Article

2004-08-03 China-Japan-Koreas

New N. Korean Missiles Said to Threaten U.S.

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Posted by Frank G 2004-08-03 13:21|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Yikes! Used Golf II and Whiskeys, now that's a quality threat. BTW I remember some variant of the Whiskey carried a cruise missle hanger but a missle tube?

This really does sound like the work of agent A.L. Chappeau.

Posted by Shipman 2004-08-03 2:00:06 PM|| 2004-08-03 2:00:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Janes usually doesn't do the tin foil hat thing .... hmm?

Posted by too true 2004-08-03 2:14:37 PM|| 2004-08-03 2:14:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 From the article: It said Pyongyang was also helped by the purchase, through a Japanese trading company, of 12 decommissioned Russian Foxtrot-class and Golf II-class submarines which were sold for scrap in 1993.

Shades of Toshiba in the 1980's, which sold export-controlled milling machines to the Soviet Union, which helped them make ultra quiet propellers for their subs. Too bad we did not retain the sanctions imposed back then. (By the way, most Japanese conglomerates - including Matsushita and Toshiba - known for Panasonic and Technics stereo equipment - are known as trading companies - they have their fingers in a lot of pies).

Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-08-03 2:29:22 PM|| [http://www.polipundit.com] 2004-08-03 2:29:22 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Not to ever make light of what the North Koreans do, but:

1. Foxtrots are diesel patrol submarines with a reputation for being noisy. No missile capability.

2. Golf-2's are the boomers, but they were built in the late 1950s/early 60s. I believe they had 4 missile tubes.

3. Russian construction; rusting pierside for a decade in Japan; North Korean naval expertise....

These things are more likely to be death traps for their crews and money pits for the North Korean defense budget.

Posted by dreadnought 2004-08-03 2:48:25 PM|| 2004-08-03 2:48:25 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 These things are more likely to be death traps for their crews and money pits for the North Korean defense budget.

Hokay

Posted by Frank G 2004-08-03 3:04:53 PM|| 2004-08-03 3:04:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Raises his beverage to dreadnought.

Well said sir.

Posted by Heisenbergmayhavebeenhere 2004-08-03 3:29:35 PM|| 2004-08-03 3:29:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 "rusting pierside for a decade in Japan and North Korean naval expertise"

tis truly a crime for a man of honour to face and slay an enemy as inept as thou.

Posted by Heisenbergmayhavebeenhere 2004-08-03 3:37:06 PM|| [http://rotterdamphoto.blogspot.com/] 2004-08-03 3:37:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 These things are more likely to be death traps for their crews and money pits for the North Korean defense budget.

Another major money pit would be for the North Koreans to figure out how to sea launch a missile. I doubt their technology is up to snuff on such a complicated deployment technique.

All the same, those "Japanese trading companies" need to be boycotted and banned from exporting to America. Enough of this sort of back-stabbing. The Japanese government cannot simultaneously whinge about North Korean missile overflights and then permit their corporate wolverines to sell launch platforms to the enemy. This sort of mercenary crap has gotta end.

Posted by Zenster 2004-08-03 4:04:21 PM|| 2004-08-03 4:04:21 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Z,

Agreed.

Today, they're selling them clunky Soviet submarines. Tomorrow, if the price is right, they're selling them German boats.

Posted by dreadnought 2004-08-03 5:32:43 PM|| 2004-08-03 5:32:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Of course there's no reason a 5000 GWT merchantman can't be used as a missle platform. Sort of a one shot deal.

Is there a reason for the Norks to invest in a second strike platform when they don't have a first strike weapon?

A nice semi-spiffed up merchantman would add 8000 miles to the range on the What Dong Is It Today missle.

Posted by Shipman 2004-08-03 8:10:47 PM|| 2004-08-03 8:10:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 dreadnought, thank you for injecting a note of common sense into this issue. You are also absolutely correct about the Japanese escalating whatever quality of goods delivered as ~~payment~~ demand increases.

There needs to be a profound price attached to this sort of betrayal. More importantly, Japan's own government must be made aware of how compromised they are by such samurai tactics in their private sector.

While current North Korean missile development may not represent a substantial or credible threat to the United States, it most certainly does to our allies, South Korea and Japan. It is much like the situation in Iran. Any continued neglect of ongoing weapons programs only guarantees that these threats will assume much greater proportions in the very near future.

Sadly, this is much akin to further disregard for Japan's treachery. If we continue to ignore how Japan plays both ends against the middle, it is America that stands to lose the most. Most assuredly, Japan's obliteration would make some definite ripples in the Asian quadrant. However, major damage to the United States would result in a deterioration of all global progress for some time to come.

Here is a fairly well balanced site with satellite images of the North Korean facilities. Image number five (at left) shows the classic "carriage house" entrance and loop needed for a vehicle assembly facility. While this site provides some excellent dismissals of any immediate threat levels they might pose, that does not matter. North Korea will eventually divert sufficient resources to become a much larger problem if they are not addressed now.

Japan's sale of ocean-going launch platforms is a dramatic illustration of how America needs to clamp down on such renegade activities by our putative allies. One look to Europe and their dealings with Iran is proof enough.

Posted by Zenster 2004-08-03 8:39:20 PM|| 2004-08-03 8:39:20 PM|| Front Page Top

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