U.S. to Send Missile-Defense Battery to Guam .

[tammywammy]

Source: WSJ

WASHINGTON—The U.S. is preparing to deploy an advanced missile-defense system to Asia to defend American military bases in the Pacific, a signal that the Pentagon doesn't believe the threat of a possible North Korean attack is likely to fade quickly.

A senior administration official said the U.S. will deploy the system, known as a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery, or THAAD, to Guam to protect against short- and medium-range missiles from North Korea.

Top defense officials approved the deployment, and the Pentagon was to announce it Wednesday afternoon.

The Pentagon originally had planned to deploy the first of the batteries in 2015, but escalating threats from both North Korea and Iran have forced the Defense Department to rethink those plans, officials said.

The battery will be deployed shortly, but officials didn't say when it would be operational.



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323916304578400700347158398.html

[Lasher]

1. Such a battery on Guam would not protect South Korea or Japan.

For the sake of argument, let's assume North Korea currently has capable missiles and nuclear warheads to launch (they don't); and that our THAAD would actually work as designed (I'm skeptical). Such a deployment might be intended to protect the USA, however. This scenario becomes more plausible if you think China might sometime decide to jump in on North Korea's side against us - again.

[Posteritatis]

2. They've deployed systems in SK and Japan too. And China isn't going to attack the US. (nt)

[Lasher]

3. That's what MacArthur said.

But I didn't know we'd already installed THAAD batteries in Japan and South Korea. Thanks for that tip.

[Posteritatis]

4. MacArthur's world was just a little different than ours.

Are you worried about the looming threat of the Empire of Japan and a revanchist Germany, too?

[Lasher]

5. MacArthur stated as fact that China wouldn't get involved, just as you are doing now.

But there was no way he could have known that for certain then, and there is no way you could know it now.

One thing I have learned from history is that we do not learn from history.

[Posteritatis]

6. Another thing you seem to have learned is to ignore the last fifty years. (nt)

[Lasher]

7. OK then enlighten me.

What exactly has happened during the last 60 years that ensures China would not attack us? Please make an actual argument if you are able.