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Subscribe to RSSThe country's satellite is poised to launch to commemorate the 100th birthday of Kim Il-sung, but there are some doubts over whether it will ever go into orbit. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
PYONGYANG, North Korea – With just one day before North Korea’s expected controversial satellite launch to commemorate the 100th birthday of “Great Leader” Kim Il-sung, the government invited journalists to view its Mission Control – the nerve center where the rocket and satellite will be monitored and guided from.
Coming after a press conference the day before, this was likely our last preview of preparations before launch. It was important because it gave us a critical view of the real operators of the satellite.
Following the visit, NBC News sat down with 22-year NASA Mission Control veteran and NBC space consultant James Oberg to discuss what he learned from this visit and his expectations for the launch.
First off, what were your impressions of the Control Center? Was it as you expected it to be?
It looked like a real control center – from the outside as well as the inside. First the communications links – two communications domes and a pretty hefty antenna farm on top of the hill – looked real, and inside the displays appeared logical and made sense to me.
Digitalglobe / via AFP - Getty Images
This DigitalGlobe satellite image obtained April 11, 2012, shows an image of the Tongchang-ri Launch Facility in North Korea. This image was taken April 9, 2012.
One difference: There was a big sign outside the building here that I found out didn’t actually say Mission Control Center; instead, it said, “Everyone follow the leadership of the Great General.”
The director of the center made a short speech and then specifically called for you to come to the front of the press scrum to witness everything. What was that like for you?
It was certainly flattering, but clearly also an attempt at manipulation because he asked me to endorse his claim that the satellite launch was peaceful. Still, I recognized it as a gesture of respect for the American space program, for which I am the only representative to have ever visited the North Korean space program, though completely unauthorized officially by NASA.
For a while there, it seemed like there were as many North Korean cameras focused on you as foreign ones. Did you expect all that attention today?
No, I didn’t. But when you think about it and realize how desperate the North Koreans are for the appearance of Western approval, they’re bound to look for it wherever they can get it. Just the presence of this press corps, not just me, is interpreted as a sign of foreign respect for the program.
Some might view your presence at the launch center as a convenient propaganda prop for their claims. How do you respond to that?
They certainly felt it was. But I was able to use the visibility to raise some questions they had not yet answered to my satisfaction. I stressed that the boasted transparency of the North Koreans was nowhere near complete and that we didn’t have reliable insight into what was under the nose cone of that rocket.
The director joked about letting one journalist ride on the rocket. I told him that photographs of the installation of the satellite would be enough to dispel lingering suspicions, including in my own mind. He promised to provide them, but I’m not holding my breath.
One of your primary questions over the last couple of days has been how soon after launch would we start to receive radio signals from the satellite to confirm its success. Do you feel you got an adequate answer on that?
Absolutely. The director gave an answer that was totally consistent with my own calculations that it might be up to 12 hours before they get a good solid communications link with the satellite.
In the meantime, he enthusiastically agreed that amateur radio listeners around the world should try to pick up the signal, which he assured us would be broadcast continuously. Of course, it’s to their advantage that a foreign expert confirm the first proof of the satellite’s successful launch since controversy remains over the success of their [previous] satellite launch, which they still insist was successful against all other evidence.
At one point you asked where the equivalent of your old console would be in the control room and he pointed to the orbital information station in the room, a station you manned for many years. That was pretty impressive.
Yeah, I got a kick out of that. But it’s too bad I couldn’t talk to the actual operator. Because there are still interesting – to me, at least – questions about some third-stage rocket steering maneuvers they seem to need during launch to get into their target orbit. We could have had a real geek-level conversation that would have blown the interpreter’s mind.
NBC’s Richard Engel, as well as other Western journalists, continued to ask North Korean officials about the military application of these rockets, but the answers were at times exasperated and sometimes sarcastic. What do you make of it?
We’re really engaged in dual disconnected monologues here, not a real conversation. The North Koreans don’t seem to understand foreign objections and act as if their pure ideological correctness deserves worldwide obedience. They’ve dug themselves deep into the true-believer’s self-delusion that disagreement is caused by stupidity and malice, a bad habit that isn’t restricted to this corner of the world. In the West we have a hard time understanding how genuinely crazy so many North Korean projects – such as this satellite – really may be.
