Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Leatherneck on March 26, 2009, 07:28:51 PM
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So the NKs are pressing ahead with the launch of...something on a T2 rocket; they covered the nose so we can't see their junk.
We have two Aegis cruisers in the area, and we do have the capability to shoot the thing down--we think.
The Japanese are moving unspecified assets into the Sea of Japan-East.
What will we do?
What should we do?
What will Bambi do?
TC
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they covered the nose so we can't see their junk.
Dude I hope they keep it covered I don't wanna see Kim Jong Ill's junk!
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Don't worry, the invisible death and destruction ray that is in orbit, put there by the Dark Lord Cheney just before inauguration day, will cause the rocket to melt on the pad for no apparent reason.
All hail the Dark Lord.
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they covered the nose so we can't see their junk.
Which it probably is.
I think North Korea is looking for a bailout. I think Clinton gave 'em one, don't recall if Bush did, and Kim expects Obama to follow Clinton's lead.
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.........and Kim expects Obama to follow Clinton's lead.
Kindred spirits.
I agree, it's an extortion attempt to get another years' worth of rice on the West's dime.
NK is China's junkyard dog and they have him on a tight leash so NK isn't going to develope any capability that they don't approve of. Certainly not any weapons that can project a threat.
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Heard on the news that "THEY" think whatever it is can reach Alaska.
Not that I have anything against Alaska or Alaskans, but unless they have guidance that can target oil production/movement, I'm thinking there is not much to get worried about. IIRC, so far there is no indication that NK has tried (or claimed) to hit specific targets.
On the other hand, how's the activity at the DMZ?
stay safe.
skidmark
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On the other hand, how's the activity at the DMZ?
Same as usual. Officially, no incidents. Unofficially, no more than usual.
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Why are we all up in the trees on this launch? They have launched multistage rockets over Japan before. Why is this one causing so much agita? Is there some bottled sunshine on board? Sheesh.
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Is there some bottled sunshine on board?
That's a distinct possibility, friend. :|
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Hutch, do you get out much?
The Norks having a workable multi-stage ICBM capable of hitting targets in the U.S. ain't exactly a good thing in the general scheme of things.
Their last flight tests didn't go so well, kind of an ooh-ahh fireworks show for the Japanese.
The fact they're back at it means they may have actually fixed what went wrong earlier.
However, I'm glad to see Cobra Ball will be getting some work soon. =D
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I usually have a hair-trigger on the panic button. :lol:
As I've stated, they have done similar launches with no real negative consequences for the good guys, only bad diplomatic and political ju-ju for themselves. What is different now? I wouldn't mind if we intercepted/shot down the missile, not because I believe the payload could harm us, but to demonstrate to the PDRK, the Iranians, or any other potential adversary that we can do so at will, and BHO has that will.
If the PDRK is in fact readying a live, nuclear-armed ICBM, I'm going to buy more small rifle primers!
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We have two Aegis cruisers in the area, and we do have the capability to shoot the thing down--we think.
I want to see us splash that sucker, just to tell the whole world "don't even try."
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ICBMs don't need to have nuclear warheads in order to be effective as terror weapons.
Google "V-2" and "Scud" sometime for a primer in that...
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GW98, launching a conventional warhead at The West, with a weapon system that apparently takes several days to assemble on the fixed launch pad, would be the absolute height of idiocy. Per Macchiavelli: "Never do an enemy a small injury". I have been alarmed by many, many foreign and domestic crises. I just don't see how this rises to that level. The absolute worst case I could imagine from a single nuciear event would be a high-stratosphere EMP attack on the CONUS. I don't think anyone believes the Taepodong has anything like that sort of reach.
What is it we fear from this particular event?
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Sheer idiocy? Look who we're talking about here. When have you ever known the North Korean regime to practice sanity, as a rule?
Granted, I'm just a tad bit biased, because I had a couple Nork MiGs scrambled against me in the Sea of Japan (international waters) back in 2003...
Their 2006 underground nuke test was considered a "fizzle" by those of us in the community - but it showed the world in no uncertain terms that they were willing to reprocess spent fuel rods from the Yongbyon reactor to extract the Pu239, and subsequently assemble a device that was really close to obtaining full yield from the fuel used. BTW, they didn't even wait the normal amount of time for the spent fuel rods to cool off, they were insanely radioactive when reprocessing began. Sanity, indeed - zorch a bunch of reprocessing facility workers to get that weapons-grade stuff for the greater good of North Korea.
The same unbelievable, nothing-to-lose mindset goes into their Taepo-Dong multistage missiles. They've demonstrated that they're more than willing to try, and launch one over somebody else's sovereign territory, damn the consequences. It got Japan's attention, most definitely.
In layman's terms:
Look at me! I have a delivery system, and a weapon! They may not be capable of integration this week, but by Great Leader, watch out!
That's why Uncle Sam spends a lot of time and effort with respect to posturing by North Korea, be it by our continuous WC/RC-135 sorties, or a posse of Aegis cruisers waiting to splash the damned things upon launch. If/when the ABL program goes operational, that will be added to the fray, as per its intended design. If China and neighboring countries cannot keep the Norks hemmed in, then we're not going to sit still and watch them launch crap that can hit Alaska and the CONUS. So we're going to nip it in the bud, right there, parked off their east coast. (Rightfully so, I might add)
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Assuming that NK gets this one off the pad successfully, it would be a perfect candidate for a "dirty bomb" or persistent biological weapon. Both are within NK's capability and would largely eliminate the accuracy issues inherent with this technology level.