but the malnourished North Koreans are shorter than their South korean cousins.

Close the Fed

You are a moron! Take your troll habits elsewhere.

I think you wrapped the tin foil a little too tight this morning. There is a huge difference between missile defense and the unexpected act of terrorists crashing planes into building. And just for the record, the fourth airliner would have been taken down by the Air Force if the passengers had not done it first. The reason that the military did not stop 9/11 is that they did not anticipate it happening, and even if they had, there is a huge difference between taking down a missile and shooting down a commercial jet liner loaded with passengers. There would have needed to be clear evidence that a plane represented an imminent threat before they would get any authorization to shoot one down.

While North Korea's successful launch is a cause for concern, they are a long way from being able to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile and get to hit a target over 5,000 miles away. Even if they could get a missile off the ground, we have an anti-ballistic missile system that is definitely capable of taking it down. There is no way that the North Koreans could ever get enough missiles launched at one time to overwhelm the capabilities of our ABM system. In addition, once they launched the first missile it would be a very short time before their missile sites, and every other military site in their country for that matter, were leveled by US forces that are in the region. One carrier battle group could effectively wipe out North Korea's ability to launch anything, from missiles to aircraft, in a matter of hours by taking out missile sites and destroying runways. While the North Koreans may think that having the capability to hit the US gives them more leverage to negotiate in other areas, I doubt even Kim Jong Un is stupid enough to try and attack the US.

Close the Fed

As soon as you opened your mouth, you started to drool BS.

The National defense budget is at least 16 times the combined budget of the next lower countries, and the 4 aircraft were 757's and 767's, not 747's.

The rest of your story doesn't even rate an answer.

First of all, none of those planes were 747s. I guess what you are advocating is we should have just shot those planes out of the air, without any idea what was being planned.

"Life is tough, it's even tougher when you're stupid." John Wayne

ack from Jax

Close the Fed

You are a moron! Take your troll habits elsewhere.

_____________________________________________________

Brilliant post "ack from jax".

You make us all proud. Let us know if you come up with even one fact some day. ( Until then, continue to exercise your pre-high school mentality and call anyone smarter than yourself names.)

.

Thanks for a good post JS, but other than the "tin foil" hat comment, you said nothing to justify NORAD nor our governments "excuse".

.

Starbuck, try another cup and wake up.

I don't care if it was a 747, 757, an Airbus, or a Ford Taurus. It should have been incredibly easy to stop if NORAD was awake or our defense system was not on purposeful stand down.

There simply is no valid, intelligent excuse why the best air defense system in the world was such a total, compleat failure. The air space over Washington D.C. is the most secure air space in world history. So come up with a logical statement instead of your "drool" (or just shut up).

.

The point being , morons, we should not have much to worry about in regards to North Koreas 2nd rate missiles IF our air defense system is as good as it is suppose to be.

Further, we are not the "world police force". This is is China, South Korea, and Japans back yard, so we have little justification borrowing more money to throw at the problem. Period.

.

If IIRC, the military and it's intricate network of CONsultants and generals with visions of cushy retirements in their heads are either the single largest source of fraud in government spending or equal to medicare. Then again, the areas where private contractors provide goods and or services to the government is of course the largest source of fraud period and the area where there is acutally the least amount of true oversight.

Then we can discuss how much military spending is simply due to "but what about all those jobs". Programs and designs that should have been shredded drag on far beyond any useful purpose because of politics.

Anyone who claims we can't slash the defense budget without weakening the military is either outright dishonest or ignorant. The only way cutting the military's budget would weaken it is if we allow all the BS games to continue.

Who cares if the North Korean reaches the United States, Certainly Obama doesn't care anyway. Obama is concentrated in his agenda to be remember as one of the best people president ever. He loves talk show and has been everywhere except where he suppose too.

Unfortunately, it's going to take a disaster such as a nuke, to get the U.S. and her allies to attack the North.

Until then, North Korea will just keep on developing until they have the capacity to reach the U.S.A.

Sad, but true.

That is absolute BULL@!$%# "Starbuck".

Where so you come up with that kind of statement?

Do you really think NORAD is going to have to call the president in the few seconds before a missile enters our air space??? NORAD has absolute authority to take out any kind of air defense threat.

That IS NOT NORAD or air force policy. What a lame excuse. Do some reading please.

Thanks for your post.

TO North korea, go ahead and fire a missle at the U.S. ,we will just shoot it down ,KEEP THIS IN MIND, the one coming back WILL hit you , and it WILL TURN YOU IN TO GREEN GLASS !!

When 911 happened , only the president had the authority. Since that happened, things have changed to include

Prior to the attacks on September 11, 2001 only the President of the United States had the authority to order the military to shoot down a civilian aircraft that posed a threat.

After realizing that a life or death decision of this magnitude may not permit the time required to get in touch with the President and brief him before getting such an order, the authority to engage a civilian airliner has been expanded to the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a handful of other high-ranking military officers.

Starbuck - What is your point?

Based on the proven accuracy of North Korean missles to date, I suggest we immediately strengthen the air defenses of Fiji.

@denver bill - I'm sure South Korea and Japan do not feel the same way.

@astounding -- Then I suggest they arm themselves.

close the fed...It seema you simply have your mind made up. Wrongly I might add but steadfast anyway. The little tid bit of information that this was the first air attack ( out side of Pearl harbor ) of American soild, and the very first air attack of our homeland were factors. The primary factor was that these aircraft came from within. They did not enter American airspace from outside of it and they were Identified craft as well so there was no indication of threat. When things began to happen the first thoughts were that there was a malfuntion because again there was no indication this was an attack. After the first plane struck and then 15 minutes later another was on the same path it became appearant we were being attckaed and action had begun. There was not enough time to muster a response before the third plane hit the pentagon but we had fighters in the air for the plane that was out the longest and circled over Cleveland and was taken down by the people aboard it in a PA field.

You obviously have a problem with our government and that is fine. i have some troubles with it too. Your ranting about NORAD and our Air Force are invalid however based on facts not your conjered up fantacies about lack of ability to stop 9-11. Your simple not being rational.

Now on the story at hand. Quite frankly this could be a good thing. If the North koreans get all filled with the feeling of power and launch against the US , we will be able to defend against it. After we take the missle or missles down we will then have the authority to go in and dismantle that countries war making factories and nuclear facilities. After that the region will be secure once again for a few years.

@DenverBill - Japan cannot arm themselves, dictated after WWII.

And South Korea cannot stand to the North's drafted troops, and the support of China and Russia.

@ Close the Fed,

WOW, you need your meds bad. Let me clear something up for you, Starbuck is correct NORAD DOES NOT let me repeat it DOES NOT have the authority to shoot down any commerical airliners. Period! The only person who can make that call is the President. Your ranting but I am not sure you are directing your anger at the correct source. That being said post 9/11 and with the adding of Homeland Security Office today things are a little different and if the commander of NORAD feels that we are being threatened by an enemy he can now act but what you are talking about he did not have the power to do that.

