Bush warns Canada could be a target of North Korean missiles

[techie]

Bush warns Canada could be a target of North Korean missiles

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=bd6c1548-98d8-40d8-9d28-4afebe79b063&k=48006

Sheldon Alberts, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, July 07, 2006

WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush on Thursday warned Canadians could be a target of a future North Korean missile strike and raised the possibility that a long-range ballistic missile fired this week by Pyongyang could have been aimed at Canada.

Following a White House meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Bush said U.S. military officials were still uncertain where the Taepodong-2 missile was headed on Tuesday when it malfunctioned and crashed into the Sea of Japan.

"We were trying to make sure, by the way, that the missile he fired wasn't headed for Canada," Bush said at a joint news conference with Harper in the East Room of the White House. "We don't know for a fact where it was headed."

During a 40-minute meeting in the Oval Office, Bush said he told Harper Canada should consider North Korea as a great a threat as the United States does, primarily because the communist regime's long-range missiles could easily go off target.

The Taepodong-2 is a three-stage rocket with an estimated range of between 6,000 and 15,000 kilometres, potentially enough to reach Alaska or the U.S. West Coast.

But the missile system is still wildly unpredictable: the long-range rocket fired Tuesday crashed after 40 seconds.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il "could be seemingly firing a missile at the United States at I don't know, this is all speculation but it could be headed toward the northwest of our country, and it wouldn't take much for it to get off course and land somewhere he may not have intended," Bush said.

"It's hard for me to tell you what's on (Kim Jong Il's) mind. He lives in a very closed society E What we don't know are his intentions."

The president, however, said he did not ask Harper to reverse a decision taken by former Prime Minister Paul Martin against formal participation in the U.S. missile defence system.

"I didn't bring it up, because I figured if he was interested, he would tell me," said Bush, adding he knew missile defence was a "particularly difficult political issue in Canada."

Canada agreed in 2004 to amend the North American Aerospace Defence Agreement to allow the organization to share any intelligence information on missile threats with the U.S. military.

For his part, Harper practiced extreme caution when responding to questions about missile defence, seemingly sensitive to both political opposition in Canada and American anger over Ottawa's decision to turn down the U.S. request to join the plan.

"We're not yet ready to open this debate in Canada," he said.

But Harper quickly added he shared Bush's concerns Canada could be caught in the crossfire of a nuclear attack against the U.S.

"I think this should concern us immensely E Missiles that are fired in the direction in the United States constitute a threat to Canada," the prime minister said. "I think it should be obvious, when we look at this kind of threat, why the United States and others would want to have a modern and flexible defense system against this kind of threat."

Concerns about North Korea's nuclear program jumped sharply after the secretive regime test fired seven ballistic missiles this week.

The U.S. is seeking a UN Security Council resolution imposing sanctions against North Korea's weapons program.

Bush personally phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao to lobby for their support. Bush had earlier spoken with the leaders of Japan and South Korea, the other nations involved in six-party talks with North Korea that have been suspended since late last year.

"Kim Jong Il's going to pose less of a threat the more isolated he becomes and the more we work together," Bush said. "My message was that we want to solve this problem diplomatically, and the best way to solve this problem diplomatically is for all of us to be working in concert."

CanWest News Service
© CanWest News Service 2006


I have nothing to say about this other then it wants to make me laugh. Im not naive, i know that we could be a target, but come on Bush. Stop trying to scare us

 

[tomahawk6]

The Japanese reported the missile was supposed to hit near Hawaii, a very provocative action if it had worked.

 

[paracowboy]

Stop trying to scare us

when a policeman tells you to lock your doors and windows because a rapist is known to be operating in the area, is he "trying to scare you"?

 

[techie]

Not the same thing, although i do get your point. I should have clarified my statment. I think its a scare tatic to get Canada to be a part of the missle defence program, or join the US on a number of other programs he may want us to join them on.

 

[paracowboy]

Not the same thing, although i do get your point. I should have clarified my statment. I think its a scare tatic to get Canada to be a part of the missle defence program, or join the US on a number of other programs he may want us to join them on.

