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Kyodo News: USA Is Warning of Possible Launch of NODONG Missile By North Korea (7:20 pm Eastern)
Kyodo News Service (From Original Japanese, by "Freepranslation") ^ | 6 March 2003 Japan Time | Kyodo News (in Japanese)

Posted on 03/05/2003 5:29:04 PM PST by AmericanInTokyo

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To: Mark Felton
Their long range missile is called the...?

long duck dong?
41 posted on 03/05/2003 6:05:26 PM PST by Husker24
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To: AmericanInTokyo
If it works as planned the JMSDF won't be able to shoot it down until it's on final trajectory. It'll be an interesting test of the Aegis system, which is why I'd doubt seriously if it'll ever get close to the main islands. NK cannot risk the JMSDF getting lucky. Way, way too much face at stake here.
42 posted on 03/05/2003 6:05:30 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: AmericanInTokyo

Circular inset shows 1,000K radius of No Dong (Japan).

43 posted on 03/05/2003 6:05:41 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: Milwaukee_Guy
Our nukes should provide a deterent against their nukes but they have us outgunned on the ground. Not much we can do if the NK army pour over the border.

People continually forget South Korea has an enormous army and while they have less equipment, they do have a lot more of the most modern equipment. And we'll have air superiority. I doubt the DPRK gets anywhere at all in an attack. Even with their tunnels. The troop density along the border is enormous on BOTH sides.

44 posted on 03/05/2003 6:05:43 PM PST by John H K
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To: Milwaukee_Guy
Our greatest military asset (tech) would become our greatest liability in the event of an atmospheric nuke. The NK military would be able to maintain almost all their fighting capabilty while the SK and US would be blind, deaf, and stuck in the mud.

If a large enough emp event could be placed over south korea and japan, the north would have very little resistance moving through the DMZ.
45 posted on 03/05/2003 6:05:49 PM PST by duk
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To: Milwaukee_Guy
they have us outgunned on the ground

If their attack is coordinated well enough they would have the initial advantage. After 3 weeks they won't have anything left to coordinate. Seoul is right in the middle, and that would be disastrous.

46 posted on 03/05/2003 6:06:41 PM PST by RightWhale (Theorems link concepts: Proofs establish links)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Please keep us updated. Like you, being there we are under stress here too. The waiting has a lot of us on edge . Humor is how some of us deal with it.
47 posted on 03/05/2003 6:07:35 PM PST by CindyDawg (.)
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To: Billthedrill
The Japanese have no current ABM capability at all, even with AEGIS. Even our AEGIS ABM capability is still under development, I believe.
48 posted on 03/05/2003 6:09:46 PM PST by John H K
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To: duk
Our greatest military asset (tech) would become our greatest liability in the event of an atmospheric nuke. The NK military would be able to maintain almost all their fighting capabilty while the SK and US would be blind, deaf, and stuck in the mud.

EMP is extremely fickle (there is no reliable prediction for how much damage would be sustained by electronic devices), and military gear is at least somewhat hardened.

If a large enough emp event could be placed over south korea and japan, the north would have very little resistance moving through the DMZ.

To reliably do this, you'd need a big enough nuke to light most of South Korea--AND, coincidentally, North Korea as well--on fire, just from the thermal pulse.

49 posted on 03/05/2003 6:10:21 PM PST by Poohbah (Beware the fury of a patient man -- John Dryden)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Don't let the idiots prevent the information exchange so valuable here. Just ignore the ignorant.
50 posted on 03/05/2003 6:11:40 PM PST by realpatriot
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To: AmericanInTokyo
AIT,

The question of the hour should be whether or not the US or Japan will try to shoot it down with the Aegis they have over there.
What better way to test the system than to do it to a real missile.
Unfortunately, NK would take it as provocation and try to start something.
The other option is that since we seem to have advance warning, send one of the planes with the airborne laser on it and they could try to take it out with that.
51 posted on 03/05/2003 6:12:35 PM PST by sl-17b (Piss off a liberal by using your brain.)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Dont go A_Turk on us!

Thank you for your time and efforts, but the best reaction to one liners' is to simply ignore them.We who sift through the topics do...unless we are in the mood for senseless arguments.

I appreciate your posts, and respectfully remind you that the USA street "surfs" here, and the "street" is not feeling very diplomatic lately...especially when one of the designated "axis of evil" countries are mentioned.

BTW, BTTT.

52 posted on 03/05/2003 6:14:17 PM PST by sarasmom (SAC Trained killer.I am more comfortable with nuclear weaponry than Jimmy Carter mentality.)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
It is far too serious with far too many consequences to be a joke.
53 posted on 03/05/2003 6:17:10 PM PST by twntaipan (Defend American Liberty: Defeat a demoncRAT!)
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To: Billthedrill
North Korea Fires Missile Into Sea Of Japan

Seoul (AFP) Feb 25, 2003

North Korea has fired a missile into the Sea of Japan, triggering renewed tension Tuesday as South Korea prepared to swear-in a new president who has pledged to seek a peaceful resolution to Pyongayng's nuclear weapons drive. The missile was fired Monday into international waters in the Sea of Japan, a South Korean defense ministry official said, adding there were no details immediately available about the type of missile fired, or about its range.

