**N. KOREA UNVEILS NEW INTERMEDIATE RANGE NUKE MISSILE; CAN HIT U.S. TARGETS (PARADE TODAY)***

Chosun Ilbo, SBS TV, Japanese NNN TV ^ | 9 September 2003 | AmericanInTokyo

[AmericanInTokyo]

5:00 p.m. Monday (9/8) Eastern Time

It is now 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 9, 2003 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Under rainy skies and with a current temperature of 70 degrees F, 95% humidity, slight breeze, with expected thunderstorms today in Pyongyang. Many FReepers and others are taking close note of today. Sunrise will occur in 12 minutes. And then, within a few hours, something rather noteworthy, historic and perhaps stunning is expected in the capital of the D.P.R.K. (North Korea).

SBS-TV (S. Korea) today has obtained photographs of a new and provocative 15.5 meter-tall Nodong version missile, capable of attacking the United States military forces in Japan, Okinawa and Guam and with a range of over 3000 kilometers, and now, along with others in place at nearly 200 locations in North Korea, many aimed at Japanese cities and American forces in Japan (37,000 personnel).

It is also reported that before the day is out, North Korea may launch a solid rocket in missile testing, to herald it's founding anniversary. The US, Japan and South Korea are watching closely.

Photos (above) are of the No-dong missile before and after being loaded on mobile launcher transport (wheeled vehicle).

It is expected that within a few hours, in the morning hours in Pyongyang, the new No-dong long-range missile will be rolled through Kim Il-Sung square for the first time, at a massive North Korean military parade (the largest in 10 years) on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

Delighted dictator Kim Jong-il is expected to salute from the dais.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Japanese firm busted several days ago, caught red handed, attempting to ship over mobile launching capabilities (tractors) to DPRK.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Note to self: Moral of the story: next time AIT posts a story about NK missile technology, AIT is going to westernize/phoneticize the DPRK missile's name another way, *with a slight author's license interpretation, in order to cut down or eliminate the silly jokes that are more than five years old and don't contribute a dime's worth to the conversation. :-)

"Rodoeng Missile"

[AmericanInTokyo]

Meaningful, concerned insight. Thank you.

[AmericanInTokyo]

"N" and "R" used interchangeably, as in S. Korean President Roh, pronounced President Noh, etc. Truth is, the actual Korean pronunciation is something halfway between "N" and "R", if you can imagine that.

[VeniVidiVici]

Interesting how similar the est. specs and published pics of the new missle and transporter are to the Soviet SS-20 missle and TEL.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/russia/rt-21m.htm

[Peach]

You're welcome. Gertz is simply the best at what he does and if you haven't read his book about China, I can recommend it highly. Stay well.

[FReepaholic]

>>...There will not be a SINGLE DEMONSTRATION in the streets by peaceniks, either in Paris, or Bonn, or London...<<

Excellent post! Spot on!

[judicial meanz]

Good observation peach!



I dont agree with seeking concessions from the North Koreans either. They have a 50 year track record of outright lies, and wont change overnight. No matter how much we pay them, they will continue to seek our destruction.

[Tree of Liberty]

They way I see it, there is a plethora of public information showing why we should preemptively strike at the DPRK. There must be something pretty big behind the scenes that's inhibiting our response. I, for one, am a little curious as to what that is.

[Light Speed]

Some background on China..for those reading allong this thread.

In June of 1995, the CIA learned that China had stolen the crown jewels of our nuclear arsenal, including the neutron bomb and the W-88 miniaturized warhead. Later that year National Security Advisor Anthony Lake is briefed on the thefts. He is replaced on the Security Council by Sandy Berger, a former lobbyist for the Chinese government. In June of 1996, before Bill Clinton's re-election, the FBI opens a formal investigation into the theft of US nuclear weapon designs.

Proof of China's military intentions came in March of 1996, on the eve of Taiwan's first democratic elections. China used the threat of force to intimidate the island nation into electing a pro-Beijing candidate. Military maneuvers included bombing runs and launching ballistic missiles that impacted within twenty miles of Taiwan. When the US sent an aircraft carrier into the Taiwan Straits, a Chinese general threatened to "rain down nukes upon Los Angeles".

