U.S. activates missile defense, may intercept N. Korea missile

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-lead-us-activates-missile-defense-may-intercept-n-/2006/06/20/1687819.htm

The United States has moved its ground-based missile defense system from test to operational mode and is considering the option of intercepting North Korea's long-range missile if launched, the Washington Times reported Tuesday.

Quoting U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity, the newspaper said the system was activated within the past two weeks in the wake of North Korea stepping up preparations for launching a Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile.

Reuters and other media reported U.S. officials as confirming the Washington Times report.

The missile shield includes 11 long-range interceptor missiles, including nine deployed at Fort Greeley, Alaska, and two at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Washington Times said.

Shouldn't it have to pass the tests first?
Afaik, it hasn't.

Yeah, right.

From what I've heard they have not had very much success in their testing of the system. If they make an attempt to intercept the NK missile and fail the whole world would be aware of our faulty defense net.

This would be a monumentally stupid gamble (so it is a near certainty Bush will try it).

What if North Korea launches? It would be almost like mana from heaven for the Bush administration. The Bush administration would rush to the airwaves warning of the "serious and grave threat" from North Korea, whipping the masses into a frenzy. Remember, they only have fear to offer and fear pushes along their agenda. A North Korea missle test would certainly provide fodder to the base and dominate the public discourse, thus shifting focus away from Iraq and Iran.

We also know that just about everything in North Korea is falling apart and not very sound technologically. I don't put much stock into their technical prowess after researching Janes Online. They launch their test missle, it is quite possible that it malfunction and fall harmlessly into the ocean. Do you think the Bush administration will say that? No, I hedge my bets that they spin it to say they shot it down with their missle defense shield and use the success as a trophy of their almighty power and wisdom.

So many possibilities and it's scary as hell to know that we have this madman running our country to deal with it.

Just watch an emergency spending bill fly thru Congress any day, now.

And they can't hit anything that doesn't have a Welcome sign with those things.

And they'll have the balls to claim that we need to spend more money on this crap and blame the Democrats for not letting them spend the money on it they needed to make it work.

They love to scare the shit out of people and hand out big fat contracts to their buddies in the military industrial complex who promise to make us safer.

Common sense hates America, didn't you know?

a commercial jet liner. Alaska is a major stop for Pacific flights.

Will the Clods be telling the truth, for once?

and Korea isn't going to launch a missile at us. You think they are that stupid? We should keep track of all the scared stories leading up to the election.


Terror terror terror 24/7 is all they have left.

coast! I was sweating bullets when the right coast was under attack by way of Saddams "Deadly Death Drones" with Mushroom spores!

Shame, really. This could be the fiasco that kills the program, wakes people up to the stupidity.

Isnt missle defense overkill and inaccurate??? Oh wait, Im forgetting all the money contractors are getting for this, NEVERMIND!

Too fast? They fly too high???

:shrug:

I posted an article about this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1446226

Interceptors failed to leave their silos.

And now, they say they activated this. What a scam. I hate this fake posturing bush and these people do.

Just saying...

Don

I thought this was in the event of North Korea attacking the US with the missile, not in the event of them simply testing their missile.
I don't see anything in the article that makes it clear either way.
If they're seriously considering an attempt at shooting down a test missile, it's definitely an act of war, and seriously messed up. Could they really be THAT arrogantly stupid?