But isn’t political single-mindedness a plus for advancing a difficult effort such as space exploration?
It might seem so at first, but I’m beginning to worry that the opposite is more likely to turn out to be true. An effective safety culture in space, or any other high-tech field, demands disobedience and independent thinking from people who detect real problems that require real solutions.
But the official North Korean reaction to difficulties looks like resorting to appeals for divine inspiration from their infallible leadership so they can bully reality to “fit” their intentions. I can’t detect any indications of the necessary kind of critical problem-solving and that’s a bad sign.
Space programs infected by such a pathological culture, whether Soviet-era or NASA pre-Challenger [and pre-Columbia] era, or today’s North Korea, are doomed to encounter major setbacks. As the bumper sticker warns, when it comes to human fallibility, “Man forgives, God forgives, Nature – never.”
This visit was likely the last satellite-related site we’ll visit before the launch itself. Any final thoughts before we begin the wait for launch time?
Opening these facilities to outside observers still strikes me as a bold and risky tactic, which I welcome. We may be able to utilize it for the good.
As the old song wisely observes, the North Koreans may not get what they WANT from this gambit – foreign approval. But they may get what they NEED – better foreign insight into their motives and decision-making. And that could make it all worthwhile.
Also for radio enthusiasts around the world, this could be your day to shine. The first people who will get a crack at catching the North Korean hymns the satellite will play to honor Kim Il-sung will be those in Western Australia 20 minutes after launch. About an hour after launch, the Eastern seaboard of the United States will be able to listen in.
Radio enthusiasts hoping to listen to catch the sounds from the satellite can tune into 479MHz. North Korean officials say they will play music continuously on that frequency.
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People should go back and read Oberg's previous statements. He has said that the satellite could not be real, that theory could not have gimballed motors, that there much be something besides a satellite because satellites have to be loaded early in the assembly process, that not being able to pick up a data link signal for almost half a day was proof that there was no satellite, etc. He has had to back down on every claim. He went into long diatribes about how the North Koreans could have bought all the satellite and weather data in the world on the open market, apparently anaware of the sanctions.
While I have absolutely no trust for the North Koreans and am expecting a three-bagger (a launch followed by a nuke test followed by some sort of provocative military (probably naval) action) of nose-thumbing at the world, I do not see why it is necessary to assume that everything they say is a lie.
The North Koreans are not stupid or crazy. They play a dangerous game of brinkmanship where any mis-calculation can have extremely grave consequences. But doing this rocket launch this transparently and overtly is a good way of keeping mis-calculations from happening.
And there is always the possibility that North Korea will choose a path more like that of Myanmar --- a frequent military collaborator.
You're wrong about the North Koreans on both counts: They ARE stupid, and they're bat@!$%# crazy. They're indoctrinated to be followers, NOT leaders. North Koreans have to import their "braintrust."
Also, the item the journalists saw is NOT the same item that was supposedly loaded into the payload fairing. A payload has to be bolted to a platform or brace before it's sealed into the nosecone; otherwise, it would probably not survive the stresses of launch.
I think there's a good chance it will blow up on staging. Preferably once it's gone far away from any population center.
Does a 1970s era 8-track player really need that much bracing?
@warren,
The absolute worst mistake that can be made is to underestimate a potential enemy. The "stupid" and "crazy" Iranians hacked into out most advanced stealth drone, took complete control of it and landed it successfully at one of their bases. That is the kind of thing that happens to you when you think that people are stupid and crazy (and you aren't.)
The North Koreans don't import that sort of technology. They actually export it. North Korea is one of the largest arms manuyfacturers and suppliers in the world and the leading exported of nuclear technology as well as missile technology. They were instrumental in heling Iran get both its missile and nuclear weapons programs off the ground. They were also involved in Pakistan's missile and nuke development as well as attempot to do the same in Syria. They don't use foreign "braintrust." They are simply too paranoid to allow very many foreigners, especially Chinese, into their country.