1. joining it is in our best interest.
2. it means nothing to the US whether we join or not. They can protect themselves, either way. There's a couple threads on the subject here, somewhere.
3. if you're one of the "Bush is evil" loonies who occasionally pop up around here, you won't enjoy your stay.

 

[a_majoor]

I have nothing to say about this other then it wants to make me laugh. Im not naive, i know that we could be a target, but come on Bush. Stop trying to scare us

Some potential North American targets in range of Korean IRBM's include ABM radar and missile sites in Alaska and the submarine base in Peugeot Sound, Washington. An error in aiming or a technical glitch in the missile would have a fairly large probability of sending the missile landing somewhere in BC, or in the Pacific ocean off the Canadian west coast.

Even if it was able to strike the targert, the effects of EMP and radioactive fallout would also be felt in BC, and perhaps Alberta as well. Talk about "feeling your pain".

If Prime Minister Harper leads a majority government in the next election, then we should consider having an ABM interceptor squadron positioned to cover the west coast. Since IRBM and ICBM's follow the great circle route over the high arctic and north pole to reach targets in the United States, then an ABM wing should be posted in several bases across the arctic as well. A little common sense goes a long way.

 

[techie]

My apoligize again, i have to clarify myself again.

1. Never said it was a bad thing thing to get in on.(although my launguge may have indicated otherwise) I think it actually would be a good idea.
2. Actually it kinda does. If someone decides to launch a ICBM through the north pole, and the US dosnt have any Anti-missles along the Canada border, it will get through.
3. I think Bush may be an idiot at times, but i dont think hes evil.

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

Do we have anything that can effectively deal with an ICBM in our arsenal right now?  Is the ADATS effective at all?  What about any weapons we have for the CF-18 or on our ships?

Either way this is a concern for us.  Even if we weren't so close (both geographically and politically) with the USA we should still be concerned as N. Korea does not have the most mentally stable leadership.  I'm paying very close attention what the US's reaction will be in the coming days and weeks.

 

[George Wallace]

Do we have anything that can effectively deal with an ICBM in our arsenal right now?  Is the ADATS effective at all?  What about any weapons we have for the CF-18 or on our ships?

No on all accounts.

Either way this is a concern for us.  Even if we weren't so close (both geographically and politically) with the USA we should still be concerned as N. Korea does not have the most mentally stable leadership.  I'm paying very close attention what the US's reaction will be in the coming days and weeks.

Have a look at a globe.  The distance to Canada is shorter than that to the US.  Korea missiles aimed at the US Naval facilities in Seattle, with questionable guidance systems, would most likely take out Victoria and Vancouver as well.

Yes it is a concern.

 

[Centurian1985]

I agree that the possibility of a country launching a misile at us is a cause for concern.  Canada is reputed to be on the 'hit list' if the big balloon ever does go up with Russia.   

But North Korea? North Korea has never been a threat to Canada, Canada has never been a threat to North Korea, and I have never heard of North Korea ever issuing a statement making a threat against Canada anytime in the past 20 years.  Yes, we sent soldiers over there to fight during the war, but Canada never declared war against the country, nor does this equate a current standing rivalry or antagonism.   

Why is it that the first time a North Korean threat is perceived against us it comes from Bush's mouth?  Nice smokescreen, but this is merely political posturing for gaining political support for upcoming US talks with the North Koreans. Inflammatory rhetoric for the masses.

 

[a_majoor]

No weapon in the Canadian arsenal has either the range, speed or guidance system to reach an IRBM or ICBM in flight. Even the US ABM system is built around refurbished Minuteman ICBM's with the warheads replaced with the interceptor package.

As the problem becomes more complex (guarding against missile sites in Korea and Iran, protecting allies like Canada, Europe and Australia, defending aginst mobile launchers), the logic of the system would have to be putting the hardware in orbit to provide global coverage. Might be a nice set of Air Force trades 20 years from now......

 

[vonGarvin]

Might be a nice set of Air Force trades 20 years from now......

