N. Korea launches a rocket, feared to be a nuke
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7982874.stm
Of all the "world will end soon" threads we have had, this is now officially the most real.

No its not.
When the USA launches a satellite or space probe what is it done with? An Atlas or Titan or Proton.
What are they? Converted ICBMs.
North Korea has no aggressive intentions, it couldn't possibly because it would be wiped out in seconds after any attack, presuming it works this can represent a deterrent capability. Obviously the Americans don't like that because its much easier to go to war against the defenceless, once again showing the world that if you can defend yourself the Americans will negotiate where as if you can't like Iraq then they'll invade. And thats something they really don't like, its like humiliating the local bully or mafia don.
Another point is that this can be used by ultra-Nationalist elements in Japan to spur on adopting an independent position, something the Americans obviously wouldn't want.

The article says nothing about a nuclear warhead.

Just suspicion that it was a long-range missile test.

Missile test =/= nuclear attack

Lay off the fear mongering.

"U.S., South Korea and other nations fear it could be a missile with a warhead attached" - http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/as...ket/index.html
Happy?

Now explain to me how a warhead is the same thing as a nuke.

why would you have a warhead attached when testing a missile? If anything is attached its a payload capsule carrying a satellite of some sort.

And in fact the article says "State media said North Korea had succeeded in putting a satellite into orbit after the 0230GMT launch."

yeh North Korea are totally launching satelites. You know, for all of their people with mobile phones and whatnot.

...the US do "fear" a lot of things in order to justify their involvement in other nations biz.

#1
WTF

#2
WTF

no really Im lolling at the second part. Please, show me any point in time where this has been true.

I'm not sure there has ever been a time where a state at war with the US has been able to sufficiently 'defend' itself and therefore 'negotiate'. If there is any remote possibility of defence the US simply calls on many smaller politically helpless(without the US) to fight along side.. and therefore CRUSH DESTROY NUKE THE COMMUNISTS ARRR. etc.

You could try reading the entire post instead of selecting one lone sentance and extrapolating it out of context.

Back to the rocket test: 3rd stage and payload crashed in the Pacific Ocean. It failed. It apparently successfully fired its 2nd and 3rd stage boosters but it did not make orbit and the satellite was not deployed. Its an improvement over their previous attempt which exploded 40 seconds after launch. So keep in mind that they are still behind the Americans and Soviets rocket technology of the 1950s.

Actually Korea has an undersea super city built where they will live after they nuke the world.

you had me at annyong.

I did read the entire post. Just didn't quote it all, because I chose to respond to one particular part. Sorry that seemed to fall short of you there.

I hate to break it to you, sparky, but just because they can finally launch a missile doesn't make it new news.

welcome to the last decade.


I'm also not sure why the Ozzy's are so upset about this (well, I know, but I don't think you should be). do you people seriously think they will waste what little new-clear material they have on yr tiny island? fuck no. if ever, that shit's going to either: Japan, Hawaii or Alaska (with technical data making the black market circuit).

yeah, you got you people'd.

australians are famous for being racist.

"Annyong!"

Obviously the Americans don't like that because its much easier to go to war against the defenceless, once again showing the world that if you can defend yourself the Americans will negotiate where as if you can't like Iraq then they'll invade.

They dont in the first place pick fights with a country that can defend itself. I'm not talking about after the fact and nowhere do I suggest that. Reading comprehension?
North Korea has a credible deterrent, massed artillery pointed at Seoul (and by now undoubtably nuclear weapons, how many and how crude is open to debate)=Negotiations. Iraq had nothing=Invasion.

A rocket that while it didn't explode in the first 40 seconds, still failed to reach orbit and crashed with payload in the Pacific - it failed.
Pine Gap wouldn't be a target?

beyond making the assumption that there actually was a payload to be delivered, this was a mission to obtain ballastic data and - it succeeded.


although Pine Gap would be a strategic target for China or Russia, the DPRK has limited munitions, thereby, they have a greater interest in striking something with more collateral damage.

besides, everybody knows that ECHELON has too many redundant sub-nodes to be affected by something so trivial as an ICBM.