N. Korean Missile Aimed at Hawaiian Islands!

Fox News is reporting tonight that an analysis by the Japanese of one of the long-range N. Korean missiles shot off on the 7/4 shows it's trajectory was aimed at the Hawaiian Islands.

This is getting very, very serious.

If the missile broke up 40 odd seconds into the flight as has been reported, then it would not have been possible to determine it's intended target with any accuracy at all.

Trust me on this....

I admit that sounds less than good. I am not overly concerned at this point as I can't do anything about it. I am very aware that there are lines seen and not seen that a country should think twice before crossing. How close North Korea is to that line or lines I am unaware of. I would hazard a guess: If they pop one off that gets within a mile of the Islands they likely crossed a line they should not have but it is not my call.
At times it seems we (USA) moves too fast at other times we wait too long.
Topper

Was one of the 747 airborne lasers in the air/area at the time? Was one of the ship-mounted Patriot equivalents floating iff the N. Korean coast at the time? Pure speculation, but could it have been an attempt at meaningful communication by the USA? Prolly not, but would be a warm and fuzzy if so.

Larry

tvodrd said:

Was one of the 747 airborne lasers in the air/area at the time? Was one of the ship-mounted Patriot equivalents floating iff the N. Korean coast at the time? Pure speculation, but could it have been an attempt at meaningful communication by the USA? Prolly not, but would be a warm and fuzzy if so.

Larry

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I like the way you're thinking! :thumbsup:

The North Korean government is expert at chain-jerking. Eventually, and reluctanctly, they will graciously make "concessions" and accept another few billion dollars in aid from Japan, South Korea and the US. Until it's time to repeat the whole routine...

In a way, the North Koreans need us and our government needs them. They need us to frighten their own citizens and justify expenditures on strategic weapons. And we need them to...oh, never mind.

They are just weird. Their actions dont scan at all through any lens that I can imagine. I read an article yesterday explaining that china has stopped aid shipments, not for any military or political reason, but because N.Korea has stopped returning the trains that they send it in! Saying something like "we are now considering the train cars to be part of your aid"

So, food shipments have stopped because they are stealing the train engines that was pulling it.

Uz taxpazers have dropped Billion$ on the technology aspects of ballistic missile interception since the Patriot fusing debacle of the 15 year ago Gulf War! I wouldn't rule it in or out, but the possibility is intriguing.(sp) I do suspect the "message" might be meaningful, and no doubt some scientist/technician's heads will literally "roll" if it were the case!

Larry

James S said:

...Their actions dont scan at all through any lens that I can imagine...

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I don't know it either but it seems to me that the N. Korean business model is based on extortion. They've squeezed their neighbors (who have to worry about their considerable standing army) about as much as they can, and they'd like to now bring us to the table as we're daddy deep pockets. Hence the attempts to jerk our chain.

N. Korea keeps wanting direct talks with the US and the last I heard, we were resisting, saying that the current negotiations (about extortion payments) with only their neighbors was more appropriate.

Or maybe I missed the ballpark entirely. Just some thoughts...

Why is N. Korea so Uptight about their business? you guys think they are planning some kind of attack? Terrorist Attack?

Well for those of us in the islands this just sucks. I hope those intercepting missles they have been testing here will work in a real emergency.

I would imagine Hawaii as a stragetically vital target if they were to invade us... I dont think ICBMs can reach whats on the otherside of the planet, but I could be wrong

its like okinawa, one of those little islands that serves as the front line...

NAW said:

Well for those of us in the islands this just sucks. I hope those intercepting missles they have been testing here will work in a real emergency.

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It's a long trip from North Korea to Hawaii so chances are *something* would get a missile shot down by the time it got there.

North Korea has a long record of saber rattling to gather more aid from countries wanting to keep a lid on them. That doesn't make the other countries true allies, but it might seem like a prudent way of keeping the insanity to a minimum. This seems to be more of the the same. Got to remember that their success rate with missles is pretty poor, but then again one is too many.

To put a better perspective on this, I remember the Cuban Missle Crisis all too well. This is barely on the same radar screen. I wouldn't start having the grade school kids practicing "duck & cover." It does prove irritating though, doesn't it?

chevrofreak said:

It's a long trip from North Korea to Hawaii so chances are *something* would get a missile shot down by the time it got there.

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From my undersatnding the US had tested 10 intercepting missiles here. Out of the 10 only 5 were able to hit the target.

NAW said:

From my undersatnding the US had tested 10 intercepting missiles here. Out of the 10 only 5 were able to hit the target.

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50% chance isnt that bad, especially if multiples are fired.

chevrofreak said:

50% chance isnt that bad, especially if multiples are fired.

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Yeah...between our 50% accuracy and their rate of firing off duds, we might be ok.

JM-99

The really tough part is that we only have about 39 seconds to shoot it down.
Topper

i'll take 50% chace over 0% chance anyday