Posted on 07/03/2006 2:45:21 AM PDT by aculeus
As the U.S. continues to express concern about the possibility of a North Korean missile test directed toward American territory and the rest of the world holds its breath over a close encounter with an asteroid, several U.S. air bases are on heightened alert.
But no one is talking about why.
The Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, which houses NORAD – charged with monitoring the North Korea situation – is now at "Bravo-Plus."
Other air bases in Colorado, California and Florida are also on heightened alert status.
There are five levels of alert: normal, Alpha (low), Bravo (medium), Charlie (high) and Delta (critical). "Bravo-Plus" is slightly higher than a medium threat level.
The Bush administration has urged North Korea to abandon its plans to test a long range missile. The Pentagon believes the missile is capable of reaching the United States.
NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command in Colorado would play a big role in both detecting and responding to a missile launch if it ever occurred.
The U.S. missile defense system is only a few years old, but could be tested if North Korea chooses to act.
Meanwhile, in a development that may or may not be related to the heightened security alert, an asteroid up to half a mile wide is due to brush past the Earth early today.
Scientists who have been tracking asteroid 2004 XP14 say it will approach almost as close as the Moon, traveling at 10.5 miles per second.
It has been classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA), along with 782 known others.
Initially there were concerns that the asteroid might collide with the Earth later this century. However, further analysis of its orbit has ruled this out - at least for the foreseeable future.
If XP14 did hit the Earth the effects would be devastating.
"It would probably be big enough to wipe out a small country," said Dr David Asher, from the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland.
LOL!
This is humor?
The asteroid could possible reverse global warming. [g]
...possibly, even.
I post.
You decide.
Someone call Bruce Willis, and quick. (But tell him to leave Steve Buscemi home this time).
I was actually responding to familyops "LOL" post.
Such low level alerts happen frequently, and the details are usually classified. The asteroid has been calculated to pass at a point beyond the distance of the Moon from us. As for North Korea's missile, if they launch, even the North Korean military doesn't know where it will land.
The hyperbole and speculation in the piece are funny. I would be much more concerned about driving carefully.
Umm.. The asteroid has already gone by several hours ago, and it was 400,000 miles away..
Maybe our Secretary of Defense is riding the thing and steering it toward an antagonistic regime. [Putting words in the mouths of DUmmies there.]
Clearly a clever ruse by the genius Karl Rove.
Not to mention there's absolutely nothing NORAD could have done about the Asteroid were it heading for the earth.
Amazes me that there's anyone that takes anything from WingNutDaily seriously.
The candidate countries are being sorted out now, even as we type.
If an asteroid were headed for a collision with Earth, I'd have the UN adopt a resolution against asteroids and send a sternly written letter.
As opposed to the NYT? WND's pretty good :)
If it was in fact raised, anyone know if the heightened alert still exists?
The asteroid was headed for the US left coast.
It missed.
Give God credit for a mulligan.
This story is 4 or 5 days old now, was broken by a local tv news station, the only thing that WND was added is the bull about the asteroid, but the alert is real enough.
Much ado about nuthin.
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