North Korea Launches another Missile Eastwards

Not a threat?

It wasn't a rocket carrying a satellite into space for scientific reasons for cripes sake. It was a ballistic missile...with one purpose and one purpose only!

If someone launched a ballistic missile right over the top of Washington DC...would it be considered a threat????

I'm pretty sure it would be.

a reply to: Zaphod58

...or likely ever!

ETA...Again, to my question about launching a similar missile over Washington DC. Would we still be as interested in "just watching it" to see what it does and learn from it??? I think not.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

So when did the US annex Japan? Jesus you act like we can do whatever we want and screw everyone else. The last time I looked Japan was their own sovereign nation and responsible for their own decisions. If they choose not to act, it's up to them, not us.

You can tell at liftoff if the missile has a payload on it. The acceleration pattern is different for a loaded or empty missile. If it's empty, why shoot it down and risk debris landing on Japan.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

And again, my question is when did Japan become part of the US for us to do what we want and ignore what they deluxe? If it was heading to Washington or the US then we can make the decision to do something.

Japan isn't the US and we don't get to act unilaterally.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

have you seen a map of the region? if NK wants to send a missile test at sea, they have no other way for that missile to travel but over Japan...
I'm sure you have a counter logic to logistics and geography...


if China wants to test a missile to land southernly, it must fly over India , or Japan for the North pacific.
if Afghanistan wants to test a missile, supplied by the US, like they have, it must fly either over Iran or Pakistan or Oman, like they have.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Look, do you deny Japan is an ally? Do you deny Japan is a strategic asset (as an ally)? Else why do we have air bases there? Meh, no biggie, right?

So, by your logic, if someone is relentlessly taunting your wife, humiliating her and just terrorizing her you're not going to do anything. Her problem, not yours, right? They're not taunting you, so no action required...right?

I can't speak for you, but I can for me and I'm damn sure going to do something about it!

You can give me all the excuses you want, but the bottom line is...the reason it wasn't shot down (after we said it would be shot down) is because there was a very high probability we'd miss. Very high. 'Rain debris down on Japan'...wow, that's rich.

a reply to: odzeandennz

Uhhhh...they could do it at sea?

Like how ever many other countries do...France comes to mind.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: odzeandennz

Uhhhh...they could do it at sea?

Like how ever many other countries do...France comes to mind.

let's say it's a good thing japan recognizes the almost land-lock region and they're not the US and attacking them. from 3 buddies stationed in Japan, this isn't making as much headlines as it is in msm here... go figure.

The range was 2300 miles with an elevation of 480 miles. for perspective space starts at 64miles and the space station orbits at what 250 miles. Guam is 2100 miles. But the elevation allows for an orbital state that you could in essence float the pay load to be de orbited to any point on the globe. I believe you will soon see Japan start weaponizing their plutonium in to nuclear weapons. They gravely understand the devastation of these weapons, but would certainly want their own deterrent.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Ah right, the old "we have bases there so screw our ally, we are doing what the hell we want" argument. And just how long do you think those bases are going to last if we start popping missiles off and ignoring what they want to do with their own country? Or even better, we shoot one down and the debris lands on downtown Tokyo? Oh wait,I keep forgetting that when you shoot down a missile the debris magically disappears and doesn't come back down and land anywhere.

Buy hey, who cares as long as we're defending our ally and bases. You do understand that an ally means that they're not the US, right? And that we're guests in their country right? Not that it seems to make a damn bit of difference to you. We're the US and we're going to defend you, screw what you're government says.

It is a US problem with immediate threat to 52000 US Citizens in Japan, 165,000 In Guam, 1.43million in Hawaii, 39.25 million in California, 4.09 million in Oregon, 7.29 million in Washington, 745,000 in Alaska. But you could essentially keep going east with it reaching orbital state. 19.75 Million In New York perhaps.

a reply to: ChrisM101

It doesn't work that way. Even at that altitude a missile has a finite range. The heavier the payload, the shorter the range. Just because you're in space doesn't mean you can make a missile with a 2500 mile range suddenly go 6000.

Look, do you deny Japan is an ally? Do you deny Japan is a strategic asset (as an ally)? Else why do we have air bases there? Meh, no biggie, right?

So? We have bases in over 70 countries across the globe. That doesn't give the U.S. carte blanche over all those countries in regards to shooting down missiles. And such an arrangement would certainly need to be made ahead of time with Japan. We can't just willy-nilly start shooting down missiles wherever they annoy us. Many countries test missiles. Just because NK is also saber-rattling and throwing the doom porn rhetoric at us, doesn't make them much different than any other country testing missiles.

Also consider - it's not a sure thing. Unless we -really- want to shoot it down, and fire many countermeasures, if we take a random pot-shot to take down a missile and it fails, that will simply give NK false confidence they can't be stopped by us - that might increase their activity and threats. It's much better to let them keep firing into the ocean, while we ratchet up sanctions. Remain stoic and silent until they give us a reason to have to defend.

a reply to: Black_Fox

As will the us, and china and japan. # anyone in the area. North korea is a wheel barrow full of weapons of mass destruction. Chemical, biological and nuclear and fat boys family has been stock piling them for years.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

So when did the US annex Japan? Jesus you act like we can do whatever we want and screw everyone else. The last time I looked Japan was their own sovereign nation and responsible for their own decisions. If they choose not to act, it's up to them, not us.

You can tell at liftoff if the missile has a payload on it. The acceleration pattern is different for a loaded or empty missile. If it's empty, why shoot it down and risk debris landing on Japan.

Truth!

The crappy tech from NK isnt stable enouhg to play at firing over entire countries. It wasnt that long ago where one didnt even make it off the launch pad.

P.S.
love your avatar, Roy

a reply to: Butterfinger

That's why a lot of people are convinced they're getting help. They went from fizzles in their nuclear tests to somewhere around 140 kts, in one test. And their missiles went from blowing up on liftoff, to over 2,000 miles, consistently.

Thanks. I'm rather happy with the avatar myself.

a reply to: Butterfinger

An awful lot of proven nk tech puts japan in range of the norths other missiles which can be loaded with chemical, biological or if its true a miniaturised nuke. Action to provoke the north from the us or japan could end in enormous loss of japanese life.

Those icbms he's testing are to use on the US, fat boy already holds a pretty sharp dagger to the local us allies.

Intimidation tactics.
Why providing opportunity to if directly responded to the chance for others to basically evaluate & observe what responding countries got
So some maybe can add more pressure but won't to evaluate results of proxy responses...

Would respond then with secondary or older. If has to, saving the best for last. If need be.
After U.N. & local Allies in immediate strike vicinity request.

a reply to: Aeshma

Most of these are MRBMs, not ICBMs. There have been a few ICBM tests, but they're mixed in with shorter range missile tests.

a reply to: Ddrneville

Seoul also had one Fail and fall in the Ocean... Not the best showing for those guys trying to deter.