"The only information we have is that a missile was fired from an unknown location in North Korea into the East Sea (Sea of Japan)," he said.

"We are trying to determine whether it was designed to test a new missile or just part of an exercise by North Korea troops," he said.

North Korea said it was unable to confirm that a missile had been launched, according to a Xinhua news agency report from Pyongyang, citing a foreign ministry spokesman.

South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said that a ground-to-ship missile launched by North Korea fell into the sea 60 kilometers (36 miles) off the east coast of North Korea's South Hamgyong province.

Japanese media said the missile was a surface-to-vessel short-range Silkworm with a maximum range of 100 kilometres.

Jiji Press news agency quoted a Japanese defence agency source as saying North Korea fired two missiles, believed to be old Chinese models, at different times Monday but one of them failed.

News of the missile firing emerged as senior world figures, including US Secretary of State Colin Powell, gathered here for the inauguration Tuesday of South Korea's new President Roh Moo-Hyun.

Amid international outcry and pressure over its nuclear weapons drive, North Korea has threatened to lift its self-imposed moratorium on missile tests.

North Korea agreed to a moratorium on missile testing after it caused international alarm in 1998 when it test-fired a ballistic missile that flew over northeastern Japan into the Pacific Ocean.

Last month as the nuclear crisis deepend, North Korea pulled out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and then threatened to resume missile testing.

The White House in Washington said it was looking into reports that North Korea had fired a missile.

A US administration official said the US believes "this was a launch of a shorter-range tactical missile," not a ballistic one.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Tokyo was "collecting and analysing information" on the North's new missile launch.

"At least we do not have information that a ballistic missile was launched," he said.

Reports of the missile launch dragged down share prices in Tokyo and Seoul.

Investors dumped the yen in Japan where experts have warned Pyongyang might resume missile tests after Washington cut off fuel shipments in December last year over the North's nuclear weapons drive.

According to South Korean defence ministry data, North Korea is currently testing Taepodong-1 missiles with a range of 2,500 kilometers and is also developing longer-range missiles.

In 1993, North Korea test-launched into the Sea of Japan a Rodong-1 missile with a range of 1,300 kilometers after testing two types of crude Scud missiles.

The 1998 missile launch prompted Japan to go ahead with studying a missile interception scheme with the United States in 1999.

The Stalinist country has accused the United States of setting in motion invasion plans by launching a massive arms build-up, and insists it has a right to self-defence.

Pyongyang has warned it could strike US targets anywhere in the world.

Japanese officials have said Tokyo could ask US forces to launch a pre-emptive strike on North Korean missile bases if Pyongyang was preparing to fire missiles at its territory.

Sanctions could be justified as a missile launch breaches a declaration signed by North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-Il and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at a historic summit in Pyongyang last September.

54 posted on 03/05/2003 6:17:24 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: sl-17b
AEGIS ballistic missle defense isn't nearly as far along as people think. It requires a special, very expensive missle, as well.
55 posted on 03/05/2003 6:18:03 PM PST by John H K
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To: AmericanInTokyo
"To me, this issue is not a joke. Anyone else agree?"

Agreed. Intil last year I never had met anyone from Japan until my wife volunteered to lodge one of her non-profit association's associate's at our home for a three day stay.

She (my wife) asked if I would mind if an attractive, smart, twenty three year old female Japaneese college student could shack up with us for a few days.

Of course I passed out at the notion....:-O

Anyway she spoke five languages fluently. Was polite, humble and funny. Immensely enjoyed my daughter's Barbie collection and wolfed down a classic steak, baked potato and corn on the cob dinner.

After all that I can't, for a momment, imagine any harm comming to her or her country.

The jokes you are seeing here are just nervous energy that all of us are feeling right now. I guess that's OK as long as we are a little considerate of other nation's sensitivities. Especially those of our allies and friends.
56 posted on 03/05/2003 6:18:24 PM PST by Milwaukee_Guy (Having France in NATO, is like taking an accordion deer hunting.......)
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To: twntaipan
"It is far too serious with far too many consequences to be a joke."

You misspelled "series." :o)
57 posted on 03/05/2003 6:18:44 PM PST by Poohbah (Beware the fury of a patient man -- John Dryden)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
"To me, this issue is not a joke. Anyone else agree?"

I agree, keep the reports coming.

What will happen when a Japanese Aegis missile shoots this thing down?

58 posted on 03/05/2003 6:19:49 PM PST by blam
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To: AmericanInTokyo
If you can't take gallows humor, then maybe you shouldn't follow the news.
59 posted on 03/05/2003 6:21:35 PM PST by Poohbah (Beware the fury of a patient man -- John Dryden)
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Comment #60 Removed by Moderator


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