Monroe Chat

North Korea may fire a missile toward HawaiiBy HYUNG-JIN KIM, Associated Press Writer Hyung-jin Kim, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 34 mins ago

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea may fire a long-range ballistic missile toward Hawaii in early July, a Japanese news report said Thursday, as Russia and China urged the regime to return to international disarmament talks on its rogue nuclear program.

The missile, believed to be a Taepodong-2 with a range of up to 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers), would be launched from North Korea's Dongchang-ni site on the northwestern coast, said the Yomiuri daily, Japan's top-selling newspaper. It cited an analysis by the Japanese Defense Ministry and intelligence gathered by U.S. reconnaissance satellites.

The missile launch could come between July 4 and 8, the paper said.

While the newspaper speculated the Taepodong-2 could fly over Japan and toward Hawaii, it said the missile would not be able to hit Hawaii's main islands, which are about 4,500 miles (7,200 kilometers) from the Korean peninsula.

A spokesman for the Japanese Defense Ministry declined to comment on the report. South Korea's Defense Ministry and the National Intelligence Service — the country's main spy agency — said they could not confirm it.

Tension on the divided Korean peninsula has spiked since the North conducted its second nuclear test on May 25 in defiance of repeated international warnings. The regime declared Saturday it would bolster its nuclear programs and threatened war in protest of U.N. sanctions taken for the nuclear test.

U.S. officials have said the North has been preparing to fire a long-range missile capable of striking the western U.S. In Washington on Tuesday, Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it would take at least three to five years for North Korea to pose a real threat to the U.S. west coast.

President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met in Washington on Tuesday for a landmark summit in which they agreed to build a regional and global "strategic alliance" to persuade North Korea to dismantle all its nuclear weapons. Obama declared North Korea a "grave threat" to the world and pledged that the new U.N. sanctions on the communist regime will be aggressively enforced.

In Seoul, Vice Unification Minister Hong Yang-ho told a forum Thursday that the North's moves to strengthen its nuclear programs is "a very dangerous thing that can fundamentally change" the regional security environment. He said the South Korean government is bracing for "all possible scenarios" regarding the nuclear standoff.

The independent International Crisis Group think tank, meanwhile, said the North's massive stockpile of chemical weapons is no less serious a threat to the region than its nuclear arsenal.

It said the North is believed to have between 2,500 and 5,000 tons of chemical weapons, including mustard gas, phosgene, blood agents and sarin. These weapons can be delivered with ballistic missiles and long-range artillery and are "sufficient to inflict massive civilian casualties on South Korea."

"If progress is made on rolling back Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, there could be opportunities to construct a cooperative diplomatic solution for chemical weapons and the suspected biological weapons program," the think tank said in a report released Thursday.

It also called on the U.S. to engage the North in dialogue to defuse the nuclear crisis, saying "diplomacy is the least bad option." The think tank said Washington should be prepared to send a high-level special envoy to Pyongyang to resolve the tension.

In a rare move, leaders of Russia and China used their meetings in Moscow on Wednesday to pressure the North to return to the nuclear talks and expressed "serious concerns" about tension on the Korean peninsula.

The joint appeal appeared to be a signal that Moscow and Beijing are growing impatient with Pyongyang's stubbornness. Northeastern China and Russia's Far East both border North Korea, and Pyongyang's unpredictable actions have raised concern in both countries.

After meetings at the Kremlin, Chinese President Hu Jintao joined Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in urging a peaceful resolution of the Korean standoff and the "swiftest renewal" of the now-frozen talks involving their countries as well as North and South Korea, Japan and the United States.

"Russia and China are ready to foster the lowering of tension in Northeast Asia and call for the continuation of efforts by all sides to resolve disagreements through peaceful means, through dialogue and consultations," their statement said.

The comments — contained in a lengthy statement that discussed other global issues — included no new initiatives, but it appeared to be carefully worded to avoid provoking Pyongyang. In remarks after their meetings, Medvedev made only a brief reference to North Korea, and Hu did not mention it.

South Korea's Lee said Wednesday in Washington that was essential for China and Russia to "actively cooperate" in getting the North to give up its nuclear program, suggesting the North's bombs program may trigger a regional arms race.

