U-S to bolster missile defenses in South Korea

[Judi Lynn]

April 30, 2004

U-S to bolster missile defenses in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea-AP -- The U-S military is planning a big upgrade in South Korea.

An Air Defense Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas, is heading to South Korea in the fall.

The new unit has systems designed to intercept and destroy incoming missiles and enemy aircraft.

The fall deployment is part of an eleven (b) billion dollar upgrade in the region.
(snip)

http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=1828486

[chenGOD]

1. 11 billion dollars wasted...

I know that this 11 billion is the reason South Korea is sending more troops to Iraq, but for this? an 11 billion dollar fantasy that has never been proven to work? Well, it was the conservatives in control of the National Assembly when the deal was made...

[porkrind]

3. Wat profiteering.

Some things never change. Read the "War is a Racket" link below.

---

Read about the Right-Wing "Master Plan": http://www.zmag.org/chomsky/sam/sam-contents.html

Have you read "War is a Racket"?: http://lexrex.com/enlightened/articles/warisaracket.htm

[chenGOD]

4. Yeah I know war is a racket...

War is always about the profits of a few vs. the suffering of the many.

I was just surprised that the South Korean govt. was this wasteful about it. They usually at least get things that work (you know, helicopters, tanks, fighter planes)....

Ah well, as I said, the conservatives were in control of the National Assembly during the time...

[Snow]

8. Not following you here, chenGOD....

How does Korea get any of the 11 bill? Isn't that just the price of all this super-duper military hardware & the people to run them? Maybe they're hoping for some trickle-down economics?

[jayfish]

2. Did I Fall Asleep For 20 Years Or Something? What...

is this "missile defense" they speak of?

Jay

[Minstrel Boy]

5. "missile defense" - you got it.

Don't know the specifics of Korea, but the Pentagon wants to deploy it in Alaska this summer, whether it works or not. It's a big deal in Canada, where our government's agreed to go along with it.

The Pentagon plans to begin operation of a national missile defense system this summer, putting the first missile interceptors on alert weeks ahead of a previous autumn deadline, according to senior defense officials.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A4411-2004Feb1?language=printer

[mulethree]

11. I would expect the ones going to Korea to be Patriot-3 eom

[Minstrel Boy]

6. An ill wind is coming this Fall.

Ominous signals.

The Pentagon is rushing missile defense, and intends to deploy it in Alaska this summer (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A4411-2004Feb1?language=printer).

The US is pulling nearly all its troops from front-line positions, out of the range of North Korean artilary.

"On Sunday, North Korea condemned a reduction of US forces along the DMZ as preparation for a pre-emptive attack. The North argues that a pullout signals an attack, because it would reduce the risk of US casualties along the fighting zone."
http://www.indystar.com/articles/2/141947-9732-010.html

Cheney's recent visit to Asia. What do you think was on the agenda?

The North Koreans have it right. With a missile defense system operational, and US troops out of the line of fire, North Korea will be pre-emptively attacked. Likely, only Koreans will die. So, who's going to get worked up about it?

And it will be sold as a decisive blow against one of the "Axis."

[chenGOD]

7. hmmmm

There's almost nowhere in South Korea that's out of range of North Korean artillery.

Seoul turned to rubble quick quick, plenty of casualties (but yes primarily Koreans, so really who cares, it's far away and those yellow people needed some civilization anyways.)....

I get the slight feeling the set-up is unfolding before people's noses (mine included).

[Snow]

9. Yup, something seems to be brewing.

Waht will bfee do, though, ie, what will be the start of the war? Doubtless aerial attack, but how will they justify it? Are there more warning signs to watch for (as if we haven't had those already)?

[Snow]

14. What? Is my memory wrong; I think

it's a 400km train ride from Kwangju to Seoul. North Korean artillery has a 400km range? Holy crap!
(not being sarcastic here, chenGOD, in case you're wondering - I really don't know & would like to).

[Just Me]

13. Yikes!!! Brings immediately to my mind that train explosion,...

,...once again my mind is fine-tuning to PNAC mode.

PNACers enjoy trying to set countries up against one another.

"We'll help them destroy themselves" is a PNAC neocon mantra.

They really freak me out!

[Barkley]

10. N. Korea could deploy more missiles than interceptors

In June 2000, a North-South Summit a number of South Korean analysts pointed out the inherent instability in ballistic missile defense.

Ballistic missile defense could also encourage N. Korea to make cruise missiles, which could evade ballistic missile interceptors.

Through reverse-engineering of US-supplied air defensive missiles (Nike Hercules), South Korea produced two versions of a two-stage, solid-fuel surface-to-surface ballistic missile in 1972 - NK-1 (180 km) and NK-2 (260 km)

South Korea also produces another shorter ranged (37 km) ballistic missile which is a variant of the U.S. Honest John heavy artillery rocket.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/rok/

[chenGOD]

12. absolutely...

I seem to recall the number 10,000 being mentioned when talking about North Korean artillery pieces pointed towards South Korea. Now, i don't know how many of those are un-usable now, but even assuming half of them are, that's still leaves 5,000 pieces of artillery to deal with...