North Korea continues to rattle sabres since my last post. Today, Japanese intelligence officials revealed that North Korea plans to test-launch a long-range missile toward Hawaii on July 4th, Independence Day.
This is not the first time North Korea has done something equally reckless on a date of national significance to we Americans -- on July 4th, 2006, they launched a far less capable missile and the launch was a dud. There is little risk from a missile launch this time also; the Taepodong-2 missile range is 500 miles less than the distance to Hawaii, and the accuracy will be dreadful. Nonetheless, Defense Secretary Gates announced that he is deploying a mobile ground-based missile defense system to Hawaii (called THAAD).
North Korea's move, while sophomoric, is certainly extremely provocative. In the past year they have made multiple missile launches and have conducted another underground explosion of a nuclear device, to condemnation by the US and the United
Nations.In this humble man's opinion, it is time to whack the bully. Position our naval missile defense system (called the Standard Missile) in international waters off the coast of North Korea and destroy the Taepodong-2 missile in the launch phase, moments after ignition. Kim Jong Il and his North Korean military leaders will watch their precious missile blow up in front of their eyes, victim to American technology and American resolve.
Think this is an overreaction? Think again. If it wasn't for Israeli and American military intelligence, the Syrians would have an atomic bomb by now, courtesy of the North Koreans. That atomic reactor the Israelis bombed in 2007 was filled with North Korean scientists. It didn't get much media coverage, and the fact that the Syrians didn't protest very heavily showed quite clearly that they didn't want any more Israeli military action. (The fact that you possibly had no idea that the Israelis brilliantly, and preemptively, destroyed Syria's nuclear capability is evidence of a biased media. And how much credit did the Israelis get for a measured response to that threat? Nil. The Times of London has a good summary article; see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article2461421.ece.)
It's time to show the North Koreans that they are nothing more than a two-bit bully. In the meantime, the U.S. Congress is still looking to cut missile defense funding drastically. This is the same Congress whose leader calls the CIA liars for political advantage.
Sheesh.
