N. Korea fires 4 missles

Yea...but these weren't the surface to air missiles (6-8000 mile range) that we were fearing. Missiles with that kind of distance would be capable of hitting the United States. I think these were just short range scuds though this fact doesn't mean we can relax just yet.

North Korea is going to fire the big ones anyway, and when that happens, it's going to be funnies in that region.

actually i think the T-2 was the one everyone was panicing about

The T-2 (Taepodong-2) was the missle everyone was worried about. That was the missle that blew up in the air.

The military confirmed three missles were tested, and the U.S. is currently talking with China, Russia, and Japan.

Expect mysterious personal accidents in NK soon.

There is currently little to no indication what the mode of failure of the T-2 was, or indeed, if it was truly a failure. Also, no clear indication of what direction the T-2 was fired. It is likely going to take several more hours perhaps days before it is clear exactly what happened.

Is it ok to laugh now that the test failed? Does this failure make the entire uproar over the threat moot? Is North Korea really just a paper tiger? And was Kim Jong Il seeking to steal the headlines from the space shuttle launch?

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Original post by LessBread Is it ok to laugh now that the test failed? Does this failure make the entire uproar over the threat moot? Is North Korea really just a paper tiger? And was Kim Jong Il seeking to steal the headlines from the space shuttle launch?

I think it's quite ok to laugh, but it really only means that we get to hear about a launch again in the future - I don't think NK is going to just quit because of a failure

It is currently jumping to conclusions that the missle truly failed. It may well have been designed to do exactly what it did, just to get international attention. It may have been sent a self-destruct message, or the second stage may have simply never been fueled. The point is, Kim wanted some attention without provoking a military response. So clearly it was in his interest to make sure the missle fell short of our expectations.

Remember, bullies tend to bluff. Saddam liked to pretend he had WMD's long after he did in fact destroy them (not counting the Iran-Iraq war chemical munitions that were probably simply lost in accounting).

The T2 explosion wasn't a failure... you remember the old Star Wars program? Well, it was secretly completed in 1998. And it works.

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Original post by Mastaba It is currently jumping to conclusions that the missle truly failed. It may well have been designed to do exactly what it did, just to get international attention. It may have been sent a self-destruct message, or the second stage may have simply never been fueled. The point is, Kim wanted some attention without provoking a military response. So clearly it was in his interest to make sure the missle fell short of our expectations.

if so wouldnt it be better to anounce this ahead to time to get the same effect without looking completely incompedent

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Original post by Kaze Quote: Original post by Mastaba It is currently jumping to conclusions that the missle truly failed. It may well have been designed to do exactly what it did, just to get international attention. It may have been sent a self-destruct message, or the second stage may have simply never been fueled. The point is, Kim wanted some attention without provoking a military response. So clearly it was in his interest to make sure the missle fell short of our expectations. if so wouldnt it be better to anounce this ahead to time to get the same effect without looking completely incompedent

When you bluff, you don't announce your hand ahead of time.

CNN is now saying that 6 missles were launched.

I heard on CNN that the count is up to six missiles, two of them being the Taepodong IIs.

In any case, this is scary stuff...hopefully it will turn china around on the six-party talks.

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Original post by Mastaba Quote: Original post by Kaze Quote: Original post by Mastaba It is currently jumping to conclusions that the missle truly failed. It may well have been designed to do exactly what it did, just to get international attention. It may have been sent a self-destruct message, or the second stage may have simply never been fueled. The point is, Kim wanted some attention without provoking a military response. So clearly it was in his interest to make sure the missle fell short of our expectations. if so wouldnt it be better to anounce this ahead to time to get the same effect without looking completely incompedent When you bluff, you don't announce your hand ahead of time.

Also, when you are bluffing, it isn't a good idea to do something sudden and spook the people that are stronger than you into thinking you're doing something that is a REAL threat to them.

"OMG! They've launched something at us, counter measures!... Ok, opps, not those counter measures you fool, I ment shoot the rocket down! not nuke them to nothing"

See, not telling them you are going to launch a test rocket soon is a good way to get yourself killed. It is like taking a toy gun and pointing it at the president. Harmless to them, but very bad for you.

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Original post by Mastaba Remember, bullies tend to bluff. Saddam liked to pretend he had WMD's long after he did in fact destroy them (not counting the Iran-Iraq war chemical munitions that were probably simply lost in accounting).

Er, Bush was the one who made that claim. Saddam didn't say he had WMD's as far as I can remember. But I guess that proves your point, really... Bullies like to bluff. [lol]

Overall though, I can't believe people get so worked up about this. How come it's ok for the US, Russia and half a dozen other countries to have more WMD's than you can even imagine, and that's not a threat or a problem. But one small country without the resources or technological knowhow to do anything much is a threat as soon as it becomes capable of, well, blowing up its own missiles...

Now, I'm not saying I'd trust North Korea with WMD's. I'm just saying I wouldn't trust most of the countries that already have them either.

Except that the "US, Russia and half a dozen other countries" don't have stalinist, oppressive dictatorships with all-powerful leaders.

I think Saddam didn't say he had WMDs, but he always gave such a rough time to the UN inspectors. Whether that was part of a bluffing strategy, who knows.

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Original post by Spoonbender Quote: Original post by Mastaba Remember, bullies tend to bluff. Saddam liked to pretend he had WMD's long after he did in fact destroy them (not counting the Iran-Iraq war chemical munitions that were probably simply lost in accounting). Er, Bush was the one who made that claim. Saddam didn't say he had WMD's as far as I can remember. But I guess that proves your point, really... Bullies like to bluff. [lol] Overall though, I can't believe people get so worked up about this. How come it's ok for the US, Russia and half a dozen other countries to have more WMD's than you can even imagine, and that's not a threat or a problem. But one small country without the resources or technological knowhow to do anything much is a threat as soon as it becomes capable of, well, blowing up its own missiles... Now, I'm not saying I'd trust North Korea with WMD's. I'm just saying I wouldn't trust most of the countries that already have them either.

We're the good guys, they're the bad guys. That's why.

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*South-Korea begins singing* There's a pain that sleeps inside It sleeps with just one eye And awakens the moment that you leave Though I try to look away The pain it still remains Only leaving when you're next to me Do you know, that everytime you're near Everybody else seems far away So can you come and make them disappear Make them disappear and we can stay So I stand and look around Distracted by the sounds Of everyone and everything I see And I search through every face Without a single trace, of the person The person that I need Do you know, that everytime you're near Everybody else seems far away So can you come and make them disappear Make them disappear and we can stay Can you make them disappear? Make them disappear There's a pain that sleeps inside Sleeps with just one eye And awakens, the moment that you leave And I search through every face Without a single trace, of the person The person that I need Do you know, that everytime you're near Everybody else seems far away So can you come and make them disappear Make them disappear and we can stay