@JS

I think you may be reading too much Tom Clancy if you really think one carrier battle group can do all that to North Korea in only a few hours? A battle group is very strong but you are overpredicting what they can and can not do. Please read up on it.

Obama is concentrated in his agenda...

Then you two have something in common.

@DenverBill - Japan cannot arm themselves, dictated after WWII.

Is that why they spend 47 billion a year on it?

They list their nearly 300,000 troops as part of their police force.

The United States has had many dozens of opportunities to shut North Korea down. Instead we gave them many Billions of Dollars to feed their people that was used to advance their defenses and offenses. So now what. Guess we should bow to them and let them do what they want and hope they don't hurt us. Time the United States grow a set of balls and place Countries like this in their place. I don't like war, but if you have to, beat them into the dirt until 1. They can't get back up and 2. If they do get up then insure they are put into the stone age and not ready to mess with United States again.

Yet another Obama foreign policy achievement! Forward!

@NYMike -

They aren't allowed to have police now? You should really educate yourself.

Japan's constitution has prohibited the use of military force to wage war against other nations.

Here ya go NWMike....

After a period of U.S. occupation (1945–1952), Japan regained its independence. Japan was also forbidden to have a standing army or wage war by Article 9 of its Constitution.

Although the Japanese constitution says "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained," the Jieitai (自衛隊), or Japan Self-Defense Forces were created shortly after the end of U.S. occupation. The Jieitai is one of the most technologically advanced armed forces in the world and Japanese military expenditures are the seventh highest in the world. Though the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, signed in 1960, allows for the continued presence of American military bases in Japan, most of them on Okinawa, no formal agreement was ever set by which Japan officially relies on the United States, United Nations, or anybody else for its defense.

In the aftermath of the Occupation, attempts were made by some administrations in Japan, particularly at the urging of the United States, to amend the Constitution and rearm. This was prevented by intense popular sentiment against this action, and against war in general, along with the attitudes and agendas of significant elements within the government. In 1967, Prime Minister Eisaku Satō outlined the Three Non-Nuclear Principles by which Japan stands against its production, or possession of nuclear weaponry. Similar ideas were expressed several years later against the production and export of conventional arms. The Diet of Japan is currently deliberating an amendment to the Constitution that would repeal Article Nine, and allow Japan to once again have projective military capacity.

For the time being, Japan has deployed the Jieitai to aid in a number of non-combat missions, especially those involving humanitarian aid, such as aiding the victims of the 1995 Kobe earthquake, providing administrative support to the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) Norwegian Battalion (NORBATT) in the 1990s, and helping rebuild Iraq.

Some Japanese state a desire to have their own military due to fear of the growing power of China and the hostility of North Korea. They claim that the U.S. has failed to properly address these issues, and therefore Japan must grant itself "the power to defend itself".

In 2004, then-United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan announced a plan to expand the number of permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, and Japan seeks to gain one of those seats. Despite Japan's economic power and political influence, some debate whether or not a country with no standing military can be considered a "world power" that should have a permanent seat on the Council. Recent disputes with neighboring countries like China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Russia over territories such as the Senkaku Islands, Liancourt Rocks, and the Kuril Islands, as well as accusations of Japanese whitewashing of history in various textbook controversies have also complicated this process.

Yep, once again the Really Uneducated Sling their manure all over Newsvine's "Get Smarter Here".

Too many voters embrace feel-good propaganda that they want to hear instead of learning the basic facts about issues they care about. They should do a better job of calling out dishonest politicians -- and shunning media outlets that stoke political food fights.

http://money.msn.com/investing/11-things-wrong-with-congress

TYPICAL UNEDUCATED DEMONCRAPTIC PARTY POSTS OF: Close the Fed, Pigotry, et al. If the rest of you DO NOT WANT TO BE CONSIDERED AS UNEDUCATED stop agreeing with them, and you might want to have your own talks with them, that they are making the rest of the Demoncraps seem to be the party of the Uneducated.

As far as the rest of the posts I see all the Nuclear Physicists, Missile Scientists, ABM Scientists, etc. are posting Intelligent posts. NOT. Further dumbing down Newsvine's "Get Smarter Here".

North Korea is being kept from starvation by huge amounts of food shipments paid for by American taxpayers; they are using what little resources they have in building missiles and nuclear bombs; the entire nation of North Korea must be insane, just look to the South, their relatives in South Korea have one of the highest standards of living, good jobs, lots of food, modern city's , really great restaurants, great cars, and they continue in the North to put up with a military dictatorship, Koreans are smarter than that.

Should maybe worry more about the country destroying itself from within itself, rather then nuclear attack by a foreign country, in the last five years the USA has inflicted more damage to itself by it's own so called leaders and greedy financial institutions that only have them selves in mind, then any outside enemy could ever dreamed of doing.

Aaaaaaah, what we have here is PROOF that the warnings about a 'post-Cold War Military Industrial Complex' taking over the hearts and minds of Our Beloved Country - via the corporate merger of the various Arms Manufacturers, the Audio-Visual Media Outlets, and the Publishing Oulets (throw in owning the Medical Establishment, the Universities - and, thus, the Tenure Track....and yet get Not Truth, and Not Justice becoming the 'New' American Way; not that we've ever been particularly fond of the truth, any-old-way) - that Eisenhower incorporated into his GREAT Farewell Address, has gone largely UN-Heeded by most of America.

You see....You're being Divided and Conquered; and it's SOME (But not all....which is why I like MSN as much as I do al Jazeera or the Epoch Times....being a Freaking Progressive-Left-of-Centrist to the CORE!) of the Media/Publishing Outlets, looking to Hype Up and push a Warheaded Attitude - while, at the same time, sending Agent Provocateurs as clever as anybody Hitlers Henchman, Ernst Rohm (A Gay NAZI who fooled many, many 'lefty' and 'gay' people into bringing about their own DOOM), into the world to Make A Lot Of Noise in the various Left, Liberal, Peacenik Circles that Hitler also manipulated until he'd achieved a full seizure of the Weimar Republics Only friends weapons; which is why Mr. Lanza, with such a Corporatist Background, may just have been a Neo-Fascist on a veery real mission to take the guns of the American People who WOULD stand up to the KKK and National Alliance (Same thing as "Le Front Nationale", in France; and if you don't think that, for such a Far Right Party to have WON ALL THOSE SEATS in the French Assembly recently, is a BAD SIGN - then YOU ARE FOOLS, America.

You see, though.....I'm NOT endorsing Close the Feds POV; i DON'T THINK we shot down a bunch of 747's, and then covered it up - I think that the Reichs Ministry of Propaganda has been starting that kind of rumor to trick people into thinking that everyone who sounds crazy, is crazy, while they busily conduct a number of different very real 'take down the economy, and the NSA' type activities - while costing America to lose so much face, and make so many enemies, that the 'Evil Whities' (Nietzsche Superman Teutonic @!$%#s!) will be sure to keep getting all of the 'blood and iron' - not to mention the gold and economic slaves - that they CRAVE.

