Posted on 12/07/2012 12:11:46 AM PST by Jet Jaguar
U.S. Forces Korea issued a warning Friday that any North Korean launch using ballistic missile technology would be considered a provocative act.
North Korea has announced it plans to launch a satellite sometime between Monday and Dec. 22. U.S. officials believe it will really be a test of the countrys missile-launch capabilities, and thus is a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
News of the launch has prompted warnings from a variety of U.S. officials, along with South Korea and Japan. Even China, the Norths closest ally, has expressed concerns.
We are taking prudent measures to posture our forces to prepare for possible threats and deterrence of aggression against the United States, its territories, allies and interests, USFK said Friday in a statement.
On Thursday, Adm.Samuel Locklear, the head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said American warships were being shifted into position to track the North Korean launch and take defensive actions if necessary.
We encourage the leadership in North Korea to consider what they are doing here and the implications on the overall security environment on the Korean Peninsula, as well as in Asia, he told a Pentagon news conference.
USFK echoed those comments in its statement, saying: North Koreas development, deployment and proliferation of missiles and missile-related materials, equipment and technology pose a threat to the region and the world.
The Associated Press reported Friday that new satellite images show heavy snowfall may have slowed the launch preparations but that Pyongyang could still be ready for liftoff starting Monday.
A similar launch attempt in April failed.
Put an AEGIS ship in international waters. . . and as soon as it leaves NK airspace. . . .shoot it down. Oopsie. . .
Yeah, like President Snowball wants to upset one of his few remaining allies by shooting down an ICBM.
Look at the night satellite image of the Japan Sea. No night lights at all in N. Korea but massive lights in S. Korea and Japan. A 40 mile high nuclear explosion over the middle of the Sea of Japan would EMP most of Japan and all of S. Korea with virtually no effect on N. Korea.
A successful satellite at 250 miles over Omaha would EMP the entire USA causing the eventual deaths of 90% of the US population.
No that would reduce our carbon footprint.
The only difference between a satellite launch (attempt) and an ICBM test is the payload. Both test the rest of the vehicle, stressing it and exercising the components. And if your “satellite” launch is unsuccessful - doesn’t achieve orbit and instead re-enters the atmosphere... You just tested your RV too. Satellite launch my xxx.
SBX anywhere? http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CFcQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aviationweek.com%2FArticle.aspx%3Fid%3D%2Farticle-xml%2Fawx_02_13_2012_p0-424718.xml&ei=nfzBUInqAszEqQGnkoCQCw&usg=AFQjCNEmOme1BQ2zEEa-UpvWaSChKPmOSw&cad=rja
It almost appears that we spent $1B to build it and do not want to use it. Although:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/12/06/2012120601027.html says, "A South Korean military source on Wednesday said the U.S. will send the same SBX to the Western Pacific as it did in April."
Gee, what are we going to do about it? Put a missile on Hillary’s broom and send her to Korea?
I think their ‘satellite launches’ have been shot down before. While accidents to occur (and have occurred a number of times during launches by the US, Europe and Russia ...all of which are more advanced than the North Koreans), I still have this suspicion that if the US wanted a N.K launch to fail it would fail. I expect this launch to also lift off successfully, but then break up just under a minute after launch.
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