Oberg was the one that said that this was a) not a real functioning satellite, and b) would have had to be loaded early in the assembly process. He has backtracked on both statements and now claims that the satellite is quite real and that the North Koreans simply did not know that other countries load their satellites much earlier in the process.
I do agree that the rocket is about 18 times more likely to fail that a similar-ranged single state solid fuel rocket. But the North Koreans' forte is building reliable designs based on very basic Russian missiles from about 30 years ago. This is basically an Advanced SCUD first state, a SCUD second stage and a home-grown third stage. But, unlike the SCUDs they have gimballed rocket motors for steering --- a huge advance. Their primary weakness in the past has been inguidance systems. At least one of their two failures is thought to be due to guidance system failure to make MECO at the right altitude. The other seems to have been a second-stage inition failure.
These people have been plkaying this game of brinkmanshiop ever since 1953. They are very, very good at it. They know exactly what they are doing and have very specific expectations and goals in goping it.
I spent 10 years as a military intelligence analyst with three of it as a senior North Korean analyst at the Far Eastern Watch Center. Don't kid yourself --- these people are neither crazy nor stupid --- they know well that they hold all the aces and know that the US can do nothing to them short of a full scale war that would completely destroy South Korea and cost tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of American military lives. I used to sit in on 5th Air Force battle planning sessions (as the intelligence representative on the Battle Staff) and I got to watch as the Air Force planners failed to figure out any way to do much harm to the North Koreans from the air. And back then they has nerve gas to work with --- something that has since disappeared from our inventory.
He left out the most important piece of information: the frequency to listen on.
In other news....
A North Korean rocket exploded just seconds after take-off....
Here's Tom with the weather....
Chris, thank you for your insight. I agree, they don't appear to be stupid. But I also agree with Warren that they are bat@!$%# crazy :)
I would use the word "asocial" but never crazy. After all they are on volume 3 of a very long work of fiction. They have pretty much warped their own peculiar view of reality into a situation that they cannot distinguish between the truth and their manufactured "truth." This is just about a 5th century Oriental way that feudal city-states did business. It's a very structured, very Confucian slant to everything, and they see all this threatening and posturing and maneuvering as very normal.
But their reasoning is based on the belief that neither the Americans nor the Chinese or Japanese or South Koreans will allow anything to escalate enough for North Korea to utterly destroy the Seoul-Inchon Corridor and the DMZ "defensive zone." It all depends on not one of the good guys making a slipup.
These guys have literally created their oen micro-version of Mutually Assured Destruction which is, by definition, mad.
@Chris: The Iranians did not "hack" into the RQ-170. They didn't even know it was in their airspace when it went down.
I bet the POS goes up some then crashes into the sea...nornal for their ways.
Problem with them..they don't get it..its not the payload we care about..its the rocket that gets the payload into obit!
Mr. Obama, Shoot the rocket out of the sky!
Please!
Mr Osama Obama, do not over react, like you over react about everything else. Send Nancy Pelosi over there on a fact finding mission and hopefully they will keep her.
Dude, Barack Obama hasn't overreacted to anything.Nice try.
shoot it down.
This story is giving me a headache. Who cares. OOOOOOOOOlaunch it already. I like fireworks.
yyy do I have to jump through 20 hoops in order to comment?
The satellite has a striking resemblance to a mini frig, I can understand how they light off the first stage but the next two might be difficult, unless its one continuous fuse. I wonder how many starving peasants they could have fed with what their space program has cost them? now they expect us to send them food. just what is their game plan? and this launch is to be followed by a nuke test? are these people for real? I don't think the devine laeder is playing with a full deck.
Mr. Gal -
I think the press would love to follow Ms. Pelosi to DPRK. I know I would like to see the film footage of such a trip.
if the president is still looking for shovel ready projects,how about iran,and n,korea,a two for one bargin
N. Korea should focus on automating farming and feeding her people.
The NK leadership is far more interested in their international prestige than any trivial concern for the well-being of their people. One day NK will enter the real world, their people will see what was done to them for so many decades, and they won't be able to heap enough vitriol on the people they're worshiping now.
