North Korea Nuclear Standoff

[Janice]

They better make it good. They will only get one shot.....

[cycloneye]

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiap ... index.html

The U.S will not fire to intercept any missile that North Korea may launch according from what the Vice President said today and is at link above.

[Brent]

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/06/22/nkorea.missile/index.html

The U.S will not fire to intercept any missile that North Korea may launch according from what the Vice President said today and is at link above.

According to Nightly News tonight, The U.S. has sent out an alert to shoot down the missile, but ONLY if it poses a threat to the U.S.

That's assuming they actually fire the missile.

[Janice]

So, does this mean the US could expect a missle hitting them at any time?

[Derek Ortt]

if they fire this and it lands anywhere near our soil, I would not mind seeing a few ICBM's of our own headed right at NK to immediately end any threat that they pose

[gtalum]

Do you really think it's a good idea to launch a nuclear war over a test missile?

[Brent]

Do you really think it's a good idea to launch a nuclear war over a test missile?

What if it's not a test?

[Stratosphere747]

if they fire this and it lands anywhere near our soil, I would not mind seeing a few ICBM's of our own headed right at NK to immediately end any threat that they pose

What a great idea...

We have yet to actually test our own ICBM with a nuclear payload aboard. Lets hope ours would not go astray...

Nothing but paranoia to think that whatever NK does is anything but a test. The ability to not only detonate a nuclear weapon, but to do so on any missile is far more complicated than the majority truly understands.....

[Derek Ortt]

as I said, if it lands anywhere near US soil. If it does, its clear that it is NOT a test, but an act of war, that should be responded in kind

[GalvestonDuck]

Do you really think it's a good idea to launch a nuclear war over a test missile?

Talk to them first...they're the ones launching.

[Skywatch_NC]

if they fire this and it lands anywhere near our soil, I would not mind seeing a few ICBM's of our own headed right at NK to immediately end any threat that they pose

What a great idea...

We have yet to actually test our own ICBM with a nuclear payload aboard. Lets hope ours would not go astray...

Nothing but paranoia to think that whatever NK does is anything but a test. The ability to not only detonate a nuclear weapon, but to do so on any missile is far more complicated than the majority truly understands.....

The ones who are paranoid are dictators like Kim Jong II.

[Regit]

This is getting ridiculously blown out of proportion. NK is a sovereign nation with a right to fire a test missle. We also have the right to shoot it down if it is coming in your direction. A decision to shoot it down will have been made long before it lands on US soil, though that doesn't mean it'll actually be shot down.

I don't know where all this "act of war" and "might not be a test" is coming from. Do you really think they'd tell us about it first and allow us to lock our weapons on it?

And no, we aren't going to immediately attack if it lands on US soil (which it won't). We'd first have to find out if it was on purpose. What if we launched a war over a badly aimed shot?

Furthermore, we're not going to just attack NK unless they actually carry out an attack on the US. What if they never surrender and we actually have to overthrow the gov't? Can we afford to occupy another country?

[gtalum]

What if it's not a test?

Do you really think it's a good idea to start a nuclear war because it might not be a test?

[Aquawind]

if they fire this and it lands anywhere near our soil, I would not mind seeing a few ICBM's of our own headed right at NK to immediately end any threat that they pose

Duuude!

[Derek Ortt]

if it does hit us, we wont wait around to find out if it was an accident... Pyongyang is bye bye. They attack us, does not matter if it was an accident, thats an act of war

[SouthFloridawx]

Do you really think it's a good idea to launch a nuclear war over a test missile?

What if it's not a test?

Holy crap brent!

[cycloneye]

U.S conducts test



In a milirary excersise that the U.S is doing in the Western Pacific waters they tested a missile defense intercept missile successfully.

[conestogo_flood]

Whats going on now?

[Audrey2Katrina]

I have to concur that this is getting overblown. Had this been Iran launching... or some true nutcase run country, I think the reaction of some would be justified. The Koreans are pretty bright people, and certainly NOT suicidal (Like "some" folks are).. they can't possibly believe that the US wouldn't crystalize their entire nation if they tried something as silly as launching an armed missile at the US....just isn't going to happen. This is just more sabre-rattling from the N. Koreans who seem to get an almost sadistic pleasure in watching the reactions they get.

Even the Chinese (also clearly not suicidal) do NOT like the N. Koreans doing this. Why? Because they are well aware that Japan, a very clever people, already has nuclear technology and quite a bit of weapon's grade ore if needs be. The last thing in the world they want, would be to provoke this old nemesis into a forced reaction of developing one of their own nuclear arms programs. (Yes I know about Japan's status as a no-military/weapons allowed nation--but think in the event of a real threat posed, this could and would change overnight). And THAT is where a potential powder-keg could develop.

I dunno... maybe it's just me. But I think the Koreans are just too smart to think for a minute they would accomplish anything involving an act of war against the US. On the other hand... they could achieve a media blitz with all the hand-wringing this could precipitate--and THAT I think they'd enjoy.

A2K

[Stratosphere747]

There is no "powder-keg" with respect to Japan and how they feel. Militarily, we control whatever could possibly happen between both countries.