his nuclear weapons and missile systems, the young Kim is beginning to pose a major threat.

With the added distraction of trying to rein in Russia, Iran, and Syria, the 65 million refugees and protecting our borders (and not to mention the growing threat from terrorism), the next U.S. President will definitely have his/her hands full. 

A wise man once said: " Nobody wants or should even contemplate the use of force. Hopefully the Chinese will come to realize that they have more to lose than to gain from creating a chaotic, lawless situation." -- Paul Reichler, Washington attorney

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains..." Matthew 24:6-8

News:

• Reuters: China Blames United States For Stirring Up Trouble In South China Sea; vows to protect rights
• NBC News: Germany's Open-Arms Refugee Policy Is Taking A Toll; 2.1 million immigrants since last year.
• AP: U.S. Offers Russia New Military Partnership In Syria; dramatic result expected 

"Worldwide Threat Assessment"

Last month, the Senate Intelligence Committee held hearings on “Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States.” All the top dogs were there, including the directors of the CIA, FBI, and National Intelligence.

The assessment?

Move over terrorists— you've been supplanted by something bigger and even more terrifying—cyber-attacks.

That’s right; al-Qaida is old school. Times have changed and the biggest threat now facing the U.S. is technology. Technology that is evolving so fast, even the top security experts are unable to keep up.

James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, told the committee, “In some cases, the world is applying digital technologies faster than our ability to understand the security implications and mitigate potential threats.”

Clapper played down the likelihood of catastrophic attacks on the United States in the near term—but should we believe him? He just admitted they don’t have the ability to understand the risks, let alone stop them.

Other potential threats?

• ·         North Korea
• ·         Syria
• ·         Iran

While North Korea has always been belligerent, lately they've really been ratcheting up the rhetoric. Saying things like nukes “are our country’s life” and declaring on Saturday that it was entering a “state of war” with South Korea. The general consensus? There doesn't seem to be one. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday that North Korea's provocations are " a real and clear danger and threat" to U.S. interests and Washington is taking them seriously. Others believe it's just another game of saber rattling in exchange for aid. Even though this latest string of nasty outbursts is predictable, Kim Jong Un is not.

What about Syria?

The U.S. spy agencies assessed the Syrian situation as ‘eroding’. It seems the government of President Bashar al-Assad is hanging on by a thread. Assad’s forces have stopped insurgents from seizing cities such as Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs, but the agencies say insurgents have been gaining strength in rural areas.

Imagine how well they’d do if they had a little help?

And last, but not least, there’s Iran.

In spite of what you might have heard, and what Ahmadinejad has said, the intelligence community does not believe Iran’s leadership has decided to build a nuclear weapon.

Oh…well. As long as they haven’t actually decided…

And there you have it. Cyber-attacks lead the pack followed by North Korea, Syria, and Iran. Our top dogs know what the problems are. All they need now are some solutions.

A wise man once: "There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know...I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14

News

• Drudge Report: North Korea dramatically escalated its warlike rhetoric on Thursday, warning of plans for nuclear strikes on U.S. targets
• BBC: U.S. to move missile defenses to Guam as North Korea steps up its warlike rhetoric
• Washington Free Beacon: Military build-up in China near allied, North Korean border appears linked to Korean peninsula crisis
• Breitbart.com: Russia on Wednesday said it was worried by the "explosive" North Korea situation, saying even a simple human error could cause crisis to spiral out of control.