North Korea has very little arable land. The country is mostly mountainous with very steep winding valleys similar to West Virginia with the climate of Maine. All the food has to be grown on the coastal plains on the west coast and a few pockets of coastal plain on the east coast. There is very little precipitation in North Korea in the winter, but huge amounts of rain in the spring and summer. The rain is the problem. North Korea has had trouble with both drought as the spring rains failed to appear and floods as the summer rains became torrential because of climate change and normal drought cycles.
Most of North Korea's prime agricultural products are things that actually benefit very little from automated farming --- rice is one example. About all the automation that can be brought to bear with rice is a small gasoline tractor/tiller. While North Korea could benefit from more modern strains of crops and such things ar targeted fertilizers and pest control, they can do very little about too much or too little rain.
How do you think farmers in the U.S. raise rice? How do you think we farm in the desert? We drill wells and irrigate.
North Korea can and will do anything they want. Barack Hussein Obama could care less if North Korea nuked the United States. The North Koreans are not afraid of Obama. To bad America has no leaders anymore.
Chris;
I would bet you would be fun to have a beer with. Nice piece of insight.
I'm sick and tired of North Korea and Iran. Both (leaders) countries act like children who aren'te getting enough attention. They know what they are going is silly, counter-productive, and won't get them anything but negative attention. And now Syria is acting like a knee baby.
Is that actually your opinion, or is it just an opinion you've mindlessly picked up by obediently sucking up all the information force-fed to you by the mainstream media in lieu of doing any of your own research?
Here's a good rule of thumb: if you aren't well versed in a topic, don't share an unfounded opinion on it. It makes you look shockingly unintelligent.
Didn't we just send North Korea tons of food aid a couple of months ago? The west is world renowned for rewarding what is described to us by the media as "bad behavior" on the part of North Korea, but ultimately, who are we to tell any country they aren't allowed to have a space or missile program? Team America World Police?
You, sir, have no clue what you're talking about, and neither do the majority of you. A lot of you people are as brainwashed as the North Koreans.
There's a small, cracked stone on a moon orbiting Neptune that knows more about world affairs than this guy. Individuals possessing the intellect of a canteloupe don't deserve free speech.
Dave:
We did not send food. That aid transfer was suspended specifically because of this launch.
Also, it is the UN, not the US (this is important! Pay attention!) that says North Korea can't have a space or missile program. That requires the consent of the entire Security Council, including Russia and China. Putting that aside, when one country constantly begs another for aid, THAT gives the aiding the country the right to demand conditions (that who we are to tell the NKs that they can't have their sat).
For someone lambasting another for their lack of research, you yourself seem quite fuzzy on the facts.
Do we need to go back to Nuke drills and shelters again?
Only in Alaska at this time.
Hmm, I'm thinking entire west coast.
Duck and Cover, LOL!.... Ok so I'm not THAT old but I have seen the movie.
I remember the drill you go to the basement sit on the floor put your head between your knees and kiss your @$$ good by that is if your school had a basement, it was a waste of time. duck and cover what a joke better off to stand up and take it, if your lucky you will be at ground zero when it happens. personally I would not want to be a survivor of a nuclear event. I hope the world never has to deal with one but it looks like someday we might have to, your best bet is to not survive the blast, its better to just be evaporated then to suffer the fallout.
Oh all we had was a drill to get under your wooden desk with your hands over your head. Yeah, like that's going to do any good. Its so you won't see death coming really.
D Buck, or we could become the new mutant species. Tentacles and such.
The Fallout series had ghouls when someone was exposed to a nuclear blast but didn't die. Ugly SOBs, but they lived for centuries. Could be worse.
I guess if we are all ugly ghouls, that will be the norm.
How sad, and how true.
The article misses the point: this isn't space exploration at all, it's a test of a long distance missile, an ICBM. That the mission control looks like a mission control and that the payload during this test-launch is a contraption to briefly transmit patriotic songs instead of a nuke doesn't change that. Neither does the fact that the missile is primitive - "close" doesn't just count in horseshoes, but also in megaton nukes.
They did not claim that it was for space "exploration." In fact, quite the opposite it was to be a proprietary weather/geo resources satellite. Absolutely the most important and productive use of space technology would be a satellite like this.