See?

...speaking of crazy....

No need to deliver a nuke to ground level or close. Launch it and have it go off in the atmosphere where the EMP wave is focused to a point on the ground. If you think for an instant that any country wants a full scale nuclear war with us you are completely insane..

saxon - their relatives in South Korea have one of the highest standards of living,

Had, not have. The South Koreans are suffering almost a Great Depression (huge Unemployment, Factory and Plant Closures, etc.). Go watch NHK News (you cannot always only rely on US News Media Sources).

Jimbo-341152 - that Eisenhower

General Eisenhower and General Smelly Butt were hypocrites, without President FDR creating the current US Military Industrial Complex and selling all those "War Materials" to England, France, Russia, China, etc. in exchange for tons of gold, silver, raw materials, etc. the US would have still been in the Great Depression, instead of getting out of the Great Depression in 1939, before US Entry into WWII 1941.

Meaning General Eisenhower would have had to borrow wooden row boats and bolt action rifles to conduct the Normandy (D-Day) Landings. And after Failing Miserably General Eisenhower would NEVER have become Famous enough to become President. After becoming President Eisenhower dismantled President FDR's US Military Defense Industrial Complex, so that when he got the US Military involved in the UN Mission Korea, the US Military was ill equipped resulting in the Massacre of US Military Task Force Smith, and many other Retreats of the US Military due to lack of basics like ammunition, machineguns, tanks, aircraft, winter clothing, food and water, medical supplies, etc. of the US Military Industrial Complex; it took years after the start of the UN Mission Korea aka Korean War before the US Military Defense Industrial Complex could be restarted.

The Proof:

Federal Spending:

60% Entitlements

20% Defense

13% Discretionary Spending

7% Interest (on Loans, like from China).

So the 20% is responsible for the direct and indirect Employment of almost a Hundred Million (Overpaid, Too Expensive) US Citizens Manufacturing High Tech "War Materials" to sell as Foreign Military Sales Worldwide, as President FDR knew that US Consumerism would NEVER get the US out of the Great Depression. The reality is that due to President Obama's (Foreign) Policies the US and US Allies lost the majority of the World's Resources required to manufacturer or maintain the current US High Tech Standard of Living (CIA's World Book, as the World's Resources are considered a National Security Threat).

President Obama, 2012, "A 10% Defense Budget Cut will result in a million (US) Civilians becoming Unemployed".

As far as the rest of you post Jimbo-341152 you do not have to waste resources on propaganda, false flags, etc. and the additional risks of getting caught, the majority based on most of the posts on Newsvine "Get Smarter Here" are not smart enough to even determine fact from fiction. All you need is one person that is charismatic enough to say something; that is cost effective and less chance of getting caught.

example: The Demoncrap Propaganda: It's the US Congress (Repugnants) Fault for the "Fiscal Cliff". While the majority of the Demoncraps believed that, instead of doing their own research (Causative Timeline) and finding out that the waitress has just arrived with the bill for the $2.1 Trillion meal that President Obama ate and now President Obama is looking around for everyone else to pay:

President Obama demanded in his President's Proposal to US Congress spending of $2.1 Trillion that was not previously Budgeted For and in another President's Proposal to US Congress to pay for the $2.1 Trillion that he spent "Automatic Sequestrations" (Budget Cuts) to previously Budgeted For Programs (like Medicare, etc.), Projects (like Longterm US Army Corps of Engineers Infrastructure Projects within the US, etc.), Agencies (like FEMA, Department of Education, Veteran's Affairs, etc.), including chopping the Benefits and Entitlements of the "47%" (actual 49%).

So yes, it is cost effective for Omama bird to reguritate into the mouths of the uneducated no experienced baby bird Demoncraps; then when Omama bird turns around and instead of reguritating into their mouths, takes a big crap into their mouths, the same results occur, crap coming out of their mouths.

To deflect matters of National Security and Concern, the Deflection Game and Blame Game. So the average Demoncrap does not see what is really happening (and too lazy to even find out):

Examples: Regarding Police in Schools. Since 2000 Senator Obama stated "Cops on every street corner (Chicago, Illinois)" and "(US) Culture of Violence" (movies, video games, etc.). Same thing he later stated since the 2008-2009 Elections. So as soon as someone other than President Obama says the same thing the Demoncraps start screaming their outrage.

Constitutional Rights:

Most of the Demoncraps are Hypocrites, screaming Democracy, yet demanding NONE (for everyone else except themselves, aka Rule by Exclusion also known as Dictatorship).

As in January 21, 2009 President Obama signed into US Laws his Patriot Acts (Plural US Laws) that included: Expanded Presidential Powers. Monitoring and Censorship of All US Communications. Without Warrant Mandatory Cooperation of US Communications Providers. Preemptive Detentions. US Military Use of Deadly Force Against US Citizens. Inclusion of the previously defeated as Unconstitutional US Senate S.1959 and US House of Representatives H.R.1955 aka the George Orwell 1984 Thought Crimes Laws in that the Thought is the (Felony) Crime not only the Action, example: Definition: "Anyone Stating a Radical Change to US Government is a Homegrown Domestic Terrorist".

President Obama shown January 22, 2009 during a staged news media event signing into US Laws his Patriot Acts, 4:38 minutes of 11:55 minutes (push "pause" look at who is clapping behind President Obama):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLSeD19m3UE

US Military Indefinite Detentions of US Citizens, Obama's NDAA 2012 (like I stated before Demoncraps screaming Democracy are Hypocrites based on Actions and Results, not their propaganda "empty words"):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IeuE16LLDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gstBozWfhQ

So Jimbo-341152, by reelecting President Obama they basically said that they did not give a flying f**k about their own US Constitutional Rights and approved President Obama's Previous Actions (Their "Mandate"). So why waste resources with False Flag Operations, etc. and risk being caught, the US Public based on Actions IS too lazy to find out the basic facts, is too stup!d, etc..

And so Jimbo-341152 DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THESE SAME UNEDUCATED PEOPLE (Uneducated based on their Uneducated posts) WILL EVEN BOTHER TO EVEN FIND OUT THE BASIC FACTS PERTAINING TO WEAPONS SYSTEMS, NUCLEAR WEAPONS, MISSILES, ABM CAPABILITIES, ETC..

If let's say a threat like this was towards the east coast our government would be all over this.But it's the west coast that would be in danger of North Korea.I live in California and it seems to me that the federal government is only interested in whether our state is meeting pollution standards.On the bright side,maybe people who live in California will see this threat as being sooner than later and will vacate this state.

On 9/11: in NYC, there were no military in the area, not even for rescue, until hours after the attack. What did the military send? One hospital ship. They expected St. Vincent's hospital to do the rest, and for what one Wall St. bonus would be pocket change, the hospital could not afford to stay open and soon after 9/11 it had to close... just another 9/11 casualty that hit New York. The military bases had been closed: started by Bush Sr., all around NYC. There is no excuse, I agree. No excuse for the lack of intelligence, no excuse for no military around NYC, no excuse that our country's borders were protected by local fire fighters and police and not the military.

