| July 6th, 2006 8:07PM California TimeIs North | | | | Well, sadly, not much. In fact, we're not |
| Korea actually able to threaten the United | | | | even sure what sort of fuel they're |
| States mainland with Nuclear Warheads?Of | | | | using.'The United States has insisted since |
| course not, but it makes a great headline. In | | | | last week that, at the very least, |
| fact, in researching this article I found | | | | intelligence is fairly certain the reclusive |
| that every headline read similarly. The | | | | communist regime has taken steps to ready a |
| content of each article did not answer these | | | | launch of a long-range missile, most likely a |
| questions with the 'YES!' that the titles | | | | Taepodong-2 with an estimated range of up to |
| implied.First and foremost, the point:The | | | | 9,300 miles. |
| United States of America cannot dictate to | | | | |
| sovereign nations (in this case North Korea) | | | | Beyond that, it's all guesswork.' |
| on whether or not the nation is allowed to | | | | |
| test Rockets.Why not? Well for one thing, | | | | The Capability of North Korea to |
| we're testing them ourselves constantly. The | | | | Manufacture Nuclear Warheads Small Enough To |
| picture above shows the launch of a highly | | | | Be Carried As Payload In A 'No-Dong' Type |
| classified spy satellite known only as | | | | Missile: |
| NROL-22, launched on behalf of the National | | | | |
| Reconnaissance Office (NRO) | | | | 'The Japanese have publicly said they doubt |
| | | | it. "At this point, we have encountered no |
| image is of a Delta IV Rocket, in it's | | | | information that indicates North Korea has |
| first stage of ascent. Powers and I both | | | | the technology," Senior Vice Foreign Minister |
| watched this rocket launch, while speaking on | | | | Yasuhisa Shiozaki said this week.' |
| the telephone. He from Los Angeles, and I | | | | |
| from San Diego. The picture above was taken | | | | we do know about Rockets is vast. The |
| from Viejas Concert Park off Interstate 8 in | | | | technology is simple, and mostly a carry over |
| California during a RadioHead concert. It was | | | | from the work of Werner Von Braun. You can |
| taken by Paul Parks of San Diego, Ca. An | | | | find myriad sites online instructing you on |
| article on this, the first ever launch of a | | | | the building of rockets, yes, even the ones |
| Delta IV rocket from the West Coast of | | | | that can go orbital. |
| America, can be found here: | | | | |
| | | | Here is the Kid's Play version: |
| is this important? The United States did | | | | |
| virtually the exact same thing we just told | | | | are not only an old technology, they are |
| another country not to do. In fact, we | | | | widely understood throughout the world. North |
| actually attached a payload to our missile. | | | | Korea cannot be expected to be ignorant of |
| Why this is pertinent to this discussion, is | | | | the technology. Nor can any nation be |
| because the Delta IV failed upon it's initial | | | | expected to forego the benefits that Rockets |
| East Coast launch out of Florida. | | | | can provide, such as a Space Program, GPS, |
| | | | Weather Monitoring, etc.And after all of the |
| United States is clearly still testing our | | | | saber rattling about 'The Big One', the |
| capabilities. Neither country claims their | | | | missile that would kill us all... |
| testing to be aimed at a military end. In | | | | |
| fact, North Korea even offered to abandon | | | | After all of the challenges to sovereignty |
| it's test launch in exchange for direct talks | | | | and calls for pre-emptive strikes, what |
| with the US on the subject. The talks were | | | | happened when North Korea finally conducted |
| refused, and the launch followed. | | | | their test? Nothing.'About 35 seconds after |
| | | | the launch, officials say the ICBM either |
| do we know about these Rockets? The example | | | | failed outright or was aborted by plan, |
| given herein, the Delta IV, is classified | | | | reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews. |
| thus by it's creators:Delta IV Rocket Info | | | | It did not reach deep space and posed no |
| from Boeing | | | | danger to Japan or the U.S.' |
| | | | |
| Delta IV vehicles can launch payloads | | | | next time everyone gets all excited about a |
| weighing from 4,231 kg (9,327 lb) to 12,757 | | | | 'threat' to the US, I want to see some |
| kg (28, 124 lb) to geosynchronous transfer | | | | evidence.No more Yellow Cake in a tube to |
| orbit, and can lift over 23,000 kg (50,000 | | | | justify our very real White Phosporus. No |
| lbs.) to low-Earth orbit (LEO) | | | | more will we accept anything less than actual |
| | | | evidence before even thinking of discussing |
| Delta IV rockets can accommodate single or | | | | arms, as Americans.Yeah, I see a rocket. |
| multiple payloads on the same mission and can | | | | Yeah, I saw it launched. Big frickin deal. |
| launch payloads to polar orbits, | | | | That is a normal occurrence in Southern |
| Sun-synchronous orbits, geosynchronous and | | | | California. Where's the warhead? Where is the |
| geosynchronous transfer orbits, and low-Earth | | | | follow-up force? Where are the bombers? Where |
| orbit. | | | | is the threat?The truth is, North Korea is no |
| | | | threat to us. And there is no evidence |
| amply demonstrates the rocket's ability | | | | backing the claim that they are. The Press |
| both to carry nuclear warheads and to achieve | | | | should be embarrassed for even posing the |
| strikes on globally based targets.What do we | | | | question, one they could have answered |
| know about North Korea's Rockets? | | | | themselves with a little research. |
| | | | |