The North Korean Threat

by WashDCDemocrat

North Korea is flexing its muscles. Despite UN resolutions, they are launching a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile that they claim to have topped with a satellite that they are putting into orbit. It's not unusual to use an obsolete ballistic missile to put satellites into orbit - however, the Taepodong-2 is still being tested currently as a ballistic missile, and the United States and other Western governments believe that this is actually a missile test, and that the missile could be capable of reaching the US. However, if any nation attempts to shoot it down, North Korea will treat it as an act of war.

The United States will probably shoot this missile down. Satellite or otherwise, North Korea still will gain missile test information that could become a later threat. America still has a lot of weapons at its disposal: in the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean are ships equipped with the Ageis Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Missile system. On land, the MIM-104 Patriot has an anti-ballistic missile platform. This, however, deals only with the missile. However, America would still be at a certain advantage if North Korea declared war.

The fact that their missiles are still in testing shows a severely limited nuclear capability. Their conventional ground forces number around one million, but their navy has nearly obsolete equipment, and their air force is limited in any offensive capability. South Korea has 560,000 soldiers, and the United States has one million soldiers of their own - not including other NATO nations.

It's still not possible to consider war when so many US forces are committed to the Middle East. And we have learned from the Korean War before - it was that stalemate that led to the creation of a divided Korea. The escalation to war may be a low threat, but one that we should keep in mind.