All that sound and fury, signifying...?

http://news.insing.com/tabloid/n-korea-declares-state-of-war-with-south/id-b3703f00

Yup, that's the news making the headlines (see insing.com story above). Helpfully fuelling the tensions, the US announced that "nuclear-capable" B-52 bombers and B-2 stealth bombers were in the area:


"As tensions escalated, Washington has maintained a notably assertive stance, publicising its use of nuclear-capable B-52s and B-2 stealth bombers in... war games. The long-distance deployment of both sets of aircraft out of bases in Guam and the US mainland were intended as a clear signal of US commitment to defending South Korea against any act of aggression."

The US Embassy even put this picture, of a B-2 being refuelled, on Twitter (I don't know what the words in the Korean language mean though, although I strongly suspect the person assigned to write the caption wished he were allowed -- in Stranglovian fashion -- to say "Up Yours, KJU!"...

Both ST and TODAY also splashed this latest Korean peninsula crisis on their prime pages:

But, talk to knowledgeable South Koreans, and most of them will say "Ho-hum". Still, there is a risk the North Koreans will attack a border community, as they have done previously, while banking on the South Koreans to "bite their tongues" and do nothing. This time round, though, the government in Seoul cannot be seen to be weak. Times have changed. So there is some risk.

As for the US trumpeting its B-52s and B-2s as "nuclear-capable", what is it trying to say? If the meaning is "capable of carrying nuclear weapons", then say so! Even then, is there an insinuation that these bombers will actually drop nuclear weapons on North Korea? C'mon, if -- and only if --the situation warrants a military strike on the North, precision-guided munitions (PGMs) such as homing missiles will likely be used by the US, and probably from offshore naval assets.

As for the ST and TODAY headlines above, the preferred terminology is "missiles" when referring to the weapons of war and "rockets" when referring to the launch vehicles used for civilian purposes such as satellite launches. So, TODAY got it right, not ST.

I had, in fact, written a commentary article, "Rocket science... it's about rocket signs too",  that was published in ST in April last year. I posted it on my blog entry of April 23.

So, don't expect real fireworks over the Korean peninsula. But watch the drama; it's not over yet.

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Pastor Kang Ho Soon (a fellow former Bukomite) and his wife Yeok Lung sent out this greeting:

Dear loved ones and friends,

"Easter is a time of Hope and Joy.....          a time to share God's Love
                       with those we love most."

A Happy and Blessed Easter to you and your loved ones!

Ho Soon + Yeok
"Because I live, you shall live also." ~ Jesus Christ (John 14:19)