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North Korea can hit most of United States - U.S. officials

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guides the second test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-14. KCNA via Reuters

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has shown that Pyongyang now may be able to reach most of the continental United States, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday.

 

The assessment, which the officials discussed on condition of anonymity, underscored the growing threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, and could add pressure on President Donald Trump's administration to respond.

 

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an ICBM that proved its ability to strike America's mainland.

 

The secretive North's leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and called it a "stern warning" to the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tried to attack, the official KCNA news agency said.

 

However, two U.S. intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday Kim wants to develop a nuclear-capable ICBM to deter any attack on his country and gain international legitimacy, not to launch an attack on the United States or its allies that he knows would be suicidal.

 

The Pentagon declined to comment on the U.S. assessment of the missile launch, even as it acknowledged that the latest test represented the longest test flight of any North Korean missile.

 

"The specifics of our assessment are classified for reasons I hope you understand," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told a news briefing, acknowledging only that the missile could fly at least 5,500 km (3,420 miles), the minimum range for what the Pentagon classifies as an ICBM.

 

Two separate U.S. officials who discussed the latest test, which lasted about 45 minutes, said it showed greater range than the July 4 ICBM launch, which North Korea said lasted 39 minutes.

 

One of the officials said it had greater height, range and power than the previous test because it used force stabilizing engines, which counter the effects of winds and other forces that can knock an ascending rocket off course.

 

'UNUSUAL SUBMARINE ACTIVITY'

 

CNN, citing a U.S. defense official, reported later that North Korea had been showing "highly unusual and unprecedented levels" of submarine activity, in addition to its third "ejection test" this month.

 

The ejection test was carried out on land at Sinpo Naval Shipyard on Sunday, the U.S. defense official told CNN. It gave no other details about the increased submarine activity.

 

Ejection tests from submarines usually gauge the ability to "cold launch" missiles, when high pressure steam is used to propel missiles out of launch canisters.

 

The shipyard is in Sinpo, a port city on the east coast where the North had previously conducted tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

 

A South Korea defence ministry official told Reuters the military was watching the situation in the North closely but did not provide more information because it was classified.

 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea, hours after the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington was "done talking about North Korea".

 

The Pentagon acknowledged military-to-military talks with U.S. allies Japan and South Korea after the test.

 

Davis said that, while the test missile had a lofted trajectory rather than the more direct one required to reach the United States, the military takes the threat seriously.

 

"You could have the debate back and forth of whether the capability is proven or not, the fact of the matter is we take it seriously and we are prepared to defend against (it)," he said.

 

The Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 3,724.9 km (2,314.6 miles) and flew 998 km (620 miles) before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast, according to KCNA.

 

The flight demonstrated successful stage separation, and reliability of the vehicle's control and guidance to allow the warhead to make an atmospheric re-entry under conditions harsher than under a normal long-range trajectory, KCNA said.

 

Independent weapons experts also said they believed the launch demonstrated many parts of the United States were within range if the missile had been launched at a flattened trajectory.

 

(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart and Christine Kim in Seoul; Editing by James Dalgleish and Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-01

[dick dasterdly]

Can US nuclear missiles hit N Korea?

 

If so, it appears we're back to the conditions of the previous cold war - and praying that none of the 'sides' involved take it so far that nuclear weapons are deployed .

[Emster23]

I'm old enough to recall the hysteria in US when China got the bomb... if those in power want to tone this all down, US and others need to guarantee they won't overthrow N Korea government. The fat kid knows he has a good thing going and doesn't want to see it end

[dorayme]

The fat pig should remember that the USA can hit all of North Korea as can Japan.

[craigt3365]

9 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

I'm old enough to recall the hysteria in US when China got the bomb... if those in power want to tone this all down, US and others need to guarantee they won't overthrow N Korea government. The fat kid knows he has a good thing going and doesn't want to see it end

Negotiations have been going on for years. When you create a video showing a  nuke hitting NYC,  you're definitely not calming things down.

[dorayme]

He should also be concerned about an irrational U.S. President.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

We should be as well I think ? 

[ilostmypassword]

19 minutes ago, dorayme said:

The fat pig should remember that the USA can hit all of North Korea as can Japan.

Given demonstrations of his cluelessness, I'm not sure the fat pig knows this. But I'm sure that Kim Jong Un does.

