N. Korea threatens to shoot down U.S. planes

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

N. Korea threatens to shoot down U.S. planes

Pyongyang accuses U.S. of spying on site of an impending rocket launch

updated 2:41 p.m. ET, Wed., April. 1, 2009

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea accused the United States of spying on the site of an impending rocket launch and threatened Wednesday to shoot down any U.S. planes that intrude into its airspace.

North Korea says it will send a communications satellite into orbit on a multistage rocket between April 4 and 8. The United States, South Korea and Japan suspect the reclusive country is using the launch to test long-range missile technology, and they warn Pyongyang would face sanctions under a U.N. Security Council resolution banning it from ballistic activity.

Pyongyang's state radio accused U.S. RC-135 surveillance aircraft of spying on the launch site on its northeastern coast, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry, which is in charge of monitoring the North.

"If the brigandish U.S. imperialists dare to infiltrate spy planes into our airspace to interfere with our peaceful satellite launch preparations, our revolutionary armed forces will mercilessly shoot them down," the ministry quoted the radio as saying.

It was unclear what capability North Korea has to shoot down the high-flying Boeing RC-135, which can reach altitudes of nearly 10 miles. The threat came a day after the North claimed the United States and South Korea conducted about 190 spy flights over its territory in March, including over the sea off the launch site.

The U.S. military in South Korea declined to comment on the spying allegations or the North's threat.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said at a summit Tuesday with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak that Pyongyang's launch would breach the U.N. resolution, and he pledged to respond in step with Seoul, Lee's office said.

Lee, in London for the G-20 summit, told Brown it was important for the international community to show a concerted response to the North's move, his office said.

Lee and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso also agreed at a summit Wednesday to "work together to make sure the international community shows a united response" to a North Korean launch, a statement from Lee's office said.

Aso said he will push for new U.N. sanctions if the launch takes place, while Lee "stressed the need to clearly show to North Korea, through close coordination of the international community, that it cannot always have its own way," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted Lee's spokesman Lee Dong-kwan as telling South Korean reporters.

Clinton criticizes ‘provocation’
In the Netherlands, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Pyongyang's move "an unfortunate and continuing example of provocation by the North Koreans."

"There will be consequences, certainly, in the United Nations Security Council if they proceed with the launch," she said.

Clinton also strongly backed Japan's plans to shoot down any incoming North Korean rocket debris, saying the country "has every right to protect and defend its territory from what is clearly a missile launch."

Japan has deployed battleships with antimissile systems off its northern coast and stationed Patriot missile interceptors around Tokyo to shoot down any wayward rocket parts that the North has said might fall over the area.

Tokyo has said it is only protecting its territory and has no intention of trying to shoot down the rocket itself, but North Korea said it is not convinced and accused Japan of inciting militarism at home to justify developing a nuclear weapons program of its own.

If Japan tries to intercept the satellite, the North's army "will consider this as the start of Japan's war of re-invasion ... and mercilessly destroy all its interceptor means and citadels with the most powerful military means," the North's official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday.

Details of North’s technology unclear
The International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank that provides detailed analysis about North Korea — said in a report that the country is believed to have "assembled and deployed nuclear warheads" recently for its medium-range Rodong missiles, which are capable of striking Japan.

But its Seoul-based expert, Daniel Pinkston, said it is unclear if it has mastered the technology necessary to miniaturize the warheads and put them on Rodong missiles, which have a range of 620 to 930 miles.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, the North announced Tuesday it will indict and try two American journalists accused of crossing the border illegally from China on March 17 and engaging in "hostile acts."

Are you worried? What are your thoughts?

[Mommy_of_Riley]

HA HA HA HA

I'm sorry North Korea but we have been spying on you for a long time... you just now noticed?

[mommyheymommy]

Kim Jung Il is a fruit loop.  I hate to say this, but I wish he would croak already.