"If we acknowledge North Korea possessing nuclear programs, other non-nuclear countries in Northeast Asia would be tempted to possess nuclear weapons and this would not be helpful for stability in Northeast Asia," Lee said in a meeting with former U.S. officials and Korea experts, according to his office.

We should deploy an SM3 on a Aegis and blow it out of the sky. He will never do that because it might make them angry!!

What happened to Obama talking to the leaders of North Korea and Iran? I'm sorry, but you cannot talk to madmen. This is a VERY scary time.

It is scary, very much so ..... I also agree, blow it out of the sky if it came within US Airspace, but a question I have is what would happen then??

Where is the CIA when you need them? That is right we don't do that anymore. Sorry.

HRHPatey wrote:It is scary, very much so ..... I also agree, blow it out of the sky if it came within US Airspace, but a question I have is what would happen then??

You really don't want to know.

China will side with North Korea. Russia is a toss-up. And depending on which side Russia takes, Europe may and may not get involved. Australia will join the US, due to proximity, or try to stay neutral (which might prove difficult). Japan would obviously join the US, since NK has launched toward them (although they don't have an army, so they might be taken over).

The MiddleEast might flare up to make it more difficult.

And poof, you got WWIII, but with extremely dangerous weapons in the wrong hands (from our point of view).

Kinda where my thoughts were going ..... However, as well as that, when you blow up a missile, are we comfortable assuming that it does not contain any nuclear or chemical agents? Or is my concern without merit (taking into consideration the irrationality of the Nth Koreans at present?)

Gee whizz - not a comfortable scenario any way you shake it!

kolby wrote:

HRHPatey wrote:It is scary, very much so ..... I also agree, blow it out of the sky if it came within US Airspace, but a question I have is what would happen then??

You really don't want to know.

China will side with North Korea. Russia is a toss-up. And depending on which side Russia takes, Europe may and may not get involved. Australia will join the US, due to proximity, or try to stay neutral (which might prove difficult). Japan would obviously join the US, since NK has launched toward them (although they don't have an army, so they might be taken over).

The MiddleEast might flare up to make it more difficult.

And poof, you got WWIII, but with extremely dangerous weapons in the wrong hands (from our point of view).

I think it depends if Japan sends Mothra or Godzilla to swat down the missile.

Past that....it can't be good.

HRHPatey wrote:Kinda where my thoughts were going ..... However, as well as that, when you blow up a missile, are we comfortable assuming that it does not contain any nuclear or chemical agents? Or is my concern without merit (taking into consideration the irrationality of the Nth Koreans at present?)

Gee whizz - not a comfortable scenario any way you shake it!

I still say that China recognizes a madman when they see/hear one, and they will not support this behavior. As it is right now, China is happy with the way things are. The USA is heavily in debt to China and as long as we keep buying Barbie dolls and McDonalds Happy meals (with Chinese-made toys in them), then China is content.
Long term is a bit different, but for now China has no reason to support NK's insane behavior.
Any missile that NK fires should be shot down as soon as it enters open international airspace/waters. A nuclear device won't detonate from being shot down and if it's a chemical weapon, the chemicals would dissipate before hitting any land/populated area, if shot down over water and away from land. IMO
Not a good situation regardless. The USA is going to have to react if NK fires that missle towards any US territory. Even if it can't strike the USA.

As I said this guy is nuts he is according the US of planning an attack which may not be a stretch. I am sure we are planning what we do if North Korea messed with South Korea or a missile gets near the US. I am hopful that Obama will fire away if they do that. I just think we need to somehow blow North Korea out of the water. Bring in the planes and feakin destroy that area. Yes innocent people will die but if this madman is going to start nuclear warfare and kill millions around the world then we have to do what we need to do.

I don't see Obama having the gonads needed to launch a nuclear strike, even if the USA is hit. I don't know what he will do, but he's already shown weakness to the world, and to North Korea in particular.
I'm glad I'm not in Obama's shoes. This is a major deal and the USA will have to walk softly and carry a big stick. No easy task. If we initiate a pre-emptive strike, then we're the aggressors. If anyone but Kim Jong Il himself were to be killed, then the world will once again hate us (as if I really care).
If we wait and get attacked, then we've let NK get a first blow, with the probability of American deaths when they could have been avoided by the USA making a pre-emptive strike. Danged if you do, danged if you don't.