[Morch]

3 hours ago, Emster23 said:

I'm old enough to recall the hysteria in US when China got the bomb... if those in power want to tone this all down, US and others need to guarantee they won't overthrow N Korea government. The fat kid knows he has a good thing going and doesn't want to see it end

 

And if the US was to issue such a carte blanche statement, would Kim trust it? Even if the US actually kept its word, I mean. Wouldn't be complicated to claim the US tried this or that, produce some "proof" and raise new demands. Or alternatively (and  even worse), panic...

 

[baboon]

52 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

And if the US was to issue such a carte blanche statement, would Kim trust it? Even if the US actually kept its word, I mean. Wouldn't be complicated to claim the US tried this or that, produce some "proof" and raise new demands. Or alternatively (and  even worse), panic...

 

Open mutual Embassies. Talk bilaterally. Formally conclude the Korean war and sign a non-aggression pact.

Is it perfect? No, but a damn sight better than what we have today.

Deal with the DPRK the way it is and not the way we wish it would be. And please God keep Boris Johnson as far away as humanly possible...

[F4UCorsair]

10 hours ago, dorayme said:

He should also be concerned about an irrational U.S. President.

I wondered how many posts that would take to emerge.  A imbecile irrational shpuld be worried about an irrational....... no contest.

[bartender100]

What the world should be worried about is freeing a massive down trodden  population from tyranny, sod what the Chinese think.

[maewang99]

so give them a seat on the UN Security Council now that THEY have H bombs too.....  and warm one up for Iran while you're at it....
 

and get going on a more serious topic....

one with actually real consequences (can't just leave it simply at real anymore, gotta make it 'actually real').



 



 

Edited August 2, 2017 by maewang99

[craigt3365]

6 hours ago, baboon said:

Open mutual Embassies. Talk bilaterally. Formally conclude the Korean war and sign a non-aggression pact.

Is it perfect? No, but a damn sight better than what we have today.

Deal with the DPRK the way it is and not the way we wish it would be. And please God keep Boris Johnson as far away as humanly possible...

Do some research on why the six party talks failed.  NK was never serious about it.  They've been negotiating about nuclear weapons for dog years.  No results.

 

Luckily, calm heads seem to be prevailing.  But Tillerson's comment is spot on:

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/01/politics/tillerson-north-korea-us/index.html

 

Quote

 

Tillerson says US is willing to talk to North Korea

"We are not your enemy, we are not your threat, but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us and we have to respond," Tillerson said, speaking to North Korea directly. "We would like to sit and have a dialogue about the future."

 

 

Let's see what Kim does now.  Another video of NYC being nuked?  Another missile test?

[Scott]

Troll post removed.  

 

[Rancid]

People may be loathsome but that doesn't make them suicidal, and fortunately N Korea are not a jihadist Muslim country. This is about leave us alone rather than some insane plot to blow up the world. My country is also in range, but I'll sleep just as easy, they are not the psychos with A bombs that worry me.

[baboon]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

Do some research on why the six party talks failed.  NK was never serious about it.  They've been negotiating about nuclear weapons for dog years.  

I have. Considerably more than you.

[Morch]

8 hours ago, baboon said:

Open mutual Embassies. Talk bilaterally. Formally conclude the Korean war and sign a non-aggression pact.

Is it perfect? No, but a damn sight better than what we have today.

Deal with the DPRK the way it is and not the way we wish it would be. And please God keep Boris Johnson as far away as humanly possible...

 

Little to do with the post you responded to. Again, what if the US went along with such proposals, and NK (read Kim) would still distrust it, thus retaining the same aggressive paranoid stance? Considering all the bad blood, what evidence is there that Kim's up to turning a new page? And what's to prevent Kim from declaring the US reneged on promises and engage in another round of upping the ante to get what he wants? Been done before, and pretexts aren't in short supply.

 

Quite a bit said on what the US ought to do, relatively little on what NK's actions should be. The position seems to be something like - give them what they want and all will be well. Sounds a bit simplistic.

[Morch]

48 minutes ago, Rancid said:

People may be loathsome but that doesn't make them suicidal, and fortunately N Korea are not a jihadist Muslim country. This is about leave us alone rather than some insane plot to blow up the world. My country is also in range, but I'll sleep just as easy, they are not the psychos with A bombs that worry me.

 

Leaders obsessed with survival, and possibly seeing the world through a different set of glasses than others, might take quite drastic actions in relation to perceived (correctly or not) threats regarding their survival. Framing it as "suicidal" or "insane plot" is just another way of ignoring that the same end results can come about due to other reasons. There's no way to "leave them alone" without issues being cleared and dealt with. And that can't be done by solely referring to the US.

