Hi,
Here is an article from the Washington Post:
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US Tests Missile Defense Amid North Korea Tension
By Al Pessin
Pentagon
/21 June 2006
/Pessin report - Download 382k
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Listen to Pessin report audio clip
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/The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is conducting a test in the Pacific
Wednesday, but an official says the event was long-planned and is not
related to tension over a possible North Korean missile launch.
Meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has rejected a
North Korean suggestion for direct talks on the issue. And there is an
unconfirmed media report that U.S. navy ships are moving into position
to //monitor any North Korean missile launch, and possibly direct
weapons to shoot it down.
/
Officials say the missile defense test off the coast of Hawaii has been
scheduled for a long time and is not related to the tension with North
Korea. Missile Defense Agency spokesman Rick Lehner says the exercise
will not even test the type of interceptor that would be used if North
Korea ever launched a missile at the United States.
"The one to be tested today is a sea-based version that is designed
against short to possibly intermediate range ballistic missiles," he
said. "Any type of long-range ballistic missile attack directed at the
U.S. in the future would be dealt with by the long-range interceptors
based in California and Alaska."
According to a statement by the Missile Defense Agency, this will be the
first test of an improved version of its interceptor missile, which it
says is scheduled for operational deployment aboard U.S. navy ships
later this year.
The /Washington Post/ newspaper reported Wednesday that U.S. navy ships
with special radar capability have been moved into position near North
Korea to monitor any missile launch, and potentially to direct
interceptor missiles to shoot it down. But officials will not comment
on the specific capabilities or alert status of the missile defense
system, which is still in its development and testing phase.
Meanwhile, the number two diplomat at North Korea's mission to the
United Nations has suggested direct talks to address U.S. concerns about
a possible missile launch. But on Wednesday U.S. ambassador John Bolton
rejected that suggestion.
"I must say you don't normally engage in conversations by threatening to
launch inter-continental ballistic missiles," said Mr. Bolton. "And
it's not a way to produce a conversation, because if you acquiesce in
aberrant behavior you simply encourage the repetition of it, which we're
obviously not going to do. So, main point remains that North Korea
should not launch."
North Korea has long sought direct talks with the United States, but
U.S. officials say any dialogue must be in the context of six-party
talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program.
Ambassador Bolton says if North Korea launches a missile there would
"absolutely" be a response stronger than a press release, and that there
is broad support for such a response. But he would not say what that
might be, saying consultations are continuing and the priority is to
prevent the launch.
Reports from satellite imagery in recent days have indicated
preparations for a North Korean launch of a long-range ballistic missile
that some analysts believe could reach U.S. territory.
The U.S. missile defense system is designed to respond to such a threat,
but the system has had many problems and is not yet fully operational.
Officials say it is a difficult technological challenge to detect, track
and destroy a small missile traveling through space at a high rate of
speed, and to do so within just a few minutes. But some tests have been
successful, and news reports say the system could get a "real world"
test if North Korea goes ahead with its launch.
http://voanews.com/english/2006-06-21-voa56.cfm
or
http://tinyurl.com/oes87
#-----------------------------------------------
Regards,
LelandJ
Michael Madigan wrote:
I think it depends whether the missile is aimed at the US or Japan.
--- Leland Jackson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Countries test weapons all the time. Why doesn't the US consider it a
provoking act if Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Japan, etc test a long
range missile, but it is consider a provoking act if North Korea test a
long rang missile.
Now, if the US or any other country, fired an intercept missile to
destroy North Korea's test missile, that is an act of war in most
countries book. How will China, Japan, Russia, India, Pakistan and
other countries react. This is a serious situation that should concern
every country around the world, because the actions being discussed
could escalate into a full out nuclear confrontation between several
countries around the world. An all out nuclear attract with a counter
attack response would be an extension of the human race event, so it
should be of concern to every country, every religion, every government,
and every single human on the plant.
Why in this day an age are we still testing nuclear weapons, long range
missiles, chemical, and biological weapons? When will we grow beyond
seeing war as a means to any end. The time has long been past when war
should have been made obsolete.
Regards,
LelandJ
MB Software Solutions General Account wrote:
Michael Madigan wrote:
I'm hearing on TV today that they might actually take the missile out
on the launch pad.
If we took out their missile on the launch pad, wouldn't that be a
provoking act on our end? Do we REALLY want to do that? Does anyone
really think they'd fire it at us? We could wipe them out many times
over; why would they be stupid enough to do that?
[excessive quoting removed by server]
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