It doesn't mean the military couldn't take out a missile though, if it wanted to.

I feel sorry for people in California with the nice weather and high rents. Not only do they have the threat of missiles, they have earthquakes, wildfires, and mudslides, and they need a water supply that won't turn the rest of it into a desert. That state needs a missile defense system, but probably, like New York, it won't get one.

Elizabeth-1372999 - On 9/11: in NYC, there were no military in the area, not even for rescue, until hours after the attack. What did the military send? One hospital ship.

As a Fact not opinion, US Laws Restrict the use of the Active Duty (Federal) US Military within the US. Humanitarian Assistance can be requested by the State's Governor AFTER the State's Governor and or AG has already Activatived the State's National Guard and determined that the Situation is beyond the State's National Guard, the State's Governor then relinquishes Command to the Federal Active Duty Military (President as Commander In Chief). The President as Commander In Chief then can Order the Federal Active Duty US Military into a State. The exception is if the President Declares a State of National Emergency or Disaster, usually requiring notification of US Congress (both Houses). This is why prior to and after Hurricane Katrina President Bush (43) could do almost nothing as the State's Governor and New Orlean Mayor refused Federal Assistance repeatedly (US Congressional Katrina Hearings).

Elizabeth-1372999 - The military bases had been closed: started by Bush Sr., all around NYC.

That is NOT what I am talking about, what I am talking about were the US Military Anti Aircraft Missile Batteries, usually part of the State's National Guard (with Federal US Defense Budget Funding). There were also the USAF Interceptors at the US Commercial Airports that were also sometimes USAF Air National Guard, also with Federal US Defense Budget Funding). These were no longer funded nor supported by President Clinton (42), not President Bush (41).

Elizabeth-1372999 - There is no excuse, I agree. No excuse for the lack of intelligence, no excuse for no military around NYC, no excuse that our country's borders were protected by local fire fighters and police and not the military.

No money means no US Military, no US Intelligence, etc.. From firsthand experience, it was very unpleasant (deadly) going into Nations without any local Nation's intelligence asset link ups after President Clinton Gutted the US Intelligence that was previously built up by the Director of the CIA Bush (President 41). In many cases after the loss of funding for the local Nation's intelligence assets many to survive became the Nation's Counter Intelligence Assets and Anti US, so when we went into Iraq in 1998 we were attempting to Overthrow President Hussein while evading the Iraqis Intelligence Assets, Iraqis Military, and many of our previous local Iraqis Intelligence Assets that had become Iraqis Counter Intelligence Assets (anti US). Because of this situation many US Allies no longer allowed US access to their local intelligence assets for fear of their local intelligence assets being compromised (executed). It takes Decades to even place any credible reliable verifiable local intelligence assets, these were all wiped out in months by President Clinton. This is NOT an opinion this is a fact that resulted in many Life or Death Situations.

It was the decision of President Obama as Commander In Chief, his April 2009 US Policy (US Southern Borders) of, "US Military will not be used to secure US Borders". And his August 2009 US Policy (Northern US Borders) of, "US Military will not be used to secure US Borders".

Elizabeth-1372999 - It doesn't mean the military couldn't take out a missile though, if it wanted to.

It does, Range of ABM.

Elizabeth-1372999 - I feel sorry for people in California with the nice weather and high rents. Not only do they have the threat of missiles, they have earthquakes, wildfires, and mudslides, and they need a water supply that won't turn the rest of it into a desert. That state needs a missile defense system, but probably, like New York, it won't get one.

I don't feel sorry for California, they voted themselves into most of their situations, in the Real World you listen to Success not Failures like California:

50. California
> State debt per capita: $3,660 (21st highest)
> Pct. without health insurance: 18.5% (8th highest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 14.5% (tied for 21st highest)
> Unemployment: 11.9% (2nd highest)

California has moved down one slot on from last year to earn the title of the worst-run state in the country. In the fiscal year 2009, the state spent $430 billion, roughly 14% of all the money spent by states in that year. Compared to its revenue, the state spent too much — California had the 10th lowest revenue per person, and spent the 15th most per person. California is the only state in the country to be rated A-, the lowest rating ever given to a state by S&P. Despite the huge amount the state spends each year, conditions remain poor. California has the second-lowest percentage of adults with a high school diploma in the country, the second-highest foreclosure rate and is tied for the second highest unemployment rate in the U.S.

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/01/9118480-the-best-and-worst-run-states-in-the-us

34. New York
> State debt per capita: $6,288 (8th highest)
> Pct. without health insurance: 11.9% (15th lowest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 14.4% (22nd highest)
> Unemployment: 8% (22nd lowest)

New York state received the seventh greatest revenues per capita in the country and actually spent the sixth most per capita that same year. At $3,553, the state spends the fifth most per person on education. It also spends the most in the country on public welfare at $2,276 per person. However, this high spending has led to continuous fiscal problems in the state. New York has the eighth-highest debt per capita in the country as well as an S&P AA credit rating. Even with the high level of spending, New York falls short in many measurements. It is worse than average in violent crime, high school graduation, poverty and decline in home value since 2006.

Perhaps NYC Residents should demand Wall Street Bankster Multi Billionaire Mayor Bloomberg to pay his "Fair Share" and buy a $150 Million Missile Defense System that would protect the whole State of New York.

close to fed....... You are right all the way. dont let any of these basement dwelling tards ruin your day. this people that would disagree with your statement must want our country to fall, and get bombed. what some of these people on here should do is.... 1 move out they`re parants basement.... 2 watch the news... and 3 these people on here are left wing nut cases. what is wrong with you people on here, all i am reading is american people backing the north koreans. And people dont like it when they are wrong and you are right......... sorry people you are all wrong. Kept telln the truth Fed. we need more of that in the world. and to the rest of ya. i will say it before the rest of ya. you guys are trolls and morons. Close to Fed you got it right the first time. no need to back up what you said. sometimes people dont hear you at first but later in life they will see what you are talking about. but by then its to late ya know?

saxon

North Korea is being kept from starvation by huge amounts of food shipments paid for by American taxpayers;

They haven't received any food assistance from the US since March of this year after their previous launches.

Pigotry

North Korea has started experimenting with capitalism recently. Soon or later, it will be taken over by capitalism

Probably about the same time chickens start screwing ducks.

Obviously you haven't yet met Mr. Chuck Dickens...

Capitalism. Your kidding. Oh. Funny post. great sense of humor there. Course why when the story line is north korea is going to shoot a nuke at the US, which they could only hit hawaii, california oregon or washington, not a lot of choices there, why do they post pictures of kids playing pianos? Maybe the pianos are impervious to a second strike.

By the time North Korea turns to capitalism, we will be communist. We are already halfway there, we are socialist.

