(April 12, 2017 at 11:52 am)Iroscato Wrote: Now I'm imagining an entire carrier group whistling nonchalantly as it drifts casually within NK waters, which would be hilarious if the possible fallout (both figurative and literal) wasn't so fucking terrifying to consider.
Back in the early '80s the cruiser I was stationed on did a "freedom of navigation" exercise north of the 38th Parallel, and WEST of North Korea. The NORKs had declared that area off limits to anyone who didn't have a border on the gulf. So we sailed right in there, Midway battlegroup being the pointy end of the spear and we were leading that bunch. About midnight I came on deck to have a coffin nail before crashing. As I looked off to the north I saw running lights from an airplane, it was coming at us full tilt and about 100 feet off the deck. Turned out to be a Russian "Bear" bomber, the one they copied from WWII B-29s that were interned after making emergency landings in Russia. It's nuclear capable, btw. She buzzed us a few times then went home. Just showin' some love, you know.
Point is that we've been doing this kind of thing for a long time. No nuclear action so far.