Secondly, this missile is not something that really has a military use except as an ad hoc one-time thing. What you want in an ICBM is a single stage solid fuel rocket. It can be kept in an "online and ready" status indefinitely and is very simple. A liquid fuel rocket has to have both propellant and oxidizer loaded up just before launch. And it adds so many levels of complexity that it is ridiculous --- literally scores of pumps and motors. And then you have stages. The more stages the more the chance of failure but a three-stage missile has 18 times the chance of failure as a single stage rocket.
But, that said, there are indirect military benefits from just creating workable guidance systems and steerable rocket motors and putting it together in a package. But also North Korea is a huge arms merchant. Their shore-to-ship and ship-to-ship missiles are big sellers as are their vamped up SCUD variant --- longer range, bigger payload than the original. Launching a truly useful satellite would be something that someone like Chavez or Assad or Achmenajhad (sp?) would see very favorably. Iran especially has found that there can a mutually beneficial swap of technologies. Pakistan and Oman and little civil wars have been good customers.
Chris, I applaud you in your ability to actually know what you're talking about, rather than merely being swept up in mindless nationalism after reading this propaganda piece belittling the people and technological capabilities of North Korea.
It's so disappointing to come to an article looking for black and white facts without political spin, but actually learn more in the comments section.
Sure, the hermit kingdom is the craziest place in earth, but please stick to the facts. I didn't come here for an opinion piece or a slanted detailing of events rather than factual data. There is really no bravery or integrity in mainstream journalism anymore.
Disapprove.
How can reinventing 60 year old technology be glorious? Oh, I forgot, ordinary North Koreans don't know anything about outside rocket programs.
One American capitalist, Elon Musk, is far ahead of that entire god foresaken country.
Well the only thingh i sais is that i loose the faith in our news, a lot ao propaganda, i reed the news fron england chinese russia, they are a lot diferent to what the media here says, exem, arabia, quatar, usa, thney pledge 100 mill in salaries to the rebels in syria, also i read the terrorist mek are the ones causing all the chaos, in syria, allso i read the rebels are teroorists, mercenaries, all pay to cause chaos, there, just to protect israel , so please read the news from diferent countrys, perharps you get a different perspective , a lot of countrys want to go nuclear with the idea, that they will no be invaded from another countrys,
hahaha i love how the north has every american shidin their pants because a bunch of "backwards" socialistic farmers are actually trying with little to no resources and an entire list of sanctions, while NASA has its thumbs up the ass of every politician, making them dance in front of american audiences, with no real way of sending astronauts to space, other then swallowing their pride and asking the russians to use their supposedly outdated 1970's technology LOL.
A North Korean satellite broadcasting martial music...hmmmm. I do wonder what the frequency they're planning to broadcast on so we can all listen. It should be good for a grin.
By the way - these people are not stupid. Ignorant about a lot of things, maybe, and certainly crazy in the sense that they like take enormous risks with their behavior that can potentially cause their country to disappear. But they're definitely not stupid.
A North Korean satellite broadcasting martial music...hmmmm. I do wonder what the frequency they're planning to broadcast on so we can all listen. It should be good for a grin.
By the way - these people are not stupid. Ignorant about a lot of things, maybe, and certainly crazy in the sense that they like take enormous risks with their behavior that can potentially cause their country to disappear. But they're definitely not stupid.
Well, they may as well launch as the UN broke their sanctions by providing them with computers and servers. It's ok with the obama admin. as obama showed the USA how he bows down to the wims of the UN as he did when he commited our armed forces to attacking Libya without congressional approval.
So let me get this straight, he's both a warmongering tyrant... AND a pacifist pussy?
Well, Toasty, this is coming from someone who named himself after an AK-47 round.
That's one thing you can say about an AK... they never go limp when you need them. They always stay long and hard, and you get a big discharge whenever you want.
Right, 7.62?
Seriously, he couldn't have at least gone with a true blue NATO round?
He could be bipolar I suppose.