Pigotry - North Korea has started experimenting with capitalism recently.

Post who, what, why, when, where. Otherwise more proof of your baloney Demoncrap Propaganda.

thomas-819915 - which they could only hit hawaii, california oregon or washington, not a lot of choices there

Uneducated Post. You figure out why.

ROFL piggo....you're a total socialist...wtf....suddenly big business is the answer? Better do some soul searching.....

Example: China

I can understand sticking that label on President Bush. That said, exactly what war has President Obama "mongered"? Iraq and Afghanistan were going on well before he took office. And, our country is so dependent on defense spending, the only "high paying" jobs pretty much are in manufacturing weapons for war or technology for the military. So, if President Obama brought home every US military member, you wouldn't hold him accountable for those job losses because there was no more demand for weapons in mass quantities? Of course you would. It's a Catch-22.

soarer, how dare you utter Obama's name in the same sentence as George Bush's name? You are obiviously a demented racist.

I voted for Obama in both elections but I think he is a warmonger. He has used drones to kill 20 times more than Bush used. He has killed thousands in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen. For every terrorists he killed 49 civilians, women and children included. I call that warmongering. its a shame that he still has the Nobel Peace Price. He has dones nothing to promote peace the middle east or any other place for that matter. he didn't even have the sincere courage to vote in favor of the UN resolution granting some form of status to Palestine, who have been under seige since 1967. Obama takes half of the blame for the current status of Palestine - he is a no good peace maker...

better to use a drone, then to lose a family member cause of the governments of the world starting crap.

A drone got my full support. Seen enough bodies and amputees.

What are you worried out, when I was a kid growing up in the 50's and 60's we had a Nike base 5 miles from our house that was intended to shoot down any Soviet aircraft. We practiced air raid drills at least twice a month in school and there were air raid sirens all over the city. Just reading about N Korea having a delivery system for a nuclear war head really doesn't get me to excited.

Compared to the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia, this is nothing.

But still, the threat of North Korea reaching the Mainland U.S.A. is a very real threat, and a very scary one.

It's not worth ignoring. A real answer needs to be found, or else sooner or later the North Koreans will reach the U.S. with a very real warhead. It adds to your "problems" and things to worry about, because it is real and needs to be dealt with.

It will same as irans nuclear capabilities are being dealt with. if north korea shoots a missle at the us, it will end up nuclear glass. Now if they sneak one in close to the coast and blow it up, that could be a problem. course north korea still ends up nuclear glass.

Jim D-283583 - What are you worried out, when I was a kid growing up in the 50's and 60's we had a Nike base 5 miles from our house that was intended to shoot down any Soviet aircraft.

astounding - Compared to the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia, this is nothing.

THE EMPEROR IS NOT WEARING ANY CLOTHES. It was President Clinton's Belief that the "Cold War" Era US Military, US Intelligence, US Defense were no longer needed; so President Clinton as Commander In Chief Ordered chopping the US Defense Budget (No Funds for US Army Corps of Engineer Longterm Infrastructure Projects within the US per US Congressional Katrina Hearings), Gutted the US Intelligence (leaving the US Blind and Deaf to the Events leading to the 9/11 2001 Attacks, per Bipartisan US Congressional 9/11 Commission (Committee) Investigations, Findings and Recommendations with former President Clinton saying "I'm a so sorry"), and his Cut to the Bone Reductions In Forces of the US Military (no more US Army Anti Aircraft Missile Batteries, no more USAF Interceptor CAP Aircraft at US Commerical Airports).

thomas-819915 - It will same as irans nuclear capabilities are being dealt with.

Translation: ZERO, just a bunch of "Empty Words". Facts: Research US Nuclear capabilites after SALT, START, Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, ABM Treaty, etc..

As far as the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran's capabilities, Too F**king Late, they have dug themselves so deep underground just below the threshold of US Weapons Capabilities including Nuclear similar to US NORAD or the previous USSR Ural Mountain Complex (same with the North Koreans Facilities under their Mountains). President Obama's FAILED (Foreign) Policies since 2009 opened the door for the Ayatollahs of the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran to increase their Overt and Covert Activities against the US and US Allies Worldwide.

astounding - A real answer needs to be found, or else sooner or later the North Koreans will reach the U.S. with a very real warhead.

That statement as well as what the Article says means that you and the article's authors know NOTHING about basic ICBM warhead delivery (versus previous IRBMs). Hint: Has to do with Orbit (outside of atmosphere), Apogee, Perigee, and Earth Rotation.

Once again I see all the Missile Scientists, Nuclear Warhead Scientists, etc. are posting. NOT.

thomas-819915 - Now if they sneak one in close to the coast and blow it up, that could be a problem. course north korea still ends up nuclear glass.

And if it was not the North Koreans that did that are you willing to risk a THERMO NUCLEAR World War III (Earth Ending Event).

By the way it does NOT take Mega Tons, Kilo Tons will do.

add to post# 4.4

10KT "Tactical" Nuclear Weapon Effect:

History Channel's, 2009, Day After Disaster:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCme_K6MYLY

Having been trained, experienced with Nuclear (Weapons) Physics, Missiles, Chemical, Biological, NAIRA/CAIRA, don't call me, call: 1-800-DIAL-A-PRAYER.

The N. Korean leaders don't want to die.

Self preservation will keep them from doing something as stupid as attacking us with missiles.

I'd be more worried about a domestic terrorist poisoning the water supply, or setting of a suitcase nuke, before worrying about N. Korea.

Hey Ray, no more Neutron Bombs out there, they were banned by the UN. Of course, they got new paint and a new name, "Enhanced Radiation Device" and thus not covered under the UN ban.

We need to remind North Korea that we have many more ways to reach out and "touch" them if they launch one of their missiles, hundreds and hundreds of ways to touch them, enhanced or otherwise.

Ray-2194047 - It is now the time to use NEUTRON BOMBS on North Korea.

Just an old guy speaking his mind - Hey Ray, no more Neutron Bombs out there, they were banned by the UN. Of course, they got new paint and a new name, "Enhanced Radiation Device" and thus not covered under the UN ban.

Wrong was NOT a UN Ban, was the US and USSR SALT, START, Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaties, etc.. And no matter the name as either the actual original old name of Enhanced Radiation Weapon or the ignorant Neutron Bomb, still Illegal by Treaties between Nations (Enforced Monitoring of Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Weapons Facilities, Nuclear Weapons Manufacturing, etc..).

No wonder why our kids use violence in schools, shopping malls, etc..Culture of violence begets violence.

Movies and games are not to blame. our warmongerings gov policies are to be blame.

Dont worry the us is broke. Course it would help if the govt would bring the troops back from afghanistan in 2013. Cant see a point in staying longer.

Yank-957120 - Please don't give the Defense Department another band wagon to jump on to spend more money.

Very Typical Emotive Uneducated Opinionated Post:

Federal Spending:

60% Entitlements

20% Defense

13% Discretionary Spending

7% Interest (on Loans, like from China).

