N. Korea Missile test

Originally posted by mrsdudara
They will shoot it down in an area where it will cripple the west coast civilians instead of our millitary.

Surely the US military are'nt stupid enough to wait till the missile was actually over the US before shooting it down? I'd have thought they'd have taken it out long before then?

CX.

I agree with you, mrsdudara. Although I tend to lean towards 'cry for attention', nothing can be ruled out just yet.

"Bush loves to rule by fear". Gimme a break. This forum is the only place where I've seen genuine concern. Not fear. Most of the people I know were fearing the Miami Heat would lose the finals.

Well, our millitary is between Hawaii and Guam. So if it is something that would do more harm by shooting it down than it would letting it land, they would have to wait until it is far enough away from our millitary, which would mean it would cripple the west coast.

If this Mr. Kim has indeed created a missile that does more harm being shot down....cha ching for him.

Originally posted by aecreate
Although I tend to lean towards 'cry for attention'

Even a crazy man is not dumb enough to cry that loud. If he goes ahead and fires this off, it is because he is up to something.

Assuming the missile does need to be destroyed, it won't matter very much where it is, because it isn't coming down. At the very least, it isn't coming down in a manner likely to cause any more damage than the Columbia did.

*edit* as for the questin of why some people only think the US is concerned in some kind of a haves vs have nots global empire mindset, it's because some people cannot or will not pass up on an opportunity to bash the US.

[edit on 21-6-2006 by Travellar]

U.S. and international concern about North Korea's missile capability is heightened by its claims to have developed nuclear weapons. It is not known whether they have mastered the complex art of building a nuclear warhead small enough to fit a long-range missile, although in April 2005 the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Vice Adm. Lowell Jacoby, told Congress that North Korea was capable of arming a missile with a nuclear warhead. U.S. officials have since called it a "theoretical capability."

Sound's a little less than confident to me.

David Wright, a senior scientist at the private Union of Concerned Scientists, said he strongly doubts that the Bush administration could back up its claims of having the capability to shoot down a North Korean missile.

The last time the Pentagon registered a successful test in intercepting a mock warhead in flight was in October 2002. Since then, there have been three unsuccessful attempted intercepts, most recently in February 2005.

Sound's a little less than confident to me.



The only sure way to knock this thing out is to send a B-2 and kill it on the pad. Oh, that's right, then we'll be the big bad agressor again.

Originally posted by HimWhoHathAnEar
The only sure way to knock this thing out is to send a B-2 and kill it on the pad. Oh, that's right, then we'll be the big bad agressor again.

lol, that's what former Clinton administration Defense Secretary William Perry suggested: Bush Should Attack If Launch Preparations Continue

Mods- I'm still new to the forum, but most of the discussion of this event is in the [url=http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=210902&page=31#pid0]June 19, 2006

here are 2 theories i would like us to explore and give our thoughts on concerning this possible missile test from North Korea

1. is it possible that this missile that the north koreans have sitting on a launch pad is a decoy? we all know that the nks like to act provocatively to get them in the spotlight and get things from the international community that they really need [food, energy assistance etc.] but the general consensus is that the regime isnt completely suicidal, so perhaps they set up a decoy missile on a launch pad with the full complement of fuel trucks well in view of our spy satellites knowing that it would escalate the situation perhaps just enough to get us all back to the bargaining table so we can make concessions to them. all the talk about how it would be very difficult for the nks to siphon fuel out the missile wouldnt be an issue because perhaps it wasnt even full to begin with. in this way, the regime can appear to have stood up to the mighty USA and scared us with this new missile technology. the north koreans have gained from this approach in the past.

2. if north korea does launch a missile, and we respond by attempting to shoot it down with our missile defense shield, do you think our government would tell the public if it missed? i could see some very embarrased folks in the defense department if the first real test of the missile shield failed. however, if it misses and no one outside the government knows about it they could potentially save alot of face.

sorry for the horrible grammar, i find it much harder to write my thoughts than to speak them. i want to hear all your thoughts on this, these are just theories and chances are im probably not correct with either. Thanks

lol, that's what former Clinton administration Defense Secretary William Perry suggested: Bush Should Attack If Launch Preparations Continue

Fantastic, Clinton's boy is hawkish. That should galvanize the whole country then!

Originally posted by HimWhoHathAnEar


Fantastic, Clinton's boy is hawkish. That should galvanize the whole country then!

I didnt realize that the rule of NO POSTING TO FURTHER YOUR POLITICAL AGENDA was changed. Cool.

