North Korea Puts Another Taepodong-2 On The Launchpad

Over the weekend, South Korean sources reported suspicious movements of missile hardware in North Korea:

Two U.S. defense officials told AFP early Saturday, Korean time, that U.S. satellite photos have revealed vehicle activity at two sites in the North. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the movements resembled preparations before the North’s long-range rocket launch on April 5.

One such source said a cargo train at an artillery research center near Pyongyang was carrying what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. The source said North Korea could complete the preparation work within two weeks. That could coincide with the South Korea-U.S. summit that begins June 16 in Washington.

Another intelligence source said the object appeared to be similar in size to the long-range rocket that was launched on April 5. He said it could be an upgraded version of the Taepodong-2 missile, which, with an estimated range of between 4,000 kilometers (2,485.5 miles) and 6,500 kilometers, could in theory reach Alaska.

Today comes word that the ICBM is at the pad:

North Korea has positioned its most sophisticated long-range ballistic missile on a launch pad for a test firing that could come within weeks, a newspaper here reported Monday.

Pyongyang, which last month raised tensions worldwide by conducting a nuclear test, could even fire its missile when South Korean President Lee Myung-bak meets President Obama in Washington on June 16, according to the report.

And as the abject foolishness of his and Obama's spectaculary ill-timed missile defense cuts crystalizes by the minute, Secretary of Defense Gates predictably downplays this latest threat:

"The 30 interceptors we have are adequate for years to come to deal with the North Korean threat as we see it developing," Gates said.

Gates said North Korea will not be able to deploy a significant number of long range missiles in a short period of time. If they were to expand their capabilities, the U.S. would have "ample time" to build additional interceptors.

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Comments

[mbs1960]

As a Latino...A Conservative...AN AMERICAN,

I can only sit back and say: "What a pack of Stupid, Cowardly, Spineless, RINO's. A principled individual's values should not be eclipsed by the Left's PC dogmatism. If our 'Champions' of Traditional Values' are so easily spooked, by false charges of Bigotry & Racism it's reasonable to conclude that Traditional Values are nothing more than a political prop to be discarded when self-serving political calculations demand it. How can the GOP command any measure of respect when it's Representatives duck & cover at the slightest sign of demagoguery from the Political Left.

I must therefore conclude that the G.O.P. is utterly 'shell-shocked' and as such is a useless vessel to promote & defend the Values that played a role in creating this great nation we have inherited from those that have passed before us. Every Conservative Congressman and Senator needs to engage in some soul searching and either fight for what you believe in or step aside, and let others continue the battle for this country's soul.

The Rule of Law & Freedom not Reverse-Discrimination & Governmental Paternalism; are the surest guarantors of a just and open society, not just for Minorities, but for us ALL..

[Michael]

@mbs1960: wrong thread?

[Col.Smeag]

Can we start a Microwaved moose burger stand in Anchorage .... maybe Obama should send some environmentaly friendly cars to North Korea as gift to the Reader.