Pentagon Calls North Korean Threat “Silly”
By Wyatt Earp | June 25, 2009
Really? Silly?? Is that how the Pentagon treats threats against our country now?
Maybe we should tell that to Hawaii on or about July 4th – the date when the North Koreans have threatened to launch a missile at the state? Hey, while we’re at it, maybe we can ask the murderous Iranians to stop by our embassies and have some hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad?
Oh. Never mind.
The Pentagon shrugged off a threat from North Korea Wednesday to wipe the United States off the map.
“I don’t even know how to respond to that. It’s silliness,” said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell. “For what and with what?”
You sir, are a jackass. Even if it is “silliness,” you take the threat seriously and prepare for it.
But even as the spokesman discounted the threat from the communist nation, which reportedly may fire a Taepodong-2 toward Hawaii in early July, he defended Defense Secretary Robert Gate’s decision to move the THAAD system to Hawaii along with the massive SBX radar system.
“I don’t think he would have deployed that THAAD if he didn’t think there was a reason to do so,” he said.
So, maybe this threat is not so silly after all, is it, Morrell?
But a A senior defense official told FOX News earlier Wednesday that the “Tapeodong 2 potentially has the range to reach Hawaii.” He said also he was “very confident” these deployed missile defenses have the capability to take out any missile the North may launch.
Really? Are you betting the lives of the Hawaiian people on that?
The new U.N. Security Council resolution requires member states to seek permission to inspect suspicious cargo. North Korea has said it would consider interception a declaration of war and on Wednesday accused the U.S. of seeking to provoke another Korean War.
“If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will … wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all,” the official Korean Central News Agency said. (H/T – FOXNews)
Whether or not the North Koreans have the capability to wipe America off the map – and it appears that they do not as of yet – is not the issue. The issue is that, thus far, this administration is not taking foreign threats seriously.
And that, my friends, is a very dangerous game.
Topics: Politics | 14 Comments »
June 25th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Drop the fsckin’ space station on ‘em… probably be cheaper in the long run anyway.
Words fail me…
June 25th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Wyatt will be accused of hoping for a terrorist attack in …3, 2, 1….
Oh… forgot to add four months, my bad.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Dano..they are working on space rocks (actually concrete) now. A sub orbital vehicle that can deliver one or two tons of ‘rocks’ onto a target at about 1,2 or 3 miles per second. I assume they will be coated with an abalative compound so they dont burn up in the lower atmosphere. You can have either the penetrator kind (one beeeg rock) or the shotgun load for battlefield wipeout. And the upside..no explosive corrosive residue to screw up the enviornment:)
June 25th, 2009 at 8:44 am
It sounds like someone is sleeping on the job.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
This is exactly the conclusion I came to… silliness. I think the Pentagon is spot on with its conclusion. The norks only have one missle ‘capable’ of reaching Hawaii, which doesn’t mean it will. The last missle they fired was a complete failure. All of this drama is a prelude to ‘announcing’ that NK is ‘victorious’ over U.S. ‘agression’ and then they name one of the sons of Kim Jung Ill as the new leader. It’s scripted from history, they’ve done it before. Militarily the norks have no long-range bomber capability, no airlift capability, no deployed carrier groups, no spy satellites, no serious allies (even China is upset at the norks), in short, no capability to mount a serious attack, let alone fight a sustained overseas battle. Beyond their borders they have only one weapon, a missle, and a lot of verbal posturing that follows a predictable pattern. Do you think we have a strong anti-missle defense? Can you spell “Fort Greely, AK”? Sleep well, our military never does.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Damned scary
June 25th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Agree 110% with Mike47. But that still doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be using NK as a testbed for our new weapons systems to see how well they could be used against the big guys someday.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
For anyone doubtful of our missle defenses, see the recent subject at http://steeljawscribe.com/ .
June 25th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
That seems to be the general reaction from the administration, here is how the press has been framing the threat:
It is likely that North Korea is trying to test U.S. military reaction to a missile rather than trying to actually hit Hawaii. In addition to our defenses the launch would help the nation test our leadership, and public sentiment toward the country.
Nerd side note: Muslim’s don’t eat hot dogs
June 25th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I’m sure they thought jumbo jets flying into the world trade center was silly on 9/10/2001 as well.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
With the EMP that the North and China have been working on you dumb asses
June 25th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Jon Brooks,
I have always thought that a space based system of titanium spheres/rods would make a marvelous tactical weapon.
This event will make another nice test for the USS Lake Erie and a couple SM-3s
June 25th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
The Obama administration is learning a lesson in the art of bullying. Early on in the administrations fateful tenure, the Japanese asked, and were denied the same radar system being deployed in Hawaii. I wonder what gave the North Koreans the idea that they could threaten us with their missile launch. That’s how bullies work Mr. President, they look for weakness, and then exploit it. Evidently, the Koreans, and the Iranians, are not dazzled by your speaking ability, or Michelle’s dazzling arms.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Dano – That would be awesome! And the North could get some light for a change.
Sully – I’m surprised it hasn’t happened yet. Maybe I’ll get hate mail about it in a month.
Jon – And only Al Gore would disapprove.
Admiral – Someone slept though the 3am wake-up call.
Mike47 – Don’t get me wrong. I am NOT doubting our military prowess. I just think that the Pentagon needs to publicly take this more seriously than they are. Privately, I don’t care if they think that it’s bluster – and again, I am sure it is. It just looks idiotic when some spokesperson dismiss it out of hand.
Rick – It could be. And God forbid if something happens, the Pentagon has no one to blame but themselves.
Jon – If they keep tap dancing on the land mine, I’m all for that.
Mike47 – I am not, but again, I would rather see a military man dismiss this as silly, not some suit.
Rosa – I knew that, which is why the term “Hot Dog Diplomacy” is such a riot. The Iranians aren’t taking a bite of them.
TrickyDick – Hell, I thought that, too.
Rick007 – Most of their weapons most likely have “Made in China” stamped on the side.
NTG – I have a solution. BUILD. A. DEATH. STAR!
Buck – And neither country is swayed by his HopeyChange.