North Korea said to have fueled missile for test North Korea is believed to have completed fueling a missile capable of reaching Alaska, raising the probability of an imminent test launch, U.S. officials said on Sunday. The test is expected to involve a Taepodong-2 missile with an estimated range of 2,175 to 2,670 miles. At that range, parts of Alaska in the United States would be within reach as well as Asia and Russia. FINISHING STAGE The South Korean daily Dong-A Ilbo quoted a Seoul government official as saying the launch could be imminent. "We think North Korea has poured liquid fuel into the missile propellant built in the missile launching pad. It is at the finishing stage before launching" but the South Korean government did not know if fueling was completed, he said. Experts say if the missile is not launched 48 hours after fueling, the fuel will start to break down and damage the missile. full article
If they launch it, I'd love to see an Aegis cruiser shoot that sucker down. I hope we do. Keep D&D Civil.
Last time they did this it was a Taepo-dong-1 -- the third stage booster failed to fire correctly. IMO they have probably worked out that glitch for the Taepo-dong-2 - but it is still shaky technology, wouldn't be surprised if it blew up on the pad. As I understand it - this rocket [Taepodong] is basically 3 scud missile stages strapped together.
If that is truly the case, and it seems highly unlikely, then we should definitely be able to shoot it down, and we should, IMO. Keep D&D Civil.
Wouldn't this be an act of war? Testing a missile isn't really illegal or prohibited in any way, as far as I know.
Whitman noted that the United States has limited missile defenses but would not say whether it intends to use them against a North Korean missile launch. ________ Pentagon warns a North Korean missile launch would be 'provocative' The US Defense Department warned that a North Korean launch of a long-range missile would be a "provocative act." "The United States government as a whole has been consulting with allies in the region and has made clear than a North Korean missile launch would be a provocative act," he said. However, he pointedly used the term "launch" rather than "test" to describe the North Korean preparations and said Pyongyang's intentions were not clear. "A test would imply that you would know the intentions," he said. "We don't know the intentions." full article
Is firing a missile over an ally, Japan, without their permission an act of war? I'm not the least concerned about it. Shoot it down, if we can. IMO, NK isn't going to war because of something like that. Keep D&D Civil.
According to Fox News, the U.S. just activated the missle defense system in Japan. The reporter says that the feeling is there will be a launch sometime in the next 5-10 days. Can't find anything in print on this yet, but will post when I find it.
From Kyoto news agency's website.. Headlines Jun.21 00:20 U.S. editorial excerpts -2- Jun.21 00:12 U.S. activates missile defense, may intercept N. Korea missile Jun.21 00:06 Taiwan's Chen defends himself, his record in TV address Jun.20 23:50 Disgraced architect to face perjury charge possibly Thursday Jun.20 23:48 U.S. activates missile defense system, may intercept N. Korea missile Jun.20 23:23 Japan orders ground troop pullout from Iraq, to expand airlift aid Jun.20 22:52 2-week sales ban order to be issued Wed. to Mitsui Sumitomo insurer http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstCategory/index.php?cmenuid=2
It would be awesome if we just shoot it down. If it is a test, they should let the community know their intentions, otherwise they are opening themselves up for having their missile shot down. DD
Our options are limited when thousands of conventional missiles are aimed at Seoul... It's still one missile and the threat posed assumes that a big coastal city like LA, SF, or Seattle will be hit when it's more likely to land on Napa Valley. This all factors into how much we're willing to negotiate similarly to the previous treaty that they'll break...
In the past Japan also claimed the entire Korean peninsula as Japanese territory. So maybe the international community should first investigate whether the alleged "fly over Japan" claim is valid or not.
it would be really embarrassing for the US though if we tried to shoot it down and missed. it would send a message to the chinese, russians, and whoever else that we can't even shoot down a junky n. korea missile.