What the US should do is blow the missle off of the pad and tell the North Koreans that in this world it is not cool to boast nuclear capability and then fuel up a missle WITH OUT telling any one what the intention is. If they don't like it, tough.

Liberals like to blow up stuff too.

Truthwithin,
That's the funniest thing I've read in quite a while. I doubt you were trying to make me laugh, but you succeeded admirably!

Originally posted by charliegrs
here are 2 theories i would like us to explore and give our thoughts on concerning this possible missile test from North Korea

1. is it possible that this missile that the north koreans have sitting on a launch pad is a decoy? we all know that the nks like to act provocatively to get them in the spotlight and get things from the international community that they really need [food, energy assistance etc.] but the general consensus is that the regime isnt completely suicidal, so perhaps they set up a decoy missile on a launch pad with the full complement of fuel trucks well in view of our spy satellites knowing that it would escalate the situation perhaps just enough to get us all back to the bargaining table so we can make concessions to them. all the talk about how it would be very difficult for the nks to siphon fuel out the missile wouldnt be an issue because perhaps it wasnt even full to begin with. in this way, the regime can appear to have stood up to the mighty USA and scared us with this new missile technology. the north koreans have gained from this approach in the past.

2. if north korea does launch a missile, and we respond by attempting to shoot it down with our missile defense shield, do you think our government would tell the public if it missed? i could see some very embarrased folks in the defense department if the first real test of the missile shield failed. however, if it misses and no one outside the government knows about it they could potentially save alot of face.

sorry for the horrible grammar, i find it much harder to write my thoughts than to speak them. i want to hear all your thoughts on this, these are just theories and chances are im probably not correct with either. Thanks

My opinion on option 1, which I take it to mean the missile is a fake, is that is highly unlikely. This missile is a logical progression in thier somewhat proven capabilities. Granted, if they decide against launching it, (also unlikely, imho), we'd never know.

2) Being in a free and open society (whatever the Bush haters on the board would have you believe), it'd be impossible to cover up having fired on the missile. From the more conspiricy oriented point of view, it'd be more worthwhile to launch and miss, then advertise it widely in order to secure more funds. From a sane or rational point of view, it'd be best to knock the thing into a million pieces to create a dazzling lightshow as they all burn up on re-entry.

I have a question about this whole NK missile test.

US obviously has good intel (agents or satellite?) in the area to know when the missile was being fueled and readied. Why isn't this intel source then capable of indicating whether missile will be armed with a warhead (highly inprobable in my opinion) or not. And if there is no nuke, why such big deal about launching a bunch of metal into the sky, which probably will not end up on the US shores either way. I think the US is just using this to base some new accusations against NK, and NK wants to show that it will not be discouraged from testing its weapon technologies.

A missle is generaly armed before it is visible so it is very difficult to know what is in it.. And I don't think that the US needs any more reasons to have aggression toward NK. They have isolated themselves.

Weather Reported to be clearing prepping way for test this weekend.

CNN

This is rather scary if you ask me. Only from a WTF stand point.

Officials say that in an extreme emergency there are other high-level officials -- whom they would not specify -- who could order a U.S. retaliatory strike, but realistically, they say, the decision would most likely be made by President Bush.

Originally posted by maloy...And if there is no nuke, why such big deal about launching a bunch of metal into the sky, which probably will not end up on the US shores either way.

Are you serious? Two reasons quickly come to mind:

1) If the test is successful, then they've just demonstrated the capability to launch a missle that can strike the US. (Nuke or not...)

2) If the test fails, they now know what areas (ie. range, guidance etc.) need to be addressed and improved for the next time.

Just my $.02

[edit on 23-6-2006 by surfinguru]

The general trend I'm getting from the news actually points to the media being far more concerned about this than the respective governments.

The jist of the fist couple of lines in the above linked CNN article were "WOOHOO! We're going to WAR!", while the official responce further down was more along the lines of "move along, nothing to see here."

Incidently, it's much easier to hide a nuclear weapon that can be brought right into a hanger in a non-descript truck when none of the satalites are overhead, than it is to hide a fully assembled missile and 20 fuel trucks.

Originally posted by HimWhoHathAnEar


Sound's a little less than confident to me.

David Wright, a senior scientist at the private Union of Concerned Scientists, said he strongly doubts that the Bush administration could back up its claims of having the capability to shoot down a North Korean missile.

The last time the Pentagon registered a successful test in intercepting a mock warhead in flight was in October 2002. Since then, there have been three unsuccessful attempted intercepts, most recently in February 2005.