That headline is pretty misleading. The DPRK's entire nationalistic obsession means they will never seek the approval of other countries. What they ARE desperate for isthe presence of other countries' TV cameras at the launch, so that they can propagandize to their people that the rest of the world is impressed with their accomplishment. There's a HUGE difference.
That is exactly what they were doing. Oberg showing up gave credence and legitamcy to their operations. It was a political blunder if he was directed to go by an American Government agency.
Actually, you are mistaken.
The DPRK does have an obsessively nationalistic streak, but they do constantly seek recognition from richer countries. Their nation was founded with the sponsorship of the Soviet Union, and once that collapsed they figured the only other entity with the power and resources to replace the Reds was America. Of course, America looks down on them, and they're either confused as to why or enraged that their small efforts don't yield greater reward.
Nowadays they have China to help them, but China isn't a model provider, and really couldn't care less about NK so long as refugees aren't pouring over the border.
Recognition, not approval.
i love North Korea.....................they have rights to safe their country from real evils.............today`s super powers............like they killed poeple in Afghanistan by name of Taliban...like they stolan expansive things from Afghanistan.............paid 1 million stealing 100 millions.............what good countrise of Humen rights..............listen North Korea do not trust these evils make your country more power full...............i am Pashton heart who break already these evils that they are escaping now days but they cant...........
Pashtonheart.....Are you insane or just another communist sympathizer?
Probably insane... and look at that spelling, too. Bleaugh.
Even a Communist sympathizer shouldn't love North Korea. There are Maoists who are horrified by what goes on there.
What is soooo ironic here is that the subject could be changed from a rocket launch to GLOBAL WARMING and the mindless ideologues that propagate a central gov. and obedience to the green agenda!!! much like NK. The greenie wienies want us all to turn into mindless non questioning robots for their purpose of Cap and screw to control the US And the environment. The last part about a mindless approach and his response is telling on many levels.
The North Koreans just do not get it! Here they want the US to APPROVE of the launch of this missile, which is something we have been WARNING THEM NOT TO DO, yet they seem to be going ahead with it. They are apparently in the business of stretching the envelope to the breaking point.
I look at the world news organizations being invited, and reporting on this in N.K. as human shields, to make sure the Americans don't respond negatively to their rocket launch!
If North Korea would change its nations name to Israel it would have the US blessing, they could do no wrong. The US will continue to force starvation on the NK citizens, because their llives mean nothing to the US government. When nations do not do what we tell them to day the US military will begin the genecide of their people.
The US is forcing starvation on the North Koreans? That's odd. When did feeding them become our job? Is that a UN resolution, a federal law, a treaty, or your bizarre and illogical rationalization just to complain about America?
What a crock of bull. So the little fat boy dictator is desperate to get his rocks off.
As an Amateur Radio operator (KD6OUB) I need two basic pieces of information; Keplerian elements in order to determine the local pass of the satellite at my location, and the downlink frequency to listen on.
Pretty unlikely we'll see either...
73.
(n1uzg FN-32, VHF) Agreed that we'll probably never hear such info, but being the intended usage of the satellite to be launched, I would more expect a LEO, geostationary.
North Korea will do as it feels fit, for their soul purposes. They (supposedly) have taken all the necessary precautions, and notifications to launch a satellite for peaceful purposes, intended to help them better utilize their own resources. Everyone knows that they would be completely suicidal if there were any "military" payload involved. They simple want to do this, and do it on there own. If all is as said to be, then by all means I congratulate them on their accomplishments.
On the other hand, Yes, there is a likely possibility that they will also be looking to benefit from the gained knowledge of their ballistic launch, behaviors, tons of technical data, and of course, how far it can actually travel (with a significantly below-capacity payload)
I also agree about their incredible level of intelligence. They have (and build for us) some of the most advanced technologies. If their hatred towards the US is strong enough, perhaps this is an intended double feature. They launch their satellite, and use this to display to the world that they can carry a payload beyond the atmosphere, and thus bring it down where they choose. Then follow it up with another underground nuclear test, to show the world they've gotten better at that too. And then... maybe, just maybe, threaten anyone who sneezes at them.
... or just outright ask for permission to launch a Trojan horse, aim it at the Western Plains States, detonate it at high altitude, and radiate the whole country in just a few days....
