S Korea says N Korea has fired several unidentified projectiles

Donny assured us that he had the DPRK situation under control. He wasn't lying or incorrect, was he? That would be an absolute shock if Donny had been lying or incorrect.

Donny assured us that he had the DPRK situation under control. He wasn't lying or incorrect, was he? That would be an absolute shock if Donny had been lying or incorrect.

"Mission Accomplished"

The launches came after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea last Thursday 

Rocket Man -- 2

Fire and Fury -- 0

Trump is useless on North Korea. Just photo ops and concessions.

Thank you North Korea. You just made Shino Abe's day. He can push for a military build up and both North and South Korea can't be trusted.

alwaysspeakingwisdom, Japan needs a strong military with no relation to what NK fired today. But you are right, neither North nor South Korea can be trusted.

There you go Moon. The leader and nation you so adore.

The provocations are completely predictable to anyone who has eyes and can see the long-term pattern:

Trump has cost China untold billions in tariffs, pushing them to stop technology theft and is blocking their expansion in the south China sea, not to mention sales of new weapons to Taiwan.

What can China do to stop him?

Just in time for the 2020 election year order their puppet state the DPRK to launch missiles to try to humiliate POTUS. Any of the democrats winning the presidency would be far more beneficial for China, especially Biden with his son's China business interests.

Missiles containing love notes to comrade criminal trump just fell in the ocean. No worries though, Abe will go fetch it for master don.

So someone spotted a UFP or two. Kim must be getting bored up there with the lack of attention.

It’s probably fun to bury that Trump at any opportunity, but come back when North Korea fires any ICBMs. Since those meetings, they haven’t. Not yet at least, just short range stuff.

Japan will be getting the NK ballistic missile launch news from CNN after the end of August, when the ROK terminates the GSOMIA and cuts Japan off from its radar feed in retaliation to Abe san's export control.

Who cares? Really? Posturing is what's it's all about, in Asian politics.

Today at the White House; new DNI Ratcliffe briefs President Trump...

Mr President, today Kim fired more ballistic missiles into the Japan Sea...

Trump: Winning....

Mr President, we assess that since your Singapore Summit Kim has built an additional 20 nuclear weapons...

Trump: We're so winning...

Mr President, both Putin and Xi are ignoring sanctions and providing Kim with everything he needs....

Trump: I'm a genius...

Mr President, it appears Kim has hacked into the IRS and stolen your tax returns for the last 10 years...

Trump: What? Get that fat, little, (*&^% on the phone. DEFCON 1! Arm the nukes!

Who cares? Really?

Just one of these Iskander missiles can deliver a cluster munition containing vaccine resistant Variola major Smallpox known to be in the DPRK arsenal. The detonation of which would result in a global pandemic with projected casualties of at least 30 million deaths and 100 million disfigurements. If you were born after 1975, the chances of you having been given a Smallpox shot are not good. Maybe you should care just a little.

Looks like NK needs more money and humanitarian aid. So they make noises and shoots off fireworks and we send them aid to placate and satiate their hunger for a while.

Next, expect missile firing tests from their "new" submarine in the Sea of Japan.

Donny assured us that he had the DPRK situation under control. He wasn't lying or incorrect, was he? That would be an absolute shock if Donny had been lying or incorrect.

President Trump has never made any such assurances.

U.S President Donald Trump says the projectiles are short-range missiles, far short of reaching the U.S. mainland, and so presents no threat to the U.S. at all Well, maybe.

But has he noticed their orbits? An ordinary missile flies by drawing a parabola but these objects flew in very haphazard motions.

One cannot help but suspect, then, if the Aegis Ashore systems, which the U.S. is force-selling Japan for 450 billion yen, can deal with these nice things.

"The North's repeated missile launches are not helpful to efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and we urge (North Korea) to stop this kind of behavior," the statement said.

Nether are joint military exercises off NK coast by the US. Furthermore, why are  there no complaints about US weapons testing? When will the world stop being intimidated by the US?

voiceofokinawa: "U.S President Donald Trump says the projectiles are short-range missiles, far short of reaching the U.S. mainland, and so presents no threat to the U.S. at all "

As I've written on many occasions, the fact that the US is not worried about short range missiles is consistent with the US using its military bases in both Japan and SK as a target so as to deflect any from reaching mainland US. Make Japan and NK a target so as to protect the US mainland.

Trump proven useless on North Korea where are his little parrots today...

Not bad from an armchair spectator.

Anyone who gave a minus valuation to my post above, could you give the reason why the Aegis Ashore anti-missile systems in Araya in Aomori Prefecture an absolute necessity for the defense of Japan?