So the 20% is responsible for the direct and indirect Employment of almost a Hundred Million (Overpaid, Too Expensive) US Citizens Manufacturing High Tech "War Materials" to sell as Foreign Military Sales Worldwide, as President FDR knew that US Consumerism would NEVER get the US out of the Great Depression. The reality is that due to President Obama's (Foreign) Policies the US and US Allies lost the majority of the World's Resources required to manufacturer or maintain the current US High Tech Standard of Living (CIA's World Book, as the World's Resources are considered a National Security Threat).

President Obama, 2012, "A 10% Defense Budget Cut will result in a million (US) Civilians becoming Unemployed".

thomas-819915 - Course it would help if the govt would bring the troops back from afghanistan in 2013. Cant see a point in staying longer.

Sure YOU don't because you are NOT here (Afghanistan). Nor were you involved with Operation Cyclone and watched what happened after Operation Cyclone when we basically ABANDONED A US ALLY (1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen) to get massacred by the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban that were fully supported by the USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran.

So sure, thomas-819915, REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES AND EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS. This time YOU, Generation X, Generation Y, etc. after the US abandons US Ally Afghanistan again, years later after the Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban massacre even more Pro US Afghans YOU go into Afghanistan and Overthrow the Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban Government again with even LESS Pro US Afghans and MORE Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban; like we did in October 2001 as demanded by the United Nations as well as due to the 9/11 2001 Attacks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arxKhJIjIiY

Being a UN Mission, NATO F**ked up and appointed Gentleman British General McColl as the Commander ISAF with No Knowledge of Asymmetric War Afghanistan and only knowledge of British Conventional Warfare, and he allowed (did not stop) the Taliban, Al Quada, Islamic Jihadists that fled to Northern Iraq and Pakistan to return to Afghanistan.

Sure be a US Ally, and when you need the US the US will run away, denounce you as a Dictator, etc.. The saying should be, "When the Going Gets Tough, the US Gets Going (US Flees)".

P.S.: the reason why the US is pulling out of Afghanistan is like what the British knew from their Afghanistan Colony days, that Pakistan (Sea Ports and Khyber Pass) for Logistics (Supply) is critical for any "British Adventures" at Landlocked Afghanistan. It was due to President Obama's Failed (Foreign) Policies that the US Lost the US Military Logistics Support Bases and RQ/MQ (Drone) Bases at Pakistan making the UN Mission at Afghanistan Unsustainable (can only support a maximum of 30,000 Personnel as US Civilians, US Military, US Aid Workers.). But of course you knew that didn't you (EXTREME SARCASM).

1. They want to unify the Korean Peninsula.

2. In order to do that, they need South Korea out of the way.

3. The U.S. is the South's ally. The North knows this, and therefore hates the U.S.

4. In order to unify the Korean Peninsula, they know they need to at least "take it to" the U.S.A., for instance launching a couple nukes to continental U.S.

5. Why wouldn't they pursue this? They have been at war with the U.S. since the 50's! NO PEACE HAS BEEN SIGNED SINCE WE WENT TO WAR WITH NORTH KOREA....just a ceasefire, to this day. So technically, you're asking why they want to attack a country they are at war with. The answer is obvious. It's the same reasons everyone else attacks countries when they are at war....

And why Mr. Astounding, after 62 years, cannot South Korea protect their own arses. Is it the US Defense industry wouldn't want that to happen? I don't think the Park families of North Korea have any intention or desire to unify the South.

Yank- Actually they do want a unified peninsula. They have monuments along their highways that are huge symbols of unification.

http://www.google.com/search?q=north+korean+monument+unification&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=7kPXUIjqDsSmqgHnvIHwBA&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=920

The South Koreans cannot protect themselves because the North has China and Russia as allies. The south have only the U.S. Surely you know that. You should research Chinese ground troops and Russian air troops that contribute to the North Korean forces, especially during the Korean War.

Furthermore, the South Koreans have adopted a more peace loving society, where as in the North, troops are trained and men and women are forced to be in the armed forces.

This gives the north hundreds of thousands of troops and the South tens of thousands.

the North has China and Russia as allies.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Not so much, anymore. Both of those nations have moved past their need in being allies with North Korea, which is how the famine in the 90's came about. Russia because of the Soviet Union breakup and all their internal problems and China become a world leader doesn't want the responsibility of its broke and dependent country bumpkin relatives (the North Koreans) sucking off their economy, especially when they are now beginning to feel the world recession beating at their door. When the Olympics came to China, The Chinese put up electrified fences and armed guards around their borders with North Korea...

South Korea doesn't want reunification either. Why would they? Look at the problems Germany had when it reunified. The problems would be magnified by a 100 fold were the South to take on their problems of the North, in Korea. Especially when those in the North have been virtually blocked of modern living standards and have no concept of how the world works today...

Alpinequeen - Why would they even consider it?

Because as astounding stated they are still at War with South Korea and the US. So the North Koreans have since the end of the UN's Korean Conflict aka Korean War been constantly developing the North Korean Military.

This includes using their population to dig themselves underground and under their mountains, with the old USSR belief of a "Winable Nuclear War".

Angela LD - the North has China and Russia as allies. Not so much, anymore.

Stop only relying on US News Media Sources.

Angela LD - Look at the problems Germany had when it reunified.

That is because a certain person (Helmut Kohl) refused to listen to a certain International "Think Tank" Investigations, Findings and Recommendations established 1986. Since 1986 certain people were going into Berlin, then going covertly into East Germany and then going into many of the WARSAW Pact Nations doing Psychological Studies, then finally being extracted at Turkey (US Military Base(s)); this information was then evaluated by the International Think Tank resulting in the Findings that WARSAW Pact Nations were starting to want break away from the USSR. As part of the Recommendations of the International Think Tank it was briefed to most of the Leaders of the Western European Nations that before the Borders opened between East and West that many Western European Businesses must go into the Eastern European Nations to raise their Economies to the levels of the Western European Nations (the example used in the Briefing was the modern West German Zeiss and the handmade East German Zeiss); this was completely unacceptable to Germany's Helmut Kohl, to the extent that he called the US Briefer an "Auslander" (eventhough that US Military Servicemember had graduated from Deutsche Gymnasium, Deutsche Technische Universitat, lived at Germany for over 20 years, earned German Citizenship while attached to the Deutsche Bundeswehr Commandos (Special Warfare) and was one of the Team Leaders doing the Psychological Studies at the WARSAW Pact Nations.). It was also recommended the conversions of the previous USSR Military Equipment of the 101 USSR Divisions including WARSAW Pact Nations be converted to Civilian uses and not destroyed, like formations of Civilian Transportation Companies by painting the USSR Trucks (solution to the problem of getting Eastern European farm produce to the Eastern European Cities); USSR Tanks turned into Farming Tractors (also as a Business), etc. (This is NOT what happened later, as almost everything was cut to pieces and sold as scrap metal as shown on German TV ZDF, ARD, etc. after 1989.). It was also stated that Political Pressure must be placed on the USSR pertaining to the Soldiers and Leadership of the 101 USSR Divisions including the WARSAW Pact Military, as employed one day and unemployed and armed the next (Nothing was done about this resulting in the formation of the Russian Mob and Eastern European Organized Crime.). The International Think Tank Briefings to the Western European Leaders were held since 1987, 1988, and the last one in 1989 at MOD Bonn just before the Berlin Wall came down. In 1989, after the Borders opened, Redacted.