N. Korea threatens US; world anticipates missile
By HYUNG-JIN KIM, Associated Press Writer Hyung-jin Kim, Associated Press Writer – 7 mins ago

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea accused Washington of seeking to "provoke a second Korean War" as the regime prepared to hold maritime military exercises off the eastern coast.

U.S. and regional authorities were watching closely for signs that North Korea might fire short- or mid-range missiles during the June 25 to July 10 timeframe cited in a no-sail ban for military drills sent to Japan's Coast Guard.

North Korea had warned previously it would fire a long-range missile as a response to U.N. Security Council condemnation of an April rocket launch seen as a cover for its ballistic missile technology.

An underground nuclear test last month drew more Security Council action: a resolution seeking to clamp down on North Korea's trading of banned arms and weapons-related material by requiring U.N. member states to request inspections of ships carrying suspected cargo.

In a first test of the new resolution, a North Korean ship suspected of transporting illicit weapons was sailing off China's coast with a U.S. destroyer close behind.

The Kang Nam, which left the North Korean port of Nampo a week ago, is believed bound for Myanmar, South Korean and U.S. officials said.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was unable to discuss intelligence on the vessel, said Wednesday that the ship had already cleared the Taiwan Strait.

He said he didn't know how much range the Kang Nam has — that is, whether or when it may need to stop in some port to refuel — but that the Kang Nam has in the past stopped in Hong Kong's port.

North Korea has said it would consider interception a declaration of war, and on Wednesday accused the U.S. of seeking to start another Korean War.

"If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will ... wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all," a dispatch from the official Korean Central News Agency said.

The warning came on the eve of the 59th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. The brutal fighting ended after three years in a truce in 1953, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula divided and in a state of war. The U.S. has 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect against an outbreak of hostilities.

On Wednesday, the top U.S. commander in South Korea, Gen. Walter Sharp, praised soldiers from U.S.-led U.N. forces who died fighting the "tyranny" of communist North Korea decades ago.

"A North Korean victory in the Korean War would have brought the nightmare of tyranny to this great land, thrusting the citizens of the Republic of Korea into a darkness that their northern counterparts have yet to emerge from," he said a commemoration ceremony Wednesday, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

Reports about possible missile launches from the North highlighted the state of tension on the Korean peninsula.

A senior South Korean government official said the no-sail ban is believed connected to North Korean plans to fire short- or mid-range missiles. He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

Yonhap reported that the North may fire a Scud missile with a range of up to 310 miles (500 kilometers) or a short-range ground-to-ship missile with a range of 100 miles (160 kilometers) during the no-sail period.

U.S. defense and counterproliferation officials in Washington said they also expected the North to launch short- to medium-range missiles. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence.

South Korea will expedite the introduction of high-tech unmanned aerial surveillance systems and "bunker-buster" bombs in response to North Korea's provocations, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper said, citing lawmakers.

Meanwhile, a flurry of diplomatic efforts were under way to try getting North Korea to return to disarmament talks.

Russia's top nuclear envoy, Alexei Borodavkin, said after meeting with his South Korean counterpart that Moscow is open to other formats for discussion since Pyongyang has pulled out of formal six-nation negotiations.

In Beijing, top U.S. and Chinese defense officials also discussed North Korea. U.S. Defense Undersecretary Michele Flournoy was heading next to Tokyo and Seoul for talks.

South Korea has proposed high-level "consultations" to discuss North Korea with the U.S., Russia, China and Japan.

___

Associated Press writers Jae-soon Chang in Seoul, and Pauline Jelinek, Pamela Hess and Lolita Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

Holy moly!!

It's about time China and Russia got on board with talking NK into getting back to the negotiations!! They would lose far more than they'd gain, in the event of war breaking out on the Korean Peninsula.

fixitman wrote:It's about time China and Russia got on board with talking NK into getting back to the negotiations!! They would lose far more than they'd gain, in the event of war breaking out on the Korean Peninsula.

I'm not so sure of how much they'd lose. China has taken our manufacturing base.....think about WWII....Germany had the manufacturing base and ran over the continent in no time. They would have been successful, had the US not joined in the battle. If another WW were to occur, it would be very hard for the US government to finance it and to rebuild the manufacturing base, in order to build vehicles and weapons. It's a VERY scary thought.