Hide under your desks, North Korea readies missiles

[blackheart]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/05/19/nkorea.missile.reut/index.html

N. Korea 'readies missile launch'

Friday, May 19, 2006; Posted: 9:34 a.m. EDT (13:34 GMT)

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- North Korea may be preparing to launch a long-range ballistic missile that could reach parts of the United States, Japanese media reports said on Friday, but Japan's government said it did not believe a launch was imminent.

Quoting unidentified South Korean government officials, public broadcaster NHK said satellite pictures showed there have been signs since early this month around a site in northeastern North Korea that pointed to a possible firing in the near future.

Analysts have said, though, that development of a multiple-stage version of a ballistic missile that can take payloads deep into the continental United States is years away.

Japan's top government spokesman, Shinzo Abe, said he could not comment on specific security issues, but added, "At the moment, we do not believe that a launch is imminent."

Asked by reporters if the situation posed a threat to Japan's national security, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said: "Japan maintains its security through deterrence under the Japan-U.S. security alliance and I believe North Korea knows that."

He added that he did not believe the situation was serious.

The latest reports come amid a deadlock in six-party talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs, and ahead of a visit to China next week by the chief U.S. negotiator to the talks that involve the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China.

North Korea has said in numerous official media reports that it is building a nuclear deterrent to counter U.S. hostility. The United States believes that North Korea has one or two nuclear bombs and the ability to build more.

U.S. officials said on Thursday that Washington was open to discussions with North Korea on a peace treaty at the same time as the six-party nuclear talks, but that Pyongyang must return to the negotiating table first.

North Korea has long demanded a peace treaty to replace the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean war.

Some experts detected in the U.S. stance at least a slight change in emphasis designed to entice Pyongyang back to the table and keep Asian allies from blaming Washington for the moribund diplomacy.

NHK said the missile appeared to be a Taepodong-2, which previous reports have said has a range of more than 6,700 km (4,200 miles), making it capable of hitting Alaska with a light payload.

Quoting Japanese government sources, Japan's Kyodo news agency also said that a launch could be imminent and that the missile was probably a Taepodong-2.

However, a report in March by the California-based Center for Nonproliferation Studies, a non-governmental organization, said North Korea did not have an operational missile that could hit the continental United States.

That report said Pyongyang was working on a solid-fuel missile, Taepodong-X, with a range of up to 4,000 km (2,500 miles) that could hit Japan as well as U.S. bases in Guam, but North Korea has yet to demonstrate its reliability through a test flight.

North Korea shocked the world in August 1998 when it fired a Taepodong missile that flew over Japan before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

NHK, quoting U.S. government officials, said if the missile was a modified version of the Taepodong-2, it could have a range of 15,000 km (9,300 miles), which would cover all of the United States.

U.S. officials have said the North is developing longer-range missiles that could hit the continental United States.

Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Not Good?

 

[Xanikk999]

I wondered if we "liberated" north korea instead of iraq would the world be mad at us?

 

[GenMarshall]

Erm, are you sure is going to fly in one piece? Perhaps Bush should pay more attention to NK incase if this Nuke does not fall apart on its way over here .

 

[GenMarshall]

I wondered if we "liberated" north korea instead of iraq would the world be mad at us?

We had a chance to unite the two Koreas back in the 1950s, but the Chinese kept bringing in men to the fight untill eventualy we stoped at the 38th parallel.

 

[vikingruler]

North Korea won't launch a nuke at America. They know if they launch one a lot of countries in the world are going to attack them. it's a sad thought though that a country like NK has nuclear capabilities and has a missle that can reach America.

 

[blackheart]

North Korea won't launch a nuke at America. They know if they launch one a lot of countries in the world are going to attack them. it's a sad thought though that a country like NK has nuclear capabilities and has a missle that can reach America.

I'm sorry but too many people are under the assumption that events will unfold in a logical manner by men in control who are reasonable. The matter of reality is, it's going to be unpredictable.

 

[Brian_B]

I'm sorry but too many people are under the assumption that events will unfold in a logical manner by men in control who are reasonable. The matter of reality is, it's going to be unpredictable.

Unfortunately that is 100% right.

 

[Atropos]

I wondered if we "liberated" north korea instead of iraq would the world be mad at us?

Problem is, the day that US troops move into North Korea, North Korean missiles will obliterate Seoul, irrespective of any nuclear/ ICBM capabilities they may have...

 

[Xanikk999]

Problem is, the day that US troops move into North Korea, North Korean missiles will obliterate Seoul, irrespective of any nuclear/ ICBM capabilities they may have...

Then how would we stop them?

I guess the CIA or MI6(If it exists) should send a spy to assisinate kim jong il!

Even if we were found to be behind it nobody would care! Who actually likes that guy?

 

[nonconformist]

Sabre-rattling, and such.

Let's just wait 'till the exalted leader is dead....

 

[Brian_B]

Then how would we stop them?

I guess the CIA or MI6(If it exists) should send a spy to assisinate kim jong il!

Even if we were found to be behind it nobody would care! Who actually likes that guy?

He's not immortal. He'll eventually die and hopefull be replaced by someone less insane. Over time they will realize people like him are just starving the populace for his own selfish aim. True change must come from within.

 

[Atropos]

Then how would we stop them?

We can't. That's the problem. Essentially, this is a hostage situation with South Korea as the hostage.

If anyone here has a solution to the North Korean dilemma I'd like to hear it. Personally, I think that the only "solution" is to wait and hope that the system ultimately breaks under its own weight.

I guess the CIA or MI6(If it exists) should send a spy to assisinate kim jong il!

Even if we were found to be behind it nobody would care! Who actually likes that guy?

Great plan...except that no one has any idea who Kim's successors would be or how they would react. They might treat it as a casus belli.

 

[tomsnowman123]

It's sad that many countries are moving away from disarmament instead of towards it.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

Sabre-rattling, and such.

Let's just wait 'till the exalted leader is dead....

I'm sure that's what we said about Kim Il Sung. When he died, his son replaced him.

 

[.Shane.]

The US-centric view of this thread is unfortunate. SK, Japan, SE Asia, etc... are much more at risk from NK than the US will ever be.

 

[Xanikk999]

It's sad that many countries are moving away from disarmament instead of towards it.

If you disarmed yourself you would be a fool. It would make you a sitting duck.

 

[tomsnowman123]

If you disarmed yourself you would be a fool. It would make you a sitting duck.

Not if everyone else was disarmed.

 

[Xanikk999]

Not if everyone else was disarmed.

Those are really idealistic goals, not to mention very naive. Not only is it never going to happen.
But if we all disarmed ourselves how could we protect against civil disorder or rebellions or terrorists?

Do you suggest we disarm the police? Just how old are you? Do you have any clue how your idea could possibly work?

 

[BasketCase]

Not if everyone else was disarmed.

Which will never happen.

Before nuclear weapons existed, the arms race was over tanks, planes, and machine guns.

Before those existed, it was the sharpest and strongest sword.

Before those, it was spears.

And before spears it was claws, fangs, and fists.

Ever since some critter hit on the idea of eating other critters to survive, there has been an Arms Race. It is eternal and unavoidable.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

The US-centric view of this thread is unfortunate. SK, Japan, SE Asia, etc... are much more at risk from NK than the US will ever be.

That's why the Asians and Russia should really be dealing with NK, not the US.