North Korea threatens attack on U.S. Bases in Pacific

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - North Korea is ramping up its rhetoric against the United States. According to KCNA news, Pyongyang argues "the U.S. is still making a foolish attempt to test the DPRK's will and dampen its resolute decision through high-handed hostile acts including nuclear blackmail, failing to properly understand about its rival."

The statement appears to be in response to Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's recent visit to Seoul, South Korea during which he announced that B52 bombers were participating in military exercises with their allies. As we reported Carter is traveling through the Asia Pacific region meeting with leaders from Japan, Seoul, Manila and Jakarta. As part of the discussions he reportedly has been talking about regional security including the threat from North Korea.

According to the article on KCNA:

The U.S. is now introducing B-52, nuclear-powered submarines and other nuclear strike means into south Korea and its vicinity in a bid to test the DPRK's will and break its resolute determination.
    The flying corps of strategic bombers equipped with nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered submarines serve as "the three major nuclear mainstays" and "the three major nuclear strike means" along with intercontinental ballistic missiles that the U.S. brandishes as means of blackmail as it pleases.
    What should not be overlooked is that the U.S. picked up B-52 and nuclear-powered submarines out of these nuclear strike means to send them to the sky above south Korea and its waters for a nuclear strike drill under the simulated conditions of an actual war against the DPRK. The U.S. is openly calling it a strong warning message to the DPRK and is claiming in public that it would continue such threat and blackmail against the DPRK in the future.
    But the army and people of the DPRK will never be frightened at such a warning message, threat and blackmail.
    The U.S. should not forget that the Anderson Air Force Base on Guam where B-52 takes off and naval bases in Japan proper and Okinawa where nuclear-powered submarines are launched are within the striking range of the DPRK's precision strike means.
    Now that the U.S. started open nuclear blackmail and threat, the DPRK, too, will move to take corresponding military actions.

Here on island,  Guam Buildup Office Director Mark Calvo is confident Guam is shielded from any potential threat from North Korea " Obviously the Guam community is not the motor role of defending ourselves, but fortunately we have significant Department of Defense assets not just here on Guam in bases, but deployed in and around the Pacific Ocean, and there's some indication that a threat to that or an execution of a threat would be met with defensive action and if needed offensive action to stop the threat," he told KUAM today.