Unless such a bomb disabled the nuke itself, it would probably be a waste.
Posted on 09/22/2017 7:23:39 AM PDT by mandaladon
SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - Detonating a nuclear-tipped missile over the Pacific Ocean would be a logical final step by North Korea to prove the success of its weapons program but would be extremely provocative and carry huge risks, arms control experts said on Friday.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho suggested leader Kim Jong Un was considering testing “an unprecedented scale hydrogen bomb” over the Pacific in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat at the United Nations to “totally destroy” the country.
“It may mean North Korea will fire a warhead-tipped (intermediate range) Hwasong-12 or Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile and blow it up a few hundred kilometers above the Pacific Ocean,” said Yang Uk, a senior researcher at the Korea Defence and Security Forum in Seoul.
“They may be bluffing, but there is a need for them to test their combined missile-bomb capability. They could have already prepared the plan and are now trying to use Trump’s remarks as an excuse to make it happen,” said Yang.
Such an atmospheric test would be the first globally since China detonated a device in 1980, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Tests of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles are rarer still. The United States’ only test of an operational ballistic missile with a live warhead was fired from submarine far out in the Pacific Ocean in 1962.
China was widely condemned for a similar test with a missile that exploded over its Lop Nur test site in the country’s west in 1966.
North Korea’s six nuclear tests to date have all been underground, the most recent earlier this month by far its largest.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
I don’t believe NK is a signatory to any of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaties.
It could solidify broad UN support for military action against them however
The Kim family's long-stated goal has been an end to the United States. That goal has been around since before Reagan. Trump's been president for just over 8 months. The Norks have not developed missiles and nukes in just these short 8 months. So, blaming Trump for this is nothing more than lieberals being lieberals.
Consider: Blowing up a NORK nuke over NORKland has additional good value besides just destroying the missile.
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Unfortunately, no one has invented in big, invisible, radiation-proof wall to protect the innocent citizens of South Korea.
Don’t you doubt it for a moment...they will also blame the President...
... and blow it up a few hundred kilometers above the Pacific Ocean, ...
Is the maniac dwarf attempting to EMP Japan?
That won’t go over well. Although it won’t burn up people, it could destroy all their electronic toys.
Obama did nothing for 8 years, Trump has to clean up his mess from his neglect and inability to lead.
We are talking about the same arms control experts who colluded with NK to get them where they are today, right?
Because there is another view of arms control regarding the launching and detonation of a live strategic warhead. It's called a massive preemptory strike launched on warning. It's not new. We spent 4 decades in that posture with the former Soviet Union. It wasn't pretty, but it kept the peace.
The leftists wouldn't care about the environmental damage a Nork hydrogen weapon would do - because . . .
"The issue is never the issue, the issue is ALWAYS the Revolution. (Alinsky)
Well, get to work. It may come to be that the invention you envision is necessary.
Unless such a bomb disabled the nuke itself, it would probably be a waste.
We have a partial nuclear test ban in place. Although not all countries have signed it, it can and should be considered customary international law. In part, because of the grave risks to the entire planet of above ground nuclear tests.
Should North Korea conduct an above ground nuclear test, it can be considered an existential threat to any and all other nations of the world and, furthermore, to have initiated the use of nuclear weapons. It may be counter-attacked with impunity by anybody, including counter-attacked with weapons of mass destruction.
North Korea would make a good example for the rest of the world of how stupid it would be to conduct an above ground nuclear test.
By this point, the people of Hokkaido, Japan will be getting quite nervous and understandably so. The preferred route for North Korean missiles is directly over them.
EMP practice.
My prediction - it would not be delivered on a missile. Probably a boat.
The UN is still at war with NK. There was an armistice signed, but no peace treaty.
Somehow we don’t seem to have the courage to be a real threat and shoot all NK missiles down.
Don’t buy any fish out of the Pacific for the next 1,000 years. Radioactive.
BTW the fuel used by NORK missiles is the worst fuel on the planet that alone may make a boom all by itself its Called UDMH that stuff is not even used by the Russkies as it exploded over many of there attempts at making it to the moon..
That’s very interesting, thanks.
Let’s hope for a detonation at launch then.
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