Personally, I say let them launch. Everyone is watching, and many are aimed and ready.(just incase)
This paints North Korea as pretty sick. If their ideology is as warped as he says, it seems it would be almost impossible to argue or negotiate with them. Fine.
I just hope, that if they launch this rocket (and nobody shoots it down over the ocean before it proves to be a success) and the North Koreans sell these to countries like Iran and these countries start lobbing them around that the U.S and the rest of the free world is prepared to flatten every military facility in all countries concerned, immediately and thoroughly.
Then, let the region deal with it. Nobody needs to send troops, let them fend for themselves. Send aid instead, maybe, if they are peaceful.
If a nuclear deterrent exists, it needs to be used once in a while to get the attention of these fanatics that keep threatening the peace around the world. Sad but true.
I don't understand America's paranoid reaction with other country's advancements. The US is the only country ever to use atomic weapons on civilian targets. The first country to use them again will be the one annihilated. Remember, read your History, go back to 1945. Koreans are not dummies, North or South, just because of a border.
This is more South Korea/Japan's paranoid (maybe) reaction, since they are most threatened by North Korean military gains.
As for that old saw about America being the only one to use nuclear weapons, have you read that history? That actually turned out really well. Japan is better off for having been bludgeoned into a surrender rather than having suffered a bloody invasion and occupation.
Instead of talking about people you don't know personally, in negative light, why not try giving them a chance? North Korea has been suppressed for so long they need to conduct the scientific studies most modern societies have already completed, long past.
Instead of threatening North Korea with more sanctions that only hurt their most innocent of citizens, why not stop acting like little children and recognize the need to help North Korea achieve it's goals; no matter how minute they may seem to you? At least if we tried to help (I'm sorry, I'm throwing out that "Diplomacy" word again) we could see their strengths and weaknesses, their failures and successes. Isn't this what we do for our own children when they become interested in a subject?
Grow up people! Give North Korea a chance to learn what they want to learn.
Gary Hanson - What are you talking about: "The US will continue to force starvation on the NK citizens, because their llives mean nothing to the US government." What a crock of crap. When is it our responsibility to feed NK when NK won't help feed their own? The wacko NK leadership refuses to feed their people...why should we? First, this has NOTHING to do with Israel. Secondly, if it did, we absolutely would/should back Israel. They are our trusted friends, one of only a few in that region. Third, how are we "forcing" starvation on the NK people? You are simply asinine.
Christopher - you are a young teenager, aren't you? Try doing some homework on North Korea. they are one of the most uncooperative nations on earth. The goal of NK is to have a nuclear weapon so they can have MORE leverage against the US, Japan, and SK. They will use it to manipulate nations to give them what they want. They will sell that technology to the highest bidder...even to people like the Taliban if it is a means to their "goal". So I will have to EMPHATICALLY disagree with your reductive and naive recommendation. Oh, and by the way....I firmly believe they are crazy enough to use a nuke just to get what they want. Trust me, you don't WANT NK to have nukes.
North Korea is a cruel military dictatorship. Helping them achieve their goals is almost by definition a bad thing.
And what's odipsh!t gonna do about it?....NOTHING!...but this is to be expected.
Shut the @!$%# up retard. What exactly do you want him to do about it? Oh that's right, nothing, because you have no thoughts or ideas at all, on any topic. Enjoy your empty, pointless existence by yourself without attempting to share it with the rest of us.
Not much he CAN do at the moment. "Punishment" after the fact, maybe. Preventative, he can only issue warnings, anything beyond that is essentially an act of war.
Those who don't exercise restraint, and take the first violent, uninformed swing, usually end up digesting their own teeth.
I may not be tickled to death with what I've seen from the White House, but it could be a whole lot worse. I applaud President Obama, in his restraint and patience. I'd rather stick with dodging sharp tongues, as opposed to dodging missiles. Our "oppositions" have been warned, and advised of the conditions they "agree to put themselves in" by proceeding in their current directions. They will merely "conform" to the wishes of the UN, or, they will eventually become financially strangled to death.
North Korea is simply going through some "growing pains"... hopefully no one gets hurt.