[craigt3365]

38 minutes ago, baboon said:

I have. Considerably more than you.

Really?  You know nothing about me.

[geriatrickid]

The time for negotiations have long passed. This is a country with  concentration camps where  political prisoners are tortured, dissected alive, starved to death, raped and murdered. They have their  organs taken from them for high placed party and military officials who need them. People are bartered as slave labour to Russia and China.  One can no more  "negotiate" with this barbaric cruel inhumane savage state than one  could with the genocidal maniacs of the Khmer Rouge,  or with those who participated in the genocides of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, Burundi, Serbia and Bosnia.

 

To those who want negotiations, think of the people dying every day because of this mad man and his cronies. Negotiations allow the madness to continue. To that, we must say no. It is long past the time when well placed ordinance should have been used to rid the world of this madness. Do it now before the crazy murderers  rain down nuclear terror on North America and Japan.

[InMyShadow]

Doomsday preppers were laughed at and considered weirdos but they knew...

[baboon]

3 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

The time for negotiations have long passed. This is a country with  concentration camps where  political prisoners are tortured, dissected alive, starved to death, raped and murdered. They have their  organs taken from them for high placed party and military officials who need them. People are bartered as slave labour to Russia and China.  One can no more  "negotiate" with this barbaric cruel inhumane savage state than one  could with the genocidal maniacs of the Khmer Rouge,  or with those who participated in the genocides of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, Burundi, Serbia and Bosnia.

 

To those who want negotiations, think of the people dying every day because of this mad man and his cronies. Negotiations allow the madness to continue. To that, we must say no. It is long past the time when well placed ordinance should have been used to rid the world of this madness. Do it now before the crazy murderers  rain down nuclear terror on North America and Japan.

Fine. You go first.

[craigt3365]

Talk about warmongers.  These guys take the cake.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/02/politics/north-korea-united-states-contradictions/index.html

 

[YetAnother]

On 8/1/2017 at 2:04 PM, dick dasterdly said:

Can US nuclear missiles hit N Korea?

 

If so, it appears we're back to the conditions of the previous cold war - and praying that none of the 'sides' involved take it so far that nuclear weapons are deployed .

cept for the fact that total idiocy prevails on the new side; i'd just nuke em; n korea, a Very large hole

[craigt3365]

Best think I've heard from Duterte yet! LOL

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-philippines-idUSKBN1AI17W

Quote

Philippines' Duterte calls North Korea's Kim a 'fool' over nuclear ambitions

 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday described North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a "fool" and a "son of a bitch", just days before Manila hosts an international meeting certain to address Pyongyang's long-range missile tests.

 

[tonray]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Best think I've heard from Duterte yet! LOL

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-philippines-idUSKBN1AI17W

 

He calls everyone a fool and a son of a <deleted> though...gets a little old.

[tonray]

22 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

The time for negotiations have long passed. This is a country with  concentration camps where  political prisoners are tortured, dissected alive, starved to death, raped and murdered. They have their  organs taken from them for high placed party and military officials who need them. People are bartered as slave labour to Russia and China.  One can no more  "negotiate" with this barbaric cruel inhumane savage state than one  could with the genocidal maniacs of the Khmer Rouge,  or with those who participated in the genocides of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, Burundi, Serbia and Bosnia.

 

To those who want negotiations, think of the people dying every day because of this mad man and his cronies. Negotiations allow the madness to continue. To that, we must say no. It is long past the time when well placed ordinance should have been used to rid the world of this madness. Do it now before the crazy murderers  rain down nuclear terror on North America and Japan.

Time to strap on that old WWI helmet, pin some armchair General's medals on your breast, and get at it then !

 

How many 18 year old US Marines should die for this ?

Edited August 3, 2017 by tonray

[craigt3365]

2 hours ago, tonray said:

He calls everyone a fool and a son of a <deleted> though...gets a little old.

But read the article.  He makes some good points.  But yes, he says this about most people! LOL  I posted it as more of a joke. LOL

[craigt3365]

2 minutes ago, tonray said:

Time to strap on that old WWI helmet, pin some armchair General's medals on your breast, and get at it then !

 

How many 18 year old US Marines should die for this ?

Zero.

 

Sadly, how many Americans should be put in harms way due to this?  Kim is unstable.  In a fit, he's got the power to push the button.  Odds are it'll blow up in space somewhere, or miss the target.  But the threat has to be addressed.  No way around it. Sadly.  And no easy answers.