North Korea Watch: North Korea Launches Taepodong-2 at Area off Hawaii
Reuters: N. Korea missile aimed at area off Hawaii – report
A North Korean missile launched on Wednesday was aimed at an area of the ocean close to Hawaii, a Japanese newspaper reported on Friday.
Experts estimated the Taepodong-2 ballistic missile to have a range of up to 6,000 km, putting Alaska within its reach. Wednesday’s launch apparently failed shortly after take-off and the missile landed in the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan, a few hundred kilometres from the launch pad.
If the flight of this missile had been longer would the U.S. and Japanese Aegis missile defense destroyers had the orders to intercept? And what about the ground based interceptors in Fort Greely, Alaska?
But data from U.S. and Japanese Aegis radar-equipped destroyers and surveillance aircraft on the missile’s angle of take-off and altitude indicated that it was heading for waters near Hawaii, the Sankei Shimbun reported, citing multiple sources in the United States and Japan.
North Korea may have targeted Hawaii to show the United States that it was capable of landing a missile there, or because it is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific fleet, the paper said.
An alternative explanation might be that a missile could accidentally hit land if fired towards Alaska, the report said.
A separate report in the Mainichi Shimbun daily cited U.S. and Japanese government officials as saying a piece of the Taepodong-2 missile fell off immediately after take-off, strengthening the view that the launch was a failure.
But, does North Korea have any additional long-range ballistic missiles and if they do will President Bush be justified in pre-emptively destroying them?
The Bush Administration has been taking a stern but diplomatic approach to involve the international community in further isolating North Korea. However, there may come a time where military action may be required to protect America.
In the meantime, North Korea today MOCKED the world for its missile launches.
North Korea angrily mocked international criticism of its multiple missile tests, threatening on Thursday to fire off more rockets. In the face of nearly unanimous world condemnation of the seven missile tests on Wednesday, Pyongyang’s foreign minister released a blustery statement declaring that it had the right to develop and test its weapons — and vowing unspecified retaliation against anyone who tries to stop it.
“Our military will continue with missile launch drills in the future as part of efforts to strengthen self-defense deterrent,” said the statement, carried in state-run media.
“If anyone intends to dispute or add pressure about this, we will have to take stronger physical actions in other forms.”
The statement did not specify what actions North Korea would take.
More bluster and threatening behavior from North Korea does not reassure the world that negotiations are possible with such a regime.
As the diplomats talk, the United States and its allies better prepare for an armed intervention.
The aggressive stance from Pyongyang coincided with intense diplomatic activity in world capitals to formulate a response to the tests. Washington and its allies — particularly Japan — clamored for sanctions against the North, but struggled against resistance by China and Russia.
The United Nations Security Council will not vote for any type of punitive sanctions. Russia and China love Kim Jong-Il sticking a finger in the eye of the United States.
America must DETER North Korea much as it did during the Cold War with the old and failed Soviet Union.
The United States can bargain from a position of strength and let Kim Jong-Il know that should another provocative action occur towards the United States that there will be swift and deadly retaliation.
Stay tuned……
Picture released on June 16 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il.
Captain Ed has AP: North Korea Targeted Hawaiian WatersÂ
We have waited to see what analysis could be made by defense experts from the limited telemetry available about the intended target. If this proves correct, it will increase pressure on the White House to pursue a tougher line on Pyongyang and its missile tests — perhaps even pushing us towards the risky policy of hitting the launch sites before any more ICBMs fly.
It also makes it a little tougher for us to settle for a “presidential statement” from the UN Security Council as well. That shows that the North Koreans represent a direct threat to our territory. We need to present a tough and united front to face down Kim. If the UNSC can’t find it in themselves to do that while Kim fires missiles at Hawaii, then perhaps we can find some other use for Turtle Bay.
A “presidential statement” from the United Nations is unacceptable. Deterrence is the ONLY solution now.
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Technorati Tags: NorthKorea, KimJongIl, MissileDefenseAgency
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Joel
a funny north korea story
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