[SophiaofLight]

They like to talk big but if they shoot down any of our military planes they will feel the wrath of the United States military. Or I guess I should say that was once true, who knows under Obama. He would probably just go over and talk to them.

 

[honeysuckle171]

This is why (the USA) is in this mess in the first place is because BUSH DIDN'T GO AND TALK HE JUST WANTED TO FIGHT at first it was just to get oil and rule over a country then it went to a whole nother level just because BUSH DID SOME STUPID SHIT just like his father did and it sent the USA into war IMMEDIATELY, even though I know that our President Mr. Barrack Obama will succeed and defeat N. Korea I don't want him to get "MURDER HAPPY" like bush

Quoting SophiaofLight:

They like to talk big but if they shoot down any of our military planes they will feel the wrath of the United States military. Or I guess I should say that was once true, who knows under Obama. He would probably just go over and talk to them.

 

[Mommy_of_Riley]

Wow.... you honestly think that after 9-11 anyone wanted to "talk things out".  You are loopy!  Bush wasn't "murder happy" and neither was his father.  Look up FACTS about war and you will see that the media does NOT portray what actually happens over there...

As for North Korea.  They are a HORRIBLE country.  They beat and murder their own citizens, they threaten other countries, and their leader is crazy and talks about how Hitler's "ideas" were great ones...  So yeah... if they try to shoot down one of our planes damn right we retaliate.  That would be an act of war and we would not be the only country to go after them.  Multiple countries have been wanting to get rid of N.K for a very long time...

[mrs.c123]

Quoting Mommy_of_Riley:

Wow.... you honestly think that after 9-11 anyone wanted to "talk things out".  You are loopy!  Bush wasn't "murder happy" and neither was his father.  Look up FACTS about war and you will see that the media does NOT portray what actually happens over there...

As for North Korea.  They are a HORRIBLE country.  They beat and murder their own citizens, they threaten other countries, and their leader is crazy and talks about how Hitler's "ideas" were great ones...  So yeah... if they try to shoot down one of our planes damn right we retaliate.  That would be an act of war and we would not be the only country to go after them.  Multiple countries have been wanting to get rid of N.K for a very long time...

wow, pretty much took the words right out of my mouth!!

[gogetem]

I'm liking you more and more every day, Mommy_of_Riley

[honeysuckle171]

FYI I'm talking about BEFORE 911 not after DUH.....

Quoting Mommy_of_Riley:

Wow.... you honestly think that after 9-11 anyone wanted to "talk things out".  You are loopy!  Bush wasn't "murder happy" and neither was his father.  Look up FACTS about war and you will see that the media does NOT portray what actually happens over there...

As for North Korea.  They are a HORRIBLE country.  They beat and murder their own citizens, they threaten other countries, and their leader is crazy and talks about how Hitler's "ideas" were great ones...  So yeah... if they try to shoot down one of our planes damn right we retaliate.  That would be an act of war and we would not be the only country to go after them.  Multiple countries have been wanting to get rid of N.K for a very long time...

[gogetem]

Here we go!  Hold onto your butts, America.  I'm sure they're just getting the biggest kick out of Obama being elected over here.  Our defenses are being dismantled.

Prime example:   My husband supervises upkeep and maintenance on our jets in the Navy.  As of yesterday, his command put ALL JETS away.  No more flight hours for the pilots!  No more flying jets indefinitely!  What now?  Pilots aren't getting their practice flight hours in... my husband and his command spent the day at work today DOING YARDWORK ON BASE because there is no longer anything for them to do!   Re-enlistment bonuses were ripped from most ranks last month, which in return drops a soldiers/soldiers family's morale and incentive to keep fighting.  Obama and the Officials are doing a GREAT job at downsizing and disarming our country's defenses.... making us more vulnerable than ever before in a world more dangerous than ever before.  North Korea knows this.  They see us as a timid dog rolling over and pissing on itself.

[Mommy_of_Riley]

Quoting gogetem:

I'm liking you more and more every day, Mommy_of_Riley

Ha Ha Ha  Thanks!  :)