Trump tells Duterte of two U.S. nuclear subs in Korean waters: NYT

[homersapien 10,945]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-submarines-idUSKBN18K15Y

U.S. President Donald Trump told his Philippine counterpart that Washington has sent two nuclear submarines to waters off the Korean peninsula, the New York Times said, comments likely to raise questions about his handling of sensitive information.

Trump has said "a major, major conflict" with North Korea is possible because of its nuclear and missile programs and that all options are on the table but that he wants to resolve the crisis diplomatically.

North Korea has vowed to develop a missile mounted with a nuclear warhead that can strike the mainland United States, saying the program is necessary to counter U.S. aggression.

Trump told Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Washington had "a lot of firepower over there", according to the New York Times, which quoted a transcript of an April 29 call between the two.

"We have two submarines — the best in the world. We have two nuclear submarines, not that we want to use them at all," the newspaper quoted Trump as telling Duterte, based on the transcript.

The report was based on a Philippine transcript of the call that was circulated on Tuesday under a "confidential" cover sheet by the Americas division of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

In a show of force, the United States has sent the nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to waters off the Korean peninsula, where it joined the USS Michigan, a nuclear submarine that docked in South Korea in late April.

According to the Times, a senior Trump administration official in Washington, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the call and insisted on anonymity, confirmed the transcript was an accurate representation of the call between the two leaders.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have said Trump discussed intelligence about Islamic State with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak at talks in the Oval Office this month, raising questions about Trump's handling of secrets.

Trump also praised Duterte for doing an "unbelievable job on the drug problem", the New York Times reported, a subject that has drawn much criticism in the West.

Almost 9,000 people, many small-time users and dealers, have been killed in the Philippines since Duterte took office on June 30. Police say about one-third of the victims were shot by officers in self-defense during legitimate operations.

[AUUSN 823]

It's totally cool because the President can divulge anything he sees fit, or something like that. 

 

We do not, ever, discuss ship movements.

 

[TexasTiger 11,642]

2 hours ago, AUUSN said:

It's totally cool because the President can divulge anything he sees fit, or something like that. 

 

We do not, ever, discuss ship movements.

 

If someone still can't see this guy is an incompetent moron-- at best-- they don't want the truth. Cultists.

[homersapien 10,945]

4 hours ago, AUUSN said:

It's totally cool because the President can divulge anything he sees fit, or something like that. 

 

We do not, ever, discuss ship movements.

 

TDS.  

[GiveEmElle 1,559]

And the Reality TV star turned POTUS strikes again. If he possessed even a minute amount of intelligence he would understand that the location of our submarines isn't a secret to be revealed on the playground to acquire praise from playmates. But he doesn't. This willfully ignorant man child views classified intelligence as nothing more than the cliffhanging drama on his reality tv show. While he hopes his ratings climb the rest of America just hopes to survive.

[Strychnine 1,799]

I fully agree with the premise that Trump, or any President, has no business discussing SSGN or SSBN deployments with anyone other than our closest of allies.  That said, the good news is that at least the rest of the world already knew that we keep an SSBN or two somewhere in the Pacific at all times.  North Korea could be given the precise location of our Ohio-class submarines, and they would still be unable to attack them successfully.  I think what concerns me more is that I am no longer finding such displays of incompetence to be astonishing.

[homersapien 10,945]

3 hours ago, Strychnine said:

I fully agree with the premise that Trump, or any President, has no business discussing SSGN or SSBN deployments with anyone other than our closest of allies.  That said, the good news is that at least the rest of the world already knew that we keep an SSBN or two somewhere in the Pacific at all times.  North Korea could be given the precise location of our Ohio-class submarines, and they would still be unable to attack them successfully.  I think what concerns me more is that I am no longer finding such displays of incompetence to be astonishing.

You may be right, but that's not an assumption that we should make.

The other part of this story that bothers me is how Trump is cozying up to a murderous authoritarian.  I understand the virtues of 'real politic' but it also comes with a downside.

[TitanTiger 18,915]

3 hours ago, Strychnine said:

I fully agree with the premise that Trump, or any President, has no business discussing SSGN or SSBN deployments with anyone other than our closest of allies.  That said, the good news is that at least the rest of the world already knew that we keep an SSBN or two somewhere in the Pacific at all times.  North Korea could be given the precise location of our Ohio-class submarines, and they would still be unable to attack them successfully.  I think what concerns me more is that I am no longer finding such displays of incompetence to be astonishing.

Unless they were to get help from someone else (Russia, China) surreptitiously.

[Strychnine 1,799]

1 minute ago, TitanTiger said:

Unless they were to get help from someone else (Russia, China) surreptitiously.

 

They would be of little help.  Much like the bird farms, the US developed a commanding lead in submarine capabilities during the Cold War, and has retained it.  Ultimately, my point is that it is extremely unlikely anything gets close enough to an Ohio-class submarine to engage it, even if they happen to know where one is.  It is a professional ghost.  I also doubt China or Russia would risk a nuclear war (the likely outcome of attempting to attack an SSBN) to assist North Korea.

Aspirations of Chinese or Russian grandeur aside, the US Navy is the only naval power left on the planet that can project itself and impose its will anywhere in the world.

[Strychnine 1,799]

40 minutes ago, homersapien said:

You may be right, but that's not an assumption that we should make.

The other part of this story that bothers me is how Trump is cozying up to a murderous authoritarian.  I understand the virtues of 'real politic' but it also comes with a downside.

 

Of course not, and I did not mean to suggest that we should.  I am just saying that Trump's idiocy in this case did not endanger the Navy.

While troubling, Trump cozying up with Duterte is not surprising.  If you listen to both speak, they are basically kindred spirits.

[homersapien 10,945]

I know.  I agree with everything everything you said.

Actual damage (this time) is really not the point.