Sound's a little less than confident to me.



The only sure way to knock this thing out is to send a B-2 and kill it on the pad. Oh, that's right, then we'll be the big bad agressor again.

I just need to add that the US shot down a test missile yesterday.

www.abovetopsecret.com...
Above Top Secret 5.0 » Weaponry » U.S. Navy test intercepts warhead

Looks like NK is worried now:
"North Korea blasted US-led military exercises planned in the Pacific next week as a rehearsal for invasion."

"The U.S. will conduct similar war games with seven other countries off Hawaii off next week. The monthlong exercises, known as RIMPAC, will bring together forces from Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan, South Korea, Britain and the U.S.
North Korea blasted the biennial drills as a rehearsal for invasion, saying in a statement Friday night that it would "react against the reckless provocations of the aggressors with strong measures for self-defense."

Also looks like we have another week of monitoring this event..

posted by Zenem
I just need to add that the US shot down a test missile yesterday.

Yeah, that was a serious boost to our confidence!


I guess my next thought would be, how will they react to us taking out the missile? Since that'll pretty much be the end of that little bargaining chip. Kind of like cornering a wild animal, not sure what they'll do.

Another thought I wanted to throw out is, I wonder how much the Russian's and Chinese would actually like to see a test of our 'missile shield'. I mean it was quite a coup when we pulled out of the ABM treaty. Russia went right into designing a counter measure.

Shoot First, Shoot to Kill, We come in Peace.

I wonder what would have happened if the U.S. had shot down sputnik 1 after its launch?

I wonder what would have happened if the U.S. had shot down China's first satellite after its launch?

I wonder what would have happened if the U.S. had nuked New Delhi after their first nuclear detonation?

I wonder what would have happened if the U.S. had nuked Islamabad after Pakistan's first nuclear detonation?

I wonder what would have happened if the U.S. had nuked Beijing after China's first nuclear detonation?

I wonder what would have happened if the U.S. had nuked Ukraine and Kazakhstan after the breakup of the Soviet Union because they now possesed nuke's.

If you look at satellite images of North Korea's air bases, you will see lots of bunkers with straight winged 'cessna' looking aircraft.

Possibly cardboard cutout decoys.

They must be hiding their mach 4 cruise missle carriers in giant underground bunkers. (right).

If it is a missile test, its purpose will possibly be to show their friends their wonderful advanced missile technology, so that they can sell them a few in order to make some foreign currency in order to buy rice, because doing the animations for Disney Studio's cartoons doesn't bring in enough.

How do you know that their 'missile' isn't the same thing?
A pile of drainpipes stuck together to 'con' you all into freaking out and making a pre-emptive first strike, which would give them the very evidence they need to show the world the U.S. is a war mongering paranoid state.

How do you know that their 'missile' isn't an attempt to launch a satellite?

An attempt at making a nuclear strike on U.S. soil will be very obvious from the moment it is launched, from its trajectory. A satellite launched from Nth Korea would make its first pass over Sth America, At an altitude of several hundred kilometres.

Sth Korea and Japan are within range of Nth Korea's nukes. (If they actually have any)

I wouldn't be sacrificing all of those people because of my own fears and suspicions.

I would err on the side of caution. Sit back and watch. Very carefully.

I really can't see Nth Korea lobbing a few dozen nukes at the U.S. when the response would be a sample of the thousands of active and ready ICBM's sitting in their silo's in the various state's that are home to the U.S. defence shield.

Ensuring instant and total obliteration.

Do a Google Earth search for nuclear missile's.

Everything else is just rhetoric, chest beating paranoia and jumping up and down.

I do agree that the North Korean regime appear to be a bunch of despots.

Not much light at night from Nth Korea visible on the satellite images that have been available for a while. (Search for Earth at night)

Nth Korea's treatment of it's citizens leaves Stalinist Soviet Russia for dead.

Nth Korea does appear to be one big 'gulag'.

I bet they have their own version of 'Guantanamo Bay', where they torture and interrogate captured capitalist spies.

But, if you lived in an isolationist country, and looked at the rest of the world.
Would it not seem like a totally mad and terrible place to venture into.

I would stay in my cave and feel safe.

I guess this is why I live in Australia and don't believe much of what government propagandists spout forth for the general media to redistribute to the public.

I have lived through my own sample of what they are capable of dishing up to you.

But it makes this moment in time all the more interesting.

Bleuch.

After all that, I am as confused as ever.

I think I will sit in my cave's entrance and just peek outside, a little, and watch.