Sunday, April 05, 2009

Dud - NYT: "North Korean missile launch was a failure" Achieving nowhere near orbit, everything fell into the Sea of Japan.

Update & clarification (4/6) - That earlier report included a misleading map: it turns out the missile went higher and farther than originally reported, sailing all the way over Japan.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not quite, looks like the first stage fell in the Sea of Japan, the rest went at least 1300 miles east of Japan.

aughtSix said...

My first thought on hearing that the satellite launch was a failure because the payload didn't achieve orbit was Clancey's Debt of Honor where the Japanese develop an ICBM--which become the only operational ICBMs in the world, because of a US-Russian pact, the US and Russians. Anyway... I haven't heard enough to know if something similar could be going on, but score another possible for the "life imitating Tom Clancey" tally.

aughtSix said...

I'm terrible at proofreading... "which become the only operational ICBMs in the world, because of a US-Russian pact, the US and Russians" should read "which becomes the only operational ICBM in the world, because of a US-Russian pact to decommission their nuke delivery devices."

Brian said...

Thgat old Brillo pad head Kim Jong-Il had better be careful. The U.N. might get very angry with him and write him a letter telling him how angry they are.

And remember, when you see Arec Barrwin, you see the true ugriness of human nature.

Anonymous said...

Charming. Mr. Comedy strikes again.

MAS1916 said...

Doesn't matter so much how the thing worked. The issue is the direction DPRK is going.

By putting faith in the UN, Obama has revealed that he is willing to let DPRK develop missile and nuclear weapon technology. His naive world view is going to get a lot of good people killed.

SAT760 said...

Well observed, MAS1916! Because if recent history teaches us anything, it's that when a strong, straight-talkin' President takes a rhetorical hard line against North Korea, they don't DARE shoot off any missile tests.

dfwmtx said...

We've taken the peaceful & diplomatic route with dealing with N. Korean shennanigans for over 50 years, and we see where that has gotten us. Anyone got any better ideas?

Anonymous said...

Anyone got any better ideas?

North Korea has almost 1.2 active military personnel, more than 7 million in reserve, and dense air security. You give your idea first.