Navies of 2 Koreas exchange fire near border

[DaveM55]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091110/...as_naval_clash

SEOUL, South Korea – A badly damaged North Korean patrol ship retreated in flames Tuesday after a skirmish with a South Korean naval vessel along their disputed western coast, South Korean officials said.

The first naval clash in seven years broke out just a week before President Barack Obama is due to visit Seoul, raising suspicions the North's communist regime is trying to rachet up tensions to gain a negotiating advantage.

There were no South Korean casualties, the country's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, and it was not immediately clear if there were any casualties on the North Korean side. Each side blamed the other for violating the sea border.

The exchange of fire occurred as U.S. officials said Obama has decided to send a special envoy to Pyongyang for rare direct talks on the communist country's nuclear weapons program. No date has been set, but the talks would be the first one-on-one negotiations since Obama took office in January.

[Willtallica]

Well it sounds like they like it to happen again.

[Dave in PA]

I wonder why they called it a skirmish? Two military vessels shooting it out until one retreats in flames..... to me a skirmish would be standing off and taking pot shots at each other until someone runs low on ammo or fuel, forcing them to break off, with no significant damage done. A boat on fire is significant!

[RJT]

Because "skirmish" sounds more diplomatic than "act of war" and the politicians can shrug it off

Obviously Russia wouldn't get involved in a Korean re-hash...I dunno if the Chinese would but I doubt it...can the North seriously think that they would stand a chance against the South Koreans in a rematch?

[TaePo]

Because "skirmish" sounds more diplomatic than "act of war" and the politicians can shrug it off

Obviously Russia wouldn't get involved in a Korean re-hash...I dunno if the Chinese would but I doubt it...can the North seriously think that they would stand a chance against the South Koreans in a rematch?

Egads, man! Watch what you say. You're going to cause a mad rush on Wal-Mart products.

China, entering the fray....

j/k

[SierraPapa]

...can the North seriously think that they would stand a chance against the South Koreans in a rematch?

It really isn't about rhyme or reason. The North Koreans have been historically and infamously irrational, and it is widely assumed that just to make a point the N. Koreans would in fact nuke the South fully knowing that it would mean their own doom.

[crlovel]

It's Bush's fault! He made them do it!