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U.S. mulls intercepting North Korean missile
Updated Tue. Jun. 20 2006 10:19 PM ET
CTV.ca News
With worry increasing that North Korea will test a missile capable of
hitting North America, media reports indicate the U.S. government is
considering a range of responses.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that U.S. defence officials are
considering trying to shoot down any possible missile launch over the
Pacific Ocean.
The Washington Times newspaper reported that the Pentagon has activated
its missile defence system.
A Pentagon spokesman said he couldn't say whether the U.S. missile
defence system -- which has a spotty record in tests -- might be used.
However, U.S. officials admit they don't really know what the secretive
North Korean regime is up to.
For example, the North Koreans could be launching a satellite -- or
they could even be trying an attack, they said on condition of
anonymity.
In 1998, the North Koreans fired a missile that went over Japan. The
launch turned out to be a space launch that failed to put a satellite
in orbit. However, the incident alarmed Japan.
Robert Einhorn, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, said shooting down any missile launch would
likely trigger a very negative reaction, he told AP.
He predicted the likelihood of the U.S. taking action to down the
missile as being fairly small.
At this point, while evidence suggests the North Koreans have been
progressing towards a test of the Taepodong-2 inter-continental
ballistic missile. U.S. officials said Monday that the missile was
fully assembled and fueled. However, other countries aren't as certain.
In any event, the U.S. have been urging the North Koreans to drop the
test.
North Korea hasn't fired a missile since it began a moratorium on
testing in 1999.
With files from The Associated Press
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