The Real Threat From North Korea

SpaceWar.com ^ | 07/07/06 | by Anthony H. Cordesman

[garbageseeker]

The same North Korean ICBM efforts that throw a rock at Alaska can throw a large nuclear warhead at every ally the United States has in Northeast Asia. Japan and South Korea are not only close allies, they are critical trading partners. The risk of a war in this part of the world would inevitably threaten Chinese involvement in some form, and possible bloc trade with much of China for an extended period even if China did not become involved. Our troops and our bases in most of Asia would be at hazard as well.

Americans need to stop thinking parochially and selfishly and start thinking strategically. North Korea does not have to be able to hit the United States with meaningful nuclear threats to do much to deter or damage the United States

[garbageseeker]

This is a rather interesting article. I would like your comments on it.There is a slight bias in the article and does not take into account of threat of a missile attack by North Koreans on the continential United States in the long range.

[Brilliant]

The real threat from NK is that they are going into the export business.

[Paloma_55]

I say the next time they start fueling one of these things, we should send a submarine based, GPS guided cruise missle to the launch pad.

[garbageseeker]

That have already have exporting business. They sell their missiles to Iran

[garbageseeker]

I agree

[massgopguy]

Why can't China do something about their crazy aunt in the attic? hint: they're bankrolling these launches.

[garbageseeker]

Bump

China is also providing them with fuel and food. Most likely goes directly to the party bosses and the military.

[Dark Skies]

I say the next time they start fueling one of these things, we should send a submarine based, GPS guided cruise missle to the launch pad.

Yep...and release a tape with an OBL lookalike taking full credit.

[b4its2late]

hint: they're bankrolling these launches.

To see if we react and how. It's like getting your little cousin to throw a rock at your neighbors house and letting him get in trouble for it. If no consequences, it's only a matter of time and you'll be able to do the same with impunity.

[monkeywrench]

"One other point. When it comes to political posturing, the Bush administration deserves a bit of credit on its own. Talking about activating an unproven ballistic missile defense, whose booster seems to have serious reliability problems, to deal with a test it probably was almost certain would never hit the United States was posturing on its own."

This guy is worried about our defense shield. He goes on to ridicule the idea. He and the chicoms are dying to know how accurate it is. LOL!

[wolfcreek]

All these countries that think We're too bogged down in I and A to be a real threat, seem to discount the fact that our Navy and AF are basically idol.

[RandyRep]

I heard a fellow on the Glenn Beck show yesterday call in and say that every time North Korea launches something, the US radar systems (and presumably the defense systems in Alaska) light up to track the NK missile.

He said the Chinese watch this with their own systems (including satellites) to determine ways to evade or neutralize them. I don't know how accurate this comment is, but Beck said he would investigate it.

If this is true, then China and NK are in cahoots, as most of us think they are.

China has another interest here - to let the USA spend a portion of our treasure on defense systems and on bases in South Korea. They figure, I think, that they can always get someone to give them the design and operational secrets when the defense systems are developed - just like they did with missile guidance systems in the Clinton years.

[garbageseeker]

This guy is worried about our defense shield. He goes on to ridicule the idea

Sounds like a liberal.

[garbageseeker]

He said the Chinese watch this with their own systems (including satellites) to determine ways to evade or neutralize them. I don't know how accurate this comment is, but Beck said he would investigate

I have heard this too.

[American Quilter]

IMO we should take out the NK government and its nuclear capability for both strategic and humanitarian reasons. It saddens me to think of the millions of starving and tortured people there, struggling from one day to the next with very little hope of survival.

[monkeywrench]

You reminded me of this thread. They never did figure it out. http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1661514/posts

[DB]

This "analysis" seems nuts to me.

"Semi-suicidal" if NK launches a preemptive nuclear strike?

If NK were to do that, it would be over in minutes - his million man army and all.

The writer goes on about what a threat NK is to our allies in the area, and then goes on about how Bush overreacted to the threat and how that threat is no real threat yet to the US... Duh, they're our allies... A threat to our allies is a threat to ourselves. An attack on Japan is an attack on the US for all practical purposes.

Sorry, but this guy sounds like an idiot to me.

[garbageseeker]

Bump

[xjcsa]

I see the note at the bottom that this was "extracted" from a longer paper. I wonder if the long version was the same sort of disjointed rambling.

As to lighting up their missile on the ground - just keep in mind that it would mean the immediate destruction of Seoul and the deaths of a great many of its residents. North Korea has artillery - some of it possibly loaded with chemical or biological weapons - in range of the entire city, and we would not be able to take it out fast enough to save the city.

[DB]

The other side to that is, that China does not want Japan to go nuclear.

NK is pushing Japan towards that end. And I have no doubt Japan would provide a formidable deterrent.