North Koreas Missile Launch

[SmithEC]

I really think we should ignore those folks. They're just like little kids that have to forever be the center of attention.

They can't do anything right. I would think that the odds are that it will be an unsuccessful launch. They'll claim it was a success, but we'll know better.


.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

If we do not let them launch the missile, North Korea has threatened to cut off our supply of obnoxious convenience store clerks and ghetto restauranteurs.

 

[dovekiller]

NoKo claims that they are using this thing to launch a satellite. But this is only their second missile and the first one blew up in their faces. Who would risk a multimillion dollar payload on this missile?

Also, who built the (alleged) satellite? The news sources that I follow have totally ignored these questions.

The Japanese govt has authorized their forces to shoot it down if it enters their air space. But I don't know how high legal air space extends upward.

 

[Farmer17]

The problem with the U.S. doing anything now or in the near future is.....We can't afford it!

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Pyongyang cannot afford this, either.
The Taepo-Dong 2 can theoretically reach Alaska and possibly the west coast of America.
http://www.fas.org/programs/ss...apons/Taepodong.html
The threat could be perceived as more of a terror organism, as they do not have the funds to produce enough of these to do enough damage trying to stop someone like the USA from destroying them. I see the launch as a very costly, both monetarily and politically, step in the wrong direction for a starving country. The real threat I feel is the other countries that seem to be working with the same technology under the table that have much $$$$.
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/dprk/target/index.html

 

[truckemup97]

Originally posted by Farmer17:
The problem with the U.S. doing anything now or in the near future is.....We can't afford it!

And the current administration would have to admit that the occasional preemptive strike against a rogue nation with weapons of mass destruction isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

[klondike]

I read that the Iranians are there to "kick the tires" before they buy the technology.

 

[lugnut3537]

Just send Hillary over . She will say it is America's fault, apologize, and give millions in aid. And everything will be fine. It seems that this is going to be our foreign policy for this administration.

 

[marvin the martian]

Apparently they pushed the big red button...hmmm, flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific, doesn't sound like it made it into orbit.

For some reason I'm picturing this rocket as having "Acme" written on the side and was launched by having some one light a fuse.

North Korea Launches Rocket, Defying World Pressure

Saturday, April 04, 2009

BREAKING NEWS — North Korea defiantly carried out a provocative rocket launch Sunday that the U.S., Japan and other nations suspect was a cover for a test of its long-range missile technology.
Liftoff took place at 10:30 p.m. EDT Saturday from the coastal Musudan-ri launch pad in northeastern North Korea, the South Korean government said. In Washington, the State Department also confirmed the launch.
"We look on this as a provocative act," U.S. State Department spokesman Fred Lash said.
The rocket flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese broadcaster NHK said, citing its government.
"Our primary concern is to confirm safety and gather information," Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso told a news conference at his Tokyo office Sunday.
Resisting calls from President Barack Obama, Aso and Hu Jintao of China to call off the launch, North Korea had announced Saturday that preparations were complete to send communications satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 on a multistage rocket bound for the skies over Japan.
Tokyo deployed warships and Patriot missile interceptors off its northern coast to shoot down any debris that the North said might fall over the area.
U.S. and South Korean warships equipped with missile interceptors also plied the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan to monitor the launch.
Russia, meanwhile, scrambled fighter jets to its Far East in case any debris hits its territory, Russian news reports said.
North Korea pushed ahead with the launch despite mounting international pressure to cancel a liftoff Obama warned Friday would be a "provocative" act.
South Korea, the U.S. and Japan said earlier in the week they would take North Korea to the U.N. Security Council for an act they say is banned under a 2006 resolution barring Pyongyang from ballistic activity.

 

[BruceHMX]

This is the only thing N Korea will ever understand.

While personally leading his company in an attack against a strongly held position Captain Millett noted that the 1st Platoon was pinned down by small-arms, automatic, and antitank fire. Captain Millett ordered the 3d Platoon forward, placed himself at the head of the two platoons, and, with fixed bayonet, led the assault up the fire-swept hill. In the fierce charge Captain Millett bayoneted two enemy soldiers and boldly continued on, throwing grenades, clubbing and bayoneting the enemy, while urging his men forward by shouting encouragement. Despite vicious opposing fire, the whirlwind hand-to-hand assault carried to the crest of the hill. His dauntless leadership and personal courage so inspired his men that they stormed into the hostile position and used their bayonets with such lethal effect that the enemy fled in wild disorder. During this fierce onslaught Captain Millett was wounded by grenade fragments but refused evacuation until the objective was taken and firmly secured.

 

[woodsltc]

Unfortunately, I don't think our President or the UN has the "stones" to do anything more than bark like little dogs at the N. Koreans.

They will 'talk and posture' and N. Korea will continue to develope their nuke program. An actual nuclear strike will be the only thing that will cause them to act.......sadly I feel this is true based on the past performance of the UN and what I've seen of Hussein Obama.

Don

 

[truckemup97]

No one shot it down? This was the perfect opportunity to test our defensive missile systems.

 

[BarbC]

No one shot it down? This was the perfect opportunity to test our defensive missile systems.

Obama asked them not to fire it so that should have been enough. Now he's going to have to send them a very angry letter.

 

[Walter Rego]

Originally posted by yashua-p:
Send Jimmy Carter and Madelaine Albright to talk to them. Surely they are our best diplomats.

yashua

We should bring our two most successful diplomats out of retirement and send them to N. Korea. Their names are Mr. Fat Man and Mr. Little Boy. Last time they went on a diplomatic mission our trouble with the offending nation was over within a few days and we haven't had a problem with them since.

 

[Bassamatic]

Get real, after seeing first hand how our leader will behave internationally, like apologizing for Bush's John Wayne attitude, there is no way he would even consider confronting the North Koreans. He might send John Kerry to negotiate, thinking Hillary would be too soft.

We are so screwed.

 

[Jeb Stonewall]

Originally posted by Walter Rego:


We should bring our two most successful diplomats out of retirement and send them to N. Korea. Their names are Mr. Fat Man and Mr. Little Boy. Last time they went on a diplomatic mission our trouble with the offending nation was over within a few days and we haven't had a problem with them since.

That sounds like some kind of a (MAN) way of doing things.
Only problem with that way of thinking is--where are we going to find a MAN in Washington to give the go ahead?

 

[Smithfan]

Here we go.

Prediction: Obama's response will govern exactly how soon someone else acts agressively. BHO probably doesn't understand that he's dealing with people for whom talk and agreements mean nothing.

It's time to hit the NoKos hard, very hard.

Bill

 

[klondike]

Is it possible that we hit it with a laser? A anti missile missile would be detected and the world would know. A laser weapon could do the job without any political negatives and the NK's would be scratching their heads wondering what happened.