North Korea - how serious should we take them?

[Halmyre]

KTF said:

If it was VX, how would the person be able to have it on a cloth, hold it over his face and then escape without being exposed to it themselves?

Cloth with a plastic backing, or wearing gloves? Some of the news articles mention that one of the perpetrators has had vomiting fits.

[eharding]

KTF said:

If it was VX, how would the person be able to have it on a cloth, hold it over his face and then escape without being exposed to it themselves?

Perhaps the attackers dosed themselves with atropine and pralidoxime beforehand?

[Dan_1981]

Stabbed herself in the heart afterwords.

The latest reports state that she was also ill with vomitting / seizures.

[dudleybloke]

Nothing to do with fast Vauxhalls then?

[Yipper]

hidetheelephants said:

Yipper said:

Red Army peaked at 10m and they won the war. It's been done before and can be done again.

China is, and feels, surrounded by the West. Both in real terms (half-million soldiers) and perception (dozens of foreign ships in the South China Sea).

There were nothing like 10m Russians engaged in europe, and there's plenty of testimony to the fact units went without food or supplies on a regular basis, particularly in winter.

Ships in international water? Just because it's called the South China Sea does not make it their property. They are not surrounded, they're just paranoid middle-kingdom obsessed loonies.

Red Army peaked at 10m in WW2 and they won. Simples.

Sounds a bit racist. China is entitled to feel surrounded with multiple enemies (perceived or real) on its doorstep.

[Yipper]

eharding said:

KTF said:

If it was VX, how would the person be able to have it on a cloth, hold it over his face and then escape without being exposed to it themselves?

Perhaps the attackers dosed themselves with atropine and pralidoxime beforehand?

Some are speculating it was Russian VX suspended dormant in oil that is activated when agitated on human skin (or any hard surface). It is called an "all or nothing" attack. Nothing happens when inactive, but everyone dies when active. Wearing gloves stopped the VX going transdermal (through the skin), but the attacker may have caught some fumes (hence the vomiting).

It is a curious attack. If it really happened as they say -- two dupes thinking they were on TV wiped the world's deadliest chemical on a high-value target and nobody else died -- it will go down in history as one of the "great" assassinations (for want of a better phrase).

[Matthen]

Yipper said:

eharding said:

KTF said:

If it was VX, how would the person be able to have it on a cloth, hold it over his face and then escape without being exposed to it themselves?

Perhaps the attackers dosed themselves with atropine and pralidoxime beforehand?

Some are speculating it was Russian VX suspended dormant in oil that is activated when agitated on human skin (or any hard surface). It is called an "all or nothing" attack. Nothing happens when inactive, but everyone dies when active. Wearing gloves stopped the VX going transdermal (through the skin), but the attacker may have caught some fumes (hence the vomiting).

It is a curious attack. If it really happened as they say -- two dupes thinking they were on TV wiped the world's deadliest chemical on a high-value target and nobody else died -- it will go down in history as one of the "great" assassinations (for want of a better phrase).

Potentially. The alternative is this is a precursor to WW3 - As said - VX is a weapon of mass destruction. That combined with the volatile situation in america could lead to anything... One wonders why VX was chosen; unless the assasins didn't know what it was, and the plan was they all died.

The whole thing stinks a bit - I doubt we'll ever know the truth of it.

[jmorgan]

If it they were not concerned over chemical warheads, the are now.

[Yipper]

Matthen said:

Yipper said:

eharding said:

KTF said:

If it was VX, how would the person be able to have it on a cloth, hold it over his face and then escape without being exposed to it themselves?

Perhaps the attackers dosed themselves with atropine and pralidoxime beforehand?

Some are speculating it was Russian VX suspended dormant in oil that is activated when agitated on human skin (or any hard surface). It is called an "all or nothing" attack. Nothing happens when inactive, but everyone dies when active. Wearing gloves stopped the VX going transdermal (through the skin), but the attacker may have caught some fumes (hence the vomiting).

It is a curious attack. If it really happened as they say -- two dupes thinking they were on TV wiped the world's deadliest chemical on a high-value target and nobody else died -- it will go down in history as one of the "great" assassinations (for want of a better phrase).

Potentially. The alternative is this is a precursor to WW3 - As said - VX is a weapon of mass destruction. That combined with the volatile situation in america could lead to anything... One wonders why VX was chosen; unless the assasins didn't know what it was, and the plan was they all died.

The whole thing stinks a bit - I doubt we'll ever know the truth of it.

The UN have known about North Korea's chem weapons for years. Little they can do about it because of China and Russia protecting them.

Agree, it is unlikely we will ever know the full truth. But it does seem to be a political assassination with a poison of some sort. That part, for now, seems to be true.

Some photos of suspects popping up.

[RemyMartin81D]

VX has always scared the st out of me. At least in a nuke attack unless your unlucky, death is fairly quick/instant.

VX you die in excruciating pain :-(

[gruffalo]

RemyMartin81D said:

VX has always scared the st out of me. At least in a nuke attack unless your unlucky, death is fairly quick/instant.

VX you die in excruciating pain :-(

Yep, cramp in every muscle in your body, and not just normal cramp but so violent that tendons rip apart and bones break.

It takes several minutes to die from until lack of oxygen kills the brain.

Lovely.

[V8A*ndy]

Yipper said:

The UN have known about North Korea's chem weapons for years. Little they can do about it because of China and Russia protecting them.

Agree, it is unlikely we will ever know the full truth. But it does seem to be a political assassination with a poison of some sort. That part, for now, seems to be true.

Some photos of suspects popping up.

Someone read her name out and I don't know why but I heard it as "Doan nothing Wong"

[Yipper]

Looks like North Korean agents / hired-help tried to break into the Malaysian morgue and steal the guy's dead body a few days ago.

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21717823-worlds...

[FourWheelDrift]

Yipper said:

Looks like North Korean agents / hired-help tried to break into the Malaysian morgue and steal the guy's dead body a few days ago.

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21717823-worlds...

They are time travelling too, date of that piece says "Mar 4th 2017 | SEOUL"

It's only the 2nd today, even allowing for being ahead on the world timeline they could only be on the 3rd.

It's all a fake news conspiracy

[hidetheelephants]

Yipper said:

Sounds a bit racist. China is entitled to feel surrounded with multiple enemies (perceived or real) on its doorstep.

Regarding the most laughable solipsists on the block as loonies is racist? If you say so.

[jmorgan]

They have been popping off a few rockets again.

Sort of "hey Trump, look this way....."

[AreOut]

too bad KJU doesn't use twitter, a twitter rant between Trump and him would be amusing

[FourWheelDrift]

KTF said:

If it was VX, how would the person be able to have it on a cloth, hold it over his face and then escape without being exposed to it themselves?

I think I have read that whatever it was used (VX or other) it was in two parts, one from behind wiped the first part over his face, on it's on own harmless and the other sprayed the 2nd part in his face, the mix created the toxin.

[MartG]

I see diplomatic relations are at the same level of a couple of six-year-olds fighting

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39189381?ocid...

[Cobnapint]

MartG said:

I see diplomatic relations are at the same level of a couple of six-year-olds fighting

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39189381?ocid...

Not really. Malaysia is stopping people leaving because they believe there's a couple of murderous commies hiding in the Embassy.

NK is stopping Malaysians leaving because they've been sussed out and can't do much about it.