History is quite different when you are are participant and not a spectator.

Rely on American news, why would I ever do that? I don't even consider THIS SITE a new source...merely, entertainment while I'm eating or in between doing things.

I read History books, and other sources to rely on my information...I JUST finished 'Nothing to Envy, Ordinary Lives In North Korea", yesterday, as a matter of fact...Somehow I doubt your much of a participant, since its probably YOUR name isn't among those that you supplied in your post. Good try though.

Give astounding a cigar. During the korean war, the allied air force went up against north korean fighters. they found out that the fighter pilots were well trained. After the war they found out the pilots were chinese and russians. Trained during WWII.

Currently there are about 25,000 total servicemen in korea about 20,000 being army and the 8th army. about half of the 25,000 are combat troops the rest are remfs. So about 1 good division.

North korea has a 1.1 million man army, and 8.2 million reserve. So each of the combat soldiers would have to only shoot 744 north korean soldiers to win. However all out war is probably not in the cards. the north if it did not lose would be a wasteland even if nukes were not used. And Kimmy does not want to lose power, although i really think the political power is in the generals.

What will happen as has been going on for decades is the north spends too much money on its army. They cannot grow enough food, so they rattle their sabre at the south and the US sends ships with grain.

But otoh, when china was asked to knock some of the wind outa the norths sails they failed to do so and instead barfed about taiwan.

Angela LD - Somehow I doubt your much of a participant, since its probably YOUR name isn't among those that you supplied in your post. Good try though.

Nice try "probably". Why should I provide my name, what I did was motiviated by my wanting to Retire from the US Military at what I considered my actual "home" after spending more time at Germany than CONUS, with Germany (US Military Base) still being my "Home Station" between assignments to Islamic Nations.

How about watching this and see if it fits to the book you are reading, 'Nothing to Envy, Ordinary Lives In North Korea":

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50136263n

You know how many times I laugh at the so called Politically Correct Rewritten US History Books as written by NON Participants based on information (not even facts) from other Non Participants. We see that here (Afghanistan) all the time with the News Media, just like Vietnam when the News Reporters would be at Saigon paying for sensationalized bullsh!t stories.

*sarcasm sign*

Never heard of "PEAR HARBOR" !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reminds me of the imbalance concerns over the ICMB's of the former Soviet Union to the U.S. Sure the Soviets had more Intercontinental Ballistic missiles than the U.S. - but the launch and delivery systems were poor. Our capabilities were superior and our MIRVed rockets would be able to hit their targets, regardless of launch, including weapons from subs or air. Before I get hammered by others, the point I'm making is, the technology of the North Koreans is greatly lacking.

You are absolutely correct. Foreign policy decision makers seldom have the luxury of absolute certainty in their information nor is it reasonable to expect them to act only when absolute certainty is acquired.

Regardless, Bush is still responsible for the travesty that the Iraq war became. Americans supported a quick, focused, limited engagement, not a long term occupation certain to drain endless blood and treasure.

Bush's hubris came from rejecting the military advise of his generals with the fatal decision to disband the Republican Guard. This created the instability and civil war leading to the carnage that continues today. It is a well known truism in warfare that the enemy military infrastructure should be reorganized rather than being dismantled and rebuilt from scratch.

hikeinmts, DonBo,

Why do people post uneducated things on Newsvine's "Get Smarter Here".

Background History:

In 1998 President Clinton in his 1998 State of the Union Address demanded US Law, H.R.4655:

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world", and when I say to him, "You have used WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again.

Realize that most of us that were involved with the US Military Training Teams to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars (later rotated to Operation Cyclone) knew: 1. That President Hussein was the Counterbalance to the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, using his own Funds, Iraqis Military Lives, etc.); 2. That the Iraq use of Chemical Weapons ended the years long Iran Iraq Wars, similar to the US use of Nuclear Weapons on Japan instead of the Invasion of the Japanese Islands (millions dying on both sides); 3. That the Iraqis (Arabs, Arabic, Sunnis) use of Chemical Weapons were against the armed allies of the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran (Persians, Farsi, Shia), the Armed Kurdistanis (Indo Europeans, Farsi, Shia) men women children, and the Iraqis Shia of Southern Iraq that mostly came thru Basra from Iran as Illegal Aliens fleeing the massive unemployment at Iran after the Fall of the Shah of Iran.

President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655, "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" Justification Section 2 WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein, with US Congressional Appropriations. Later amended to authorized the use of US Military Force to Overthrow President Hussein, with President Clinton as Commander In Chief Failed 1998 Operation Desert Fox, resulting in the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers Worldwide condeming the US as the Great Satan.

President Clinton's H.R.4655:

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1057063/posts

Realize that due to President Clinton's belief that the "Cold War Era" US Defense, US Military, US Intelligence (built up by Director of the CIA Bush (President 41)) was no longer needed, that President Clinton as Commander In Chief Ordered the cutting of the US Defense Budget, Gutting of the US Intelligence Agencies, and his Cut to the Bone Reduction In Forces of the US Military; while volunteering the US Military for more United Nations "Non Wars" (US Military actually dying in combat, due to lack of local intelligence assets at many of those Nations.).

After the 9/11 2001 Attacks the President's Own Executive Intelligence Agency, the CIA, is sent into Afghanistan that was locked down tighter than North Korea by the Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban Government, their mission was to Overthrow the Taliban Government, Locate and Capture Osama Bin Laden, they failed (no local Afghan intelligence assets). In October 2001 US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces attached to the CIA's SAD/SOG go into Afghanistan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arxKhJIjIiY

And succeed in their Mission of Overthrowing the Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban Government, destroying the Islamic Jihadist Training Camps, and forcing all of them and Al Quada to flee from Afghanistan into Northern Iraq and Pakistan. The US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces were ordered to stop pursuit and killing them with extreme prejudice as not to violate the Soverign Nations of Iran, Iraq, etc..

In 2001 US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces Afghanistan with attached US Army 10th Special Forces Group go into Northern Iraq to conduct Operation Viking Hammer, the elimination of the Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban, Al Quada, Islamic Jihadists that escaped from Afghanistan and combined with the Fundamentalist Islamic Kurdistanis PKK, HPG, KGK, became Ansar Al Islam. Before Ansar Al Islam could be eliminated the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran gave them Islamic Sanctuary, many also fled south to the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Iraqis of Southern Iraq.