In 1997, news of the campaign finance scandal reached the press. Clinton claimed he was "appalled" to learn he had received illegal contributions from China. As the Justice Department began investigating, over one hundred suspects fled the country or refused to testify. Despite FBI recommendations and congressional protests, Janet Reno refused to appoint an independent counsel.

Then the press learned that China had stolen nuclear weapon designs from US research labs. The Clinton administration downplayed and even denied reports that any nuclear secrets were stolen, but this scandal was too big to ignore. Congress began a formal investigation by forming the Cox committee. The administration was forced to reveal the extent of China's nuclear espionage, but they insisted Clinton had no previous knowledge. Sandy Berger even swore under oath that the President was not told about nuclear thefts until 1998, three years after the fact.

The Cox Committee report was released early in 1999. It confirmed that China had stolen the neutron bomb design and the W-88 miniaturized warhead. The W-88 would allow China to field smaller, mobile missiles and carry multiple warheads on larger missiles. In addition, the Cox report proved that US companies illegally transferred "missile design information and know-how". Chief among the offenders were Loral And Hughes.

In the summer of 1999 the pro-independence leadership of Taiwan called for talks with China on a state-to-state basis. The enraged Chinese demanded Taiwan enter unification talks or face attack. A Communist Party approved newspaper published a plan to conquer Taiwan. It involved using neutron bombs against any Taiwanese resistance and a nuclear standoff with the US.

On October 1st 1999, the fiftieth anniversary of China's communist takeover, a new missile was paraded through the streets of Beijing. The DF-31 is a modern, mobile nuclear missile capable of hitting targets in the US. The rocket motor and guidance system were made possible by Loral and Hughes. The nuclear warhead is a copy of the W-88, stolen from the US.

As for Wen Ho Lee, he was a suspected Chinese spy for three years before being fired from his job at Los Alamos and arrested. Lee was charged with 59 counts of mishandling nuclear weapons data with intent to injure the United States. Rather than face a trail where nuclear secrets would be admitted as evidence, federal prosecutors accepted a plea bargain. Wen Ho Lee pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling nuclear weapons data and went home, after serving 278 days in jail.

[My Favorite Headache]

Obviously I am not saying everyone in California thinks this way but 9-11 to a lot of them was "an east coast/new york/d.c. thang"

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Remember every job requires a different tool from the tool box, not just a hammer for everything.

Iraq needed the hammer. N.K. can be taken care of with a vise made of sanctions and internal pressures. IMHO

[Light Speed]

U.S. Nuclear sub visit angers Japan

Ungratefull Japanese...look what the U.S. sub photographed in Japanese coastal waters.

Japanese tried some S & M on Gojiraa last time...bet he comes back to kick the crap out of them!

[Jumper]

Correct you are as earlier this year a shippment of NK missiles was allowed to pass after boarding and discovery in a port and then allowed to final destination - all because they were not destined for Iraq:)

[montag813]

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE CLINTON TEAM!!!

THANK YOU MADELINE ALBRIGHT!!!

THANK YOU JAMES EARL CARTER!!!

THANK YOU BILL CLINTON!!!

NORTH KOREAN MISSILES CAN NOW STRIKE CALIFORNIA!!!

(Hint: How about McClintock Headquarters)

[kuma]

Guess the way drugs seem to fund all our enemies seems to make the Libertarian's stance on the WOD look down right incompetent. The only thing I happen to agree with them on is the fact that too many low-rank users are the ones arrested instead of the actual big time ones. I wonder if "we" have plucked off any of those major (mainly russian) guys over in Afghanistan?

[FreepForever]

Thanks for the background info in chronological order.

[TastyManatees]

Lighten up, it is funny, and not everyone has been around for years for the jokes (myself included). I know that when I see something as clearly phallic as a missile named "No Dong", I start snickering. Anyways, the jokes attract people to an important post they would not have otherwise seen (and it's not like we're paying anything for the bandwidth).

Tasty Manatees

[AmericanInTokyo]

I'll post a separate thread (I'll parenthize it as **JOKES**) where a few people can 'lighten up', as an alternate thread. Something for everyone. We'll also have our serious geopolitical discussions on the other, separate threads. That will satisfy everyone including you. Thanks. :-)

[American in Israel]

Are you telling me that little kims had a problem with his no-dong, he could not get it up?