They don't have nice trades now?
J/K.

 

[a_majoor]

They don't have nice trades now?
J/K.

Think of the TD when a tech has to go into orbit to service an interceptor. Hot shot shuttle pilots will need 5 star orbital hotels (with zero-g "recreational" facilities.....), the possibilites are endless!.

 

[paracowboy]

I agree that the possibility of a country launching a misile at us is a cause for concern.  Canada is reputed to be on the 'hit list' if the big balloon ever does go up with Russia.   

But North Korea? North Korea has never been a threat to Canada, Canada has never been a threat to North Korea, and I have never heard of North Korea ever issuing a statement making a threat against Canada anytime in the past 20 years.  Yes, we sent soldiers over there to fight during the war, but Canada never declared war against the country, nor does this equate a current standing rivalry or antagonism.   

Why is it that the first time a North Korean threat is perceived against us it comes from Bush's mouth?  Nice smokescreen, but this is merely political posturing for gaining political support for upcoming US talks with the North Koreans. Inflammatory rhetoric for the masses.

uh, did you happen to read any of the posts above yours? Or look at an atlas inthe past 50 years? Or read a newspaper in the past three? North Korea is a threat to everyone on the freakin' planet. Especially to Canada, since (as has been pointed out) we live very close to the US and North Korea is threatening the US with crappy missile systems.

 

[Centurian1985]

uh, did you happen to read any of the posts above yours? Or look at an atlas inthe past 50 years? Or read a newspaper in the past three? North Korea is a threat to everyone on the freakin' planet. Especially to Canada, since (as has been pointed out) we live very close to the US and North Korea is threatening the US with crappy missile systems.

Other than trying to start a flame war, have you got any evidence to back up your allegations (other than that we live on the same planet)?  Yes, they are a threat, but in what way are they a threat to Canada?  What possible military advantage is there for them in hitting Victoria or Vancouver with a missle sytem that cant even fly where its supposed to? 

This is not about missile range, this is about politics.  There are a lot of countries out there that could launch a missile at our country, but there must be a 'motive' for them to do so.  In regard to North Korea, that currently does not exist.

 

[zipperhead_cop]

Perhaps it is time to start up the old "Star Wars" missle defence program again.  No sense launching a missle if it is going to brew up half a kilometer from where it was launched. 
Failing that, trained sharks with lasers. 

 

[paracowboy]

Other than trying to start a flame war,

stop. I don't have to start anything. If I wanted to ridicule you, you'd know it.  

have you got any evidence to back up your allegations (other than that we live on the same planet)?  Yes, they are a threat, but in what way are they a threat to Canada?  What possible military advantage is there for them in hitting Victoria or Vancouver with a missle sytem that cant even fly where its supposed to?

  that is the whole point! They can't aim the missiles! They don't have any contol over them, so they can land anywhere! Whether they intend to hit Vancouver or London, England, they have no control over the missile system. THAT is the threat to us. The fact that we share a border with a nation they have threatened to attack, and to do it with a missile that cannot be aimed. You trackin' now?

 

[Kat Stevens]

Sorta like firing a slingshot straight up.... anyone standing within range is a potential casualty,  kinda like a Serbian wedding celebration.

 

[HItorMiss]

C1985, They can't aim the thing. So they intend to hit Coronado, they hit Vancouver Island instead...Seems like a threat to me.

Oh and umm 1950's we did help stop their invasion of South Korea, and I'm sure Kim Jong IL has very good history teachers even if that history is skewed. I'm pretty sure he may not have uttered an open threat but I highly doubt were not on his hit list. Kinda like "well if I miss the US and I hit Canada meh samething they screwed us too!"

*The second paragraph is all IMO...whereas the first is factual.

 

[Matty B.]

It should be interesting to see what the Conservatives do if they win a majority.

How much would Canada have to spend to get an ample missile defense system? Would a few interceptor missiles placed on the West coast and the Arctic do, or would we have to pay big bucks for a Star Wars system (maybe go joint with the US to save money)?