Being a UN Mission, NATO Screwed up and appointed Gentleman British General McColl as the Commander of ISAF without any knowledge of Asymmetric War Afghanistan and only British Conventional Warfare, so he did not stop the Taliban, Al Quada, Islamic Jihadists from returning to Afghanistan thru Iran or from Pakistan. The typical Conventional Warfare mentality of "Fair Fight", let the enemy gather their forces and meet you on the Battlefield at the appointed time and place.

While still at Northern Iraq the Mission of 2001 Operation Viking Hammer is changed to Operation Hotel California, as the preparation for 2003 Operation Iraqis Freedom to accomplish President Clinton's Standing US Law, H.R.4655, as US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein. The Mission of Operation Hotel California was to create a Strategic Operational Feint to make the Iraqis Political Leadership and Iraqis Military Leadership believe that the US Military Forces would be coming thru US Ally Turkey so that the Iraqis Military Command would deploy the Main Iraqis Military Forces (Divisions) North and NOT South.

US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces attacked, seized and secured the Iraqis Chemical Weapons Facility at Sargat Iraq.

Company sized units of US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces with Pro US Kurdistanis destroyed five full strength Iraqis Military Armored and Mechanized Divisions without Air Support (see Unclassified History of the US Army 10th Special Forces Group). This causes the Iraqis Military Command to deploy more Iraqis Divisions North, over ten (10) Full Strengh Iraqis Divisions North instead of South (US Military coming from South as 2003 Operation Iraqis Freedom: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia).

Iraq like Afghanistan was a United Nations Mission (Nation Building) since 2001, as to why the Unarmed Japanese Defense Force was even at Iraq.

In 2003 we (survivors from the above) are attached to the Joint Special Operations Task Force Iraq along with the US Army 4th Infantry Division to locate and capture President Hussein.

History is quite different when you are are participant and not a spectator.

the same amount of money to live off of." (Hmmmmmm....sound familiar?)

Yeah, familiar. George W. Bush tried that...didn't work... caused the worst recession since Great Depression? I don't know the answer actually. What's your take?

Pigotry - Yeah, familiar. George W. Bush tried that...didn't work... caused the worst recession since Great Depression? I don't know the answer actually. What's your take?

Just one more uneducated post Pigotry.

Repugnant President Bush did NOT eliminate those US Laws that made Illegal the Causes of previous Depressions; with the Result of the current $60 Trillion to $100 Trillion Global Economic Crisis consisting of the Mortgage Crisis, Wall Street Crisis, Financial Crisis, Banking Crisis, Credit Crisis, etc..

And the same Demoncrap President that did eliminate those US Laws, did make everything worse with his demanded Loans (Mortgages) to those that did not have a viable means to repay those Loans (Mortgages) adding to the Mortgage Crisis, Credit Crisis, Financial Crisis, Banking Crisis, etc..

THAT IS WHY YOU CANNOT EVEN FIX THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE CAUSE(S).

AND YOU REFUSE TO LISTEN TO THE HISTORICALLY DOCUMENTED FACTS AND RATHER LISTEN TO POLITICAL PARTISAN BALONEY PROPAGANDA AND EMOTIVE NON FACTUAL OPINIONS.

It's not the weapon that kills, it's the crazy person that kills, so sayeth the NRA.

starbuck - You're retarted. Nobody cares about your political stance on other issues. Keep it relative. The NRA has NOTHING to do with this.

We know. We get the point. You don't like the NRA. So go do your march with the other fools in the streets and hold up your gun ban signs... or better yet, post your crap on another (RELATIVE) article.

starbuck: That logic still applies in this situation. None of those weapons will jump out of their silos/off their launch pads and strike any target without the action of a person who could appropriately be called "crazy". As a former Minuteman III launch officer, I can attest that NONE of the arsenal of many nuclear warheads that the US has deployed on a constant ready status has been used to kill even a single enemy combatant.

But the big difference between us and them is the motivation for having the capability...ours is defensive, and theirs? Let's just say "suspicious"...

RTColorado - If the North Koreans can put an object into orbit, they can hit the United States.

Correct, as I stated, actually anywhere on Earth (Orbit, Apogee, Perigee, Earth Rotation, etc.).

RTColorado - Yes, they have a way to go before they'll be able to miniaturize a warhead to put into orbit (but if you think they haven't already tested that then you must have missed the last launch what do you think they put into orbit?).

Incorrect, what is the smallest size (and weight) of "primitive" 40 Kilo Ton Nuclear Weapon ever manufactured (US, USSR, China, Pakistan, India, etc.). The known (previously calculated during the "Cold War" (1945 to 1990) effects of a 40 Kilo Ton Airburst Nuclear Detonation over New York City. Once upon a time ago there was a significant discussion before our GPS Satellites were even launched, about how our GPS Satellites could be used as accurate targeting of US Cities, US Strategic Locations, etc..

RTColorado - The United States continues to make advances in anti-ballistic missile defence (Standard II-R, and III) that should keep us ahead of North Korean missile technology

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" - George Santayana

The arguements pertaining to the USN Submarine Based ICBMs/IRBMs versus the Land Based US Army IRBMs of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) still apply, even to ABMs. Just a different year, as USN Ship based Ageis (Block III) versus US Army Land based THAADs (upgraded Patriot) as deployed to Romania December 2011-2012 against the actual Iranian Missile Threat.

Ask yourself, RTColorado, why do you think I believe based on previous experience that the US is barking up the wrong tree (again). Hints: Launch Platform (Missile) Launch Phases, size limitations (ship) and capabilities, maintenance and reliability ship versus land based, etc., the same arguements the USN lost before (proven thru testing).

My own question, RTColorado, think really carefully as if your life depended on it: Where would you want the ABM attempted Intercepts to occur, Why, and How (why we (US) are barking up the wrong tree again, current attempts previously proven wrong before the ABM Treaty).

It is almost certain that the Saudis have nukes. They bought
them and the missiles from China in the 80’s. Wither or not they have updated
or retained them I do not know. Our government does not like to do or say anything
about this because they support some of our aims.

The reason is the Pakistanis has not used nukes is because the
civilian government said no. The military overthrown the government and the military
chief of staff became it leader. Sooner or later there will be a nuclear war
between India and Pakistan it is only a matter of time.

NORAD was not designed to attack threats here in the US only
those coming from outside. Nor did we have radars point inward only out ward. The
civilian radar system is not really good enough to do interception at that time.
This has changed after the attacks.

The North Koreans want nukes because they have a serious lack
of self-esteem, that they want to be taken as a major player by the US. This
way the great leader/king/leader/ great candy giver can use the US distrust to keep
his hold on the peasant of his country.

Yep, time to fire up the old Lincoln with the Thule rack on top and prepare it for Little Kim.

Homie don't play that !

Hell, than Kim Jung Un will get un caught in his fly !

The missile they put into orbit could go anywhere in the world, not just the West Coast of the USA. A bigger missile would deliver the larger "payload" anywhere in the world.