Posted on 06/20/2006 4:53:29 PM PDT by Momaw Nadon
WASHINGTON — Those in charge of the nation’s missile defense system have often said the interceptors based at Fort Greely could be used in a pinch. Today, amid reports that North Korea is about to launch a missile capable of reaching the United States, officials wouldn’t say whether that pinch has arrived.
“There are many options available, and we are simply not going to tip our hand as to what the possible response would be,” White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters on a flight to Vienna with President Bush earlier today. Snow’s comments were made to pool reporters traveling with the president and made available by the White House.
North Korea is reportedly in the process of fueling one of its Taepodong-2 missiles, which experts say have a range that put Alaska and the western U.S. within their reach.
Military spokesmen also declined to speculate about media reports quoting unnamed officials who say the missile defense system has been placed in “operational” status in response to North Korea’s threatened missile launch.
“The Department of Defense does not comment on the operational status of any weapons system,” said Pentagon spokesman Brian Maka.
Missile Defense Agency spokesman Rick Lehner said his agency is in charge of developing the system, not operating it, so he had no comment on whether it is now operational. Not that he could say anything anyway, he added.
“Anytime it’s ever been brought to operational status, it’s been classified,” he said.
If the interceptors are in an “operational” mode, as opposed to a “test” mode, it would mean several things, according to those who have studied and debated the system from outside the government.
Sensor systems such as radars and satellites will “essentially focus on the fairly well-known launch point of this missile,” said Baker Spring, a defense expert at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Also, he said, “it means having the interceptor missiles in a position where they can be launched in accordance with what the sensors are telling them would be some kind of substantial threat to the United States.”
John Isaacs, executive director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, said the most noticeable difference would be that military personnel would start covering essential posts around the clock.
When the system is not in operational status, “they don’t have soldiers staffing it at all times, especially at the interceptor sites in Alaska and California,” Isaacs said.
Leslie Ozawa, public affairs officer at Fort Greely, said today that “we’re not doing anything different.” He said he could not discuss the status of the interceptors, nine of which, at last report, rest in silos at the post 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Two more interceptors are located at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Why refer to it as a weapon at all? It targets and kills weapons, and can (and may someday) save millions of lives. It will never target a single human soul. Referring to it as a weaopn simply plays into the hands of those who oppose such deensive capabilities.
(Why do Leftists love death so much?)
You aren't talking about the gene pool, are you?
Greely... What about the USS OHIO, is she "locked" in?
When the system is not in operational status, “they don’t have soldiers staffing it at all times, especially at the interceptor sites in Alaska and California,” Isaacs said.
This sounds like a crock.
I can't believe any weapon system associated with CONUS radar and missile defense wouldn't have a operations crew on duty 24/7 at a launch control facility. As far as people at the launch facilities (LFs), Minuteman LFs were, by design, unmanned except for maintenance. Vandenberg uses some of the Minuteman setup on North Vandenberg for this mission.
The best possible outcome to a NK ICBM test is for the US to shoot it down in the boost phase. There's nothing that the pot-bellied, dog-eating, tin-horn little Dictator can do about it either.
Is there any evidence that the North Koreans are building up supplies for the troops already massed on the border?
LOL! Get the WOPAR on line!
Good question!
What is it with the cute bears and bunnies?
Those missiles are the deep safety. The nose tackle, or the DBs will take it out long before that. If not, the Dee-Perk will get stuffed short of a touchdown anyway.
There has been enough discussion, leaks and "we're in ready-mode" to signal the US will attempt the shoot-down.
Hope Kimmie doesn't back-out at the last minute.
If you want to see World War 3 kick off, just watch NK try for Seoul.
We'd be into it quickly and then you KNOW the Chinese would jump into the fray.
You keep posting great info on this situation...it's dicey right now..
Thanks!
That was the (former, in my case) Army enlisted equivalent to the Navy's "Bravo Zulu."
I would like to think we have some sort of ABM positioned close by the launch site that would destroy the missile shortly after launch and then a cruise missile would immediately destroy the launch site. And then we clam up altogether or deny everything and counterclaim that they had accidents.
God I hope Dabney Coleman still ain't in charge...
You know about the new weapon we have ready for the NK invasion of SK, don't you? It is a cluster bomb unit with the submunitions replaced with MRE's. Drop that on the starving advancing troops and the invasion will grind to a halt.
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