Posted on 06/19/2006 8:47:38 PM PDT by edpc
The Pentagon activated its new U.S. ground-based interceptor missile defense system, Bill Gertz reports in Tuesday's WASHINGTON TIMES, just as officials announced that any long-range missile launch by North Korea would be considered a "provocative act."
Poor weather conditions above where the missile site was located by U.S. intelligence satellites indicates that an immediate launch is unlikely, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
However, intelligence officials said preparations have advanced to the point where a launch could take place within several days to a month.
Two Navy Aegis warships are patrolling near North Korea as part of the global missile defense and would be among the first sensors that would trigger the use of interceptors, the officials said yesterday.
Gertz reports: The U.S. missile defense system includes 11 long-range interceptor missiles, including nine deployed at Fort Greeley, Alaska, and two at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The system was switched from test to operational mode within the past two weeks, the officials said.
The act of war has already happened. If they launch a nuke that goes towards the USA (or Japan) it is an act of war (even to liberals) - and we cannot afford to believe that this is just a test of a three stage ICBM nuke missile. ...They'll send it to Iran and Pakistan once they perfect it you know. Blow the missile on the launching pad - and they get no test with there three stage ICBM missile. ...They'll have to start from scratch. 3 year delay at least.
I am beginning to think NK must go before Iran. It should have been taken on before Iraq even. I'll tell you why, if KJI was taken out and the command structure dismantled, it would mean that NK would come under S.Korean administration, something that most N.Korean people are not just not averse to, but are looking forward to. This will be the easiest post-war situation management exercise for the Americans.
Iran will be a lot more difficult given its location, close to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although its predominantly Sunni, Ahmedinejad will rush to Syria, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda for some kind of help. Post-war NK will be much easier than Iran and Iraq.
I might interpert that to mean that the United States would only shoot it down if it threatened U.S. territory. Otherwise it's an "intelligence event".
We are still at war with N. Korea. We are only in a state of cease fire.
Tactical missile systems can be seen as incremental improvements on existing systems. Nukes would have been a violation.
I agree that the terms of the armistice are and have been largely a dead letter for dacades, and that's why I couched my comment in the vernaccular, as in "Oh, and Dude, you know, keeping a, er, amphibious rodent as a pet, within the city, well, that ain't exactly legal either."
I recall reading that China is one of the countries observing our current naval exercises in the Pacific. Meaning from an approved vantage point.
I can think of many objections and only one rational for such a thing.
Russia and others were also said to be observing.
Indeed. Thanks for your comments on this thread.
I saw Hunt's comments and I think he is right.
Ultimately this whole thing is about US-Chinese relations. The Chinese will let NK provoke us and the Japanese to a point, but if he really steps over the line, they will reel him in quickly, even to the put of putting arsenic in his dog meat if they have to. Not to say he won't launch a missile, he may very well do so, and the posters who say this missile launch is really about the Chinese testing our capabilities and resolve are dead on. We have given the Chinese a front row seat for the show, knowing full well that our capabilities are up to the test.
The last thing the Chinese want is a resurgent Japan and a reenergized US mucking about in what they consider their sphere of influence. The Japanese are already taking steps to rearm, and our show of strength here is designed to remind the Chinese that we are still the preeminent Pacific power for the foreseeable future.
Dubya is playing chess with the Chinese, not NK, and both us and the Chinese are well aware of the fact. Little Kimmie, unbeknownst to him, is merely the sideshow. If a missile goes off and it threatens us or our allies we will shoot it down. Right in front of the Chinese.
I love it when the adults are in charge of foreign policy!
Exactly the one rationale I was thinking of, a display of power. I'm sure we keep the stuff that needs to be kept secret out of the view of prying eyes and ears.
I'm ambivalent about Japan re-arming. I see pros and cons.
My dad, who was in the Pacific in WWII would still say a big "NO WAY" to that idea even today. He didn't trust the Japanese to his dying day.
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