Hmmmmm....I wonder if....
Posted on 07/05/2006 12:37:18 PM PDT by bnelson44
By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 5, 2006 – U.S. Northern Command detected "each and every" North Korean missile launch and had interceptors operational and ready to respond if needed, a senior defense official told Pentagon reporters today. NORTHCOM and North American Aerospace Defense Command officials quickly recognized that the seven ballistic missiles fired yesterday and early today did not pose a threat to the United States or its territories, Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, said today.
North Korea fired a long-range Taepodong-2 missile and six short- and medium-range Scud and Nodong missiles. All landed in the Sea of Japan without incident, with the Taepondong-2 failing on its own shortly after launch, according to NORTHCOM statements released yesterday and today.
Ground-based Midcourse Defense System interceptors at Fort Greeley, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., were operational during the launches, but were not deployed, the statements confirmed.
The United States has "well-established procedures for dealing with missile launches that potentially pose a threat to the United States or its territories," Whitman said today. "Those procedures were followed for these activities last night and this morning."
U.S. and world leaders joined today to condemn North Korea's missile tests and determine the best step forward.
"The United States strongly condemns these missile launches and North Korea's unwillingness to heed calls for restraint from the international community," White House spokesman Tony Snow said last night.
"In doing this, the North Koreans have once again isolated themselves," Snow said. "They have defied their neighbors who urged them not to have a launch. The South Koreans, the Japanese and the Chinese all have asked them not to do it."
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today called the launches a "provocation" and urged North Korea to return to the stalled Six-Party Talks.
The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session today to discuss the situation.
Snow said last night that the United States will take necessary measures to protect itself and its allies. The GMD interceptor system, while not used for any of the launches, is available when needed to defend the United States, its allies, infrastructure and population centers, according to the NORTHCOM statements.
"Our missile defense crews are trained, and our systems are ready to respond as necessary," the statements said. "U.S. Northern Command has the preliminary responsibility to direct missile defense operations to protect the homeland, allies, friends and other national interests from potentially hostile acts."
Next step?? The same thing the world does when a tyrant defies the world ... we write them harshly worded letters for 12 years.
answers to your questions, jeff
The next step is obvious. Recover the failed ICBM and have a look.
If we shot down the TD2, or caused it to malfunction, I doubt it was with a SM-3 because too many other countries would have detected and observed that. Now, depending on where the test-bed 747 HE ABL was, that renmains a possibility because it would have been much more difficult to detect.
If we had a part in it, we probably would not reveal our hand in any case...leave them guessing and wondering.
If it failed on its own...all the better.
The world will be outraged at the USA for having caused all the friction between us and NK. The UN will write a letter condemning the United States for forcing NK to test these missiles.
I wonder if sitting on the pad fueled for over a week was a factor. That liquid fuel is pretty corrosive. Too bad it didn't blow up on the pad and take out the whole facility.
How could we protect our allies with a missle defense if we did not use the interceptor system right away. It takes a while for our missles to get to theirs before its too late.
Missiles sp
As to others, the AEGIS cruisers can be situated in the oceans at strategic spots to itercept likely trajectories with SM-3 missiles and take out ballistic missiles mid course over 100 miles up, and to distances of 300-400 miles.
In addition, we are now selling these SM-3 missiles to Japan so they can defend themselves, installing them on their own license built AEGIS destroyers.
Your post might be funnier if Clinton was still in power.
Yes, but since I'm speaking of the UN SC it's still relevant..... not much has changed there, and the weasels will be apoplectic if Bolton/Rice/Bush try to help the UN grow a spine.........
One does wonder.... :)
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