Well, the North Koreans are at it again. This time it is reported that they may be planning to fire a missile over Japan toward Hawaii. Granted, it will fall far short, but it is symbolic nonetheless.
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.
It seems to me that whatever the Obama administration does, North Korea is intent on sticking their finger in his eye. They test nukes, he expresses grave concern, they sentence two journalists to hard labor. It is like they know we won’t do anything about it. Oh, I know, we’ve got a UN resolution now. We will now ask North Korean ships suspected of carrying arms or nuclear technology “can we inspect you, pretty please?”
That has got them shaking in their boots I’m sure as we at the same time cut our missile defense. With these missiles they are firing, a nuclear warhead isn’t all that we have to be worried about. We’re reminded today not to forget about their chemical arms.
North Korea’s massive stockpile of chemical weapons is as threatening as its nuclear program, analysts said Thursday, highlighting an aspect of the secretive regime’s pursuit of weapons of mass destruction that is rarely talked about.
How does the thought of a missile armed with a nerve agent hitting Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Honolulu strike you? Or even a likelier scenario, Seoul or Tokyo?
It’s time for the Obama Administration and Democrats in Congress to realize, rhetoric and empty threats won’t cut it. Now is not the time to cut missile defense, and to respond with meaningless U.N. resolutions. We need some backbone here. Backbone in the form of a sturdy missile defense shield, naval blockade, oil embargo, and possibly even a nuclear Japan.
Our words need teeth. That is the only thing North Korea will understand.
Update: Even Russia and China are starting to worry. This is good news in that perhaps an embargo/blockade would actually be enforced by land.