US officials say that they continue to hold out the possibility of trying to shoot down a North Korean test missile, even if there was no reason to believe the missile posed any threat to hit the territory of the US or any of its allies.
This was a comment made by US officials who insisted on anonymity. Though US officials haven’t formally ruled out such an effort before, they’ve likewise shown no indication they were considering such an attempt.
Indeed, analysts have considered such an attempt extremely unlikely, because the US missile interceptors have a dodgy history even in optimal environments. Trying and failing to intercept a missile would be a major embarrassment for the US.
Suggesting the US might consider such an attempt may be trying to position the US as more confident than it really is about its missile defense systems, though there is nothing to gain from such an attempt against a random North Korean test.
Good luck with that- with our dismal record of anti-missile tests (even when we know everything about the launch site, missile type, and flight path), all we’re doing is setting ourselves up for more failure and embarrassment.
And that would be bad because…? (I will not personally be embarrassed in the least.)
Why do I have a feeling that they would suddenly discover the nwed to cut social security, and ehaever they can lay hands on — to give to poor wronged corporations and their bankers.
Would be fun to watch Drump try and fail at an intercept… though that would spur mega-bucks to “improve” the intercept capability
Because of the propaganda you would not even know. Our government lies to us all the time.
I rather suspect Russia and China would both be willing to tell the world. And the good thing these days is that the deep corporate state doesn’t control every voice in the world.
I agree Real Time… would be delicious for the US MIC to be unmasked as frauds by the Russians & Chinese.
In fact, I am sure they will never reveal what they know. For one, it is important to save face. A global power with ambition to rule the world is both overextended and suffering from the lack of oversight and quality control.
Why draw attention to it? In fact, the travails of various missile defense testing are somewhat of a known issue, even to casual reader. But one can be very sure that Russia and China are very secretive about their capacities. For one, they are sharing research, avoiding duplication. And have similar cultural styles. It is recognized by a tendency to announce certain progress in rather excessive public manner. These usually mask developments they do not want to publicise. The differences cannot be more stark.
Very, very true. We really cannot be sure of the veracity of any information coming from government, media and associated circles. Unless another Manning or Snowden show up.
Or result in political infighting. Trump has nothing to lose, but to prove what he has been saying all along.
But it will not be worth it, as it could cost US many allies and their purchases.
Precisely… the more isolated the US the better.
To Kim, its now probably worth a few missile lauches just to see if the US really does try it. And of course to see if the many, many billions of dollars that have been spent on “Star Wars” have really actually produced something that can work or whether it was all just payments into defense contractor’s accounts?
“Trying and failing to intercept a missile would be a major embarrassment for the US.”
Bring it on! Embarrassment, I mean.
“Suggesting the US might consider such an attempt may be trying to position the US as more confident than it really is about its missile defense systems, though there is nothing to gain from such an attempt against a random North Korean test.”
Nothing to gain? Not at all. Shooting at N. Korean missiles not only takes advantage of vastly more realistic testing conditions, but costs something like half as much, since you don’t have the expense of launching a missile of your own to shoot at.
Win, win, win: If it fails, US military humiliated, defense contractor humiliated, credible confirmation of wasted billions and ineffectiveness of missile defense. If it succeeds, then vice versa.
If it fails, we probably won’t hear about it at all, at least not until another Ellsberg/Manning/Snowden comes along.
The USA spends so much on “defense” but is constantly terrified someone might try to “attack” them and then what would they do??