Wouldn't it be simpler to just pre-position spybot/killbot packages in low earth orbit over trouble spots, and then call them in as needed. Sure there's an upfront cost, but it puts them even closer to the action, with the added benefit of no ICBM launches during the actual crisis at hand? #icbm
@Canoehead: its that there upfront cost that would keep this from leaving the drawing board. I mean, imagine if no conflict arose in the region that the military predicted, all that peace would make the designers look like fools (and waste taxpayer money). but this here ICBM idea can be sent anywhere, and we wouldnt have to worry about wasting resources because we would all be dead when the russians launch their nuclear ICBMs in retaliation to our spybot ICBM. #icbm
@minibeardeath: Get richard brandson to put them in low earth orbit. I think he only charges 50k per seat. You could buy the whole cabin in need be. A single tomahawk missile is over $1M, so i expect ICBMs would be much more.
i have no idea if i'm being sarcastic or not
I think the problem was first brought to light with the 1990s Clinton-uses-a-cruise-missile-to-kill-a-camel-and-a-tent "strikes" against Al Qeada. The US used Tomahawks, which are essentially very small subsonic aircraft, launched from off the Pakistani coast. Of course, they had to warn the Pakistanis that they were on the way(don't want to start an accidental nuke war between India and Pakistan), and the missiles' low cruise speed gave the Pakistanis plenty of time to warn Bin Laden and for Bin Laden to decamp. #icbm
Hmmmm, isn't this a little off though since you are putting a flat circle on a flattened out map of the globe. I think your radius would be a little skewed, you'd need to make this in 3d or something and then flatten it to show the real range. That small bit of nitpicking aside, yeah who really thought north korea had any chance of hitting us with a missile? Or better yet, who actually thought they would? It would be suicide for north korea. It's all just a ploy to get resources...like a lame attempt at a ransom.
This is more realistic. This is centered around Pyongyang's airport but you get the idea. No shade is the range of the 4000km missle and and the middle shade is the range of the 10000km missle. The darkest is the unreachable parts.
my main concern is s. korea and japan. i don't believe n. korea would attempt to fire on anyone it's worth noting they tend to posture like this every few years to try and get their way on something or the other.
It seems pretty absurd that they will threaten us with a "fire storm" of missles...is 5-7 a fire storm these days? Maybe a fire-storm on the small island of Hawaii is what they meant...who knows.
Seeing as we have about 500 that we can send and target anything bigger than a quarter, all seems like hot air to me.... Then again, since when has Kim Jong-Il been logical...
@Noobs-R-Us: Except he's smart enough to know its too dangerous for us to attack them. He's got some sort of a nuke (how far it can travel doesn't really matter) and that is his ultimate bargaining chip.
@tehsquish - Still plays Ultima Online: If from some crazy reason (very likely) N. Korea did send a Nuke towards the US, we would have no choice but to tactical nuke them into the stong-age. We wouldn't not send one back.
@Geph_knows_more: The US may need to consider S. Korea before launching anything. Our offense may follow well after any attack, and it's a possibilty that it could not be nuclear.
@ElemenopEE: Agreed. I disagree that a nuclear counterattack is imminent. if there was a military response, it would most likely be conventional but devastating. It's hard to imagine the U.S. ever using nukes again, except perhaps in a massive global nuclear exchange, or extremely low-yield tactical payloads (like bunker busters). Or if Matthew Broderick is elected president.
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@qbrad:
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#tips
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i have no idea if i'm being sarcastic or not
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Don't woorrryyy. This one will be designed with Hello Kitty figures. #icbm
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Great circle map: 4000km and 10000km range
This is more realistic. This is centered around Pyongyang's airport but you get the idea. No shade is the range of the 4000km missle and and the middle shade is the range of the 10000km missle. The darkest is the unreachable parts.
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Ok my link got deleted, copy and paste the stuff below:
[gc.kls2.com]
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It seems pretty absurd that they will threaten us with a "fire storm" of missles...is 5-7 a fire storm these days? Maybe a fire-storm on the small island of Hawaii is what they meant...who knows.
Seeing as we have about 500 that we can send and target anything bigger than a quarter, all seems like hot air to me.... Then again, since when has Kim Jong-Il been logical...
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