The Aegis Ashore anti-missile system in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is quite understandable because it can shoot down a North Korean missile heading toward Osaka or Tokyo metropolitan areas. But what's there behind the Araya anti-missile system in Aomori Prefecture? 

The Aegis Ashore systems can thus be said white elephants, or laughing matters, from this perspective.

Anyone who gave a minus valuation to my post above, could you give the reason why the Aegis Ashore anti-missile systems in Araya in Aomori Prefecture an absolute necessity for the defense of Japan?

Because you know very, very little about the ranges and firing capabilities of the system or the way military systems are deployed. Looking at it from an Air Defense Artillery perspective, there are two obvious reasons.

First, that the system in Aomori is there for the defense of northern Honshu and Hokkaido. You know, because Japan just happens to be more than Osaka and Tokyo.

Second, because you build redundancy into systems like this when you can. During the Gulf War and Gulf War 2, PATRIOT and PAC-3 systems were deployed in overlapping arrangements, looking a lot like a bunch of Venn Diagrams, in order to ensure that even if one system was down, another system could engage incoming targets. This was, and is, standard procedure when possible going all the way back to World War II and AA guns.

Looking at the two sites, I'd say that's the case for Tokyo. The two have overlapping target engagement ranges, so both sites can cover the direct path from North Korea to Tokyo and Osaka. Honestly, looking at it from an ADA perspective, I'd want at least one more site, roughly in Toyama or Ishikawa to give triple redundancy.

Anyone who gave a minus valuation to my post above, could you give the reason why the Aegis Ashore anti-missile systems in Araya in Aomori Prefecture an absolute necessity for the defense of Japan?

I don't up or down vote anyone, but I will answer your question.

Aomori prefecture is home to Misawa Air Force Base, one of the most important US military facilities in the world and the only joint service installation west of Hawaii.

It is also a JASDF air base which deploys fighter squadrons in response to Russian and Chinese bomber incursions.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misawa_Air_Base

This facility is a well-understood first-strike target for DPRK, Chinese, and Russian missile attacks.

The nearby US Army facility in Shariki, Akita, while somewhat secretive, is also regarded as a first-strike target in any major offensive against US military locations in Japan.

These vital locations would seem to militarily justify the Aegis deployment in Aomori and Akita.

farmboy:

I’m sure all patriotic Americans will join me in hoping we can send our terribly competent president to NK for a few months or years in order to carry out extensive diplomatic efforts.

You have one now, so count your blessings. Just out of curiosity, which one of the flaming clown car of neolib warmongers who where "discussing" (i.e. spouting soundbytes) on TV today would you consider a "competent president"?

shinhiyata: "It is also a JASDF air base which deploys fighter squadrons in response to Russian and Chinese bomber incursions."

"It is also a JASDF air base which deploys fighter squadrons in response to Russian and Chinese bomber incursions."

Again, make Japan a target in an attempt to deflect making mainland US a target. So Japan is prepared to be a first strike target to same the US mainland?

Again, make Japan a target in an attempt to deflect making mainland US a target. So Japan is prepared to be a first strike target to same the US mainland?

Complete and utter garbage.

Complete and utter garbage

agreed, that would be Trumps efforts with little rocket man Kim so far

David Varnes,

I remember former Deputy Secretary General of Japan's Defense Department Takemasa Moriya and a visiting Pentagon official discuss why Japan must shoot down missiles targeted at the U.S. mainland that fly over Japan, with Moriya clearly rejecting his counterpart's idea. Can't we understand the Aegis Ashore to be built in Aomori in this vein? The Abe cabinet is trying hard to put an end to a constitutional brake to engage in such  activities, you know.

They are a million miles apart on a deal.

David Varnes,

You further suggest another Aegis Ashore system be built in either Toyama or Ishikawa, however overlapping it may be with the planned systems. in Ishikawa and Aomori

Note, however, that North Korea has been developing a new technology to evade U.S.- developed anti-missile systems such as Patriot, Pac-3 and Aegis at sea and ashore.

utteranceofryukyu

I must correct myself. The US Army's Camp Shariki is located on the Tsugaru peninsula in Aomori prefecture, not Akita. This high-resolution X-band radar facility was relocated from Misawa 13 years ago. Facilities such as this are prime first-strike targets for both EMP and conventional warheads. Additionally, the nearby nuclear power plants at Oma and Higashidori would also be subject to initial wave bombardments potentially including nerve-agent warheads that neutralize the workforce and prevent damage mitigation efforts. This region in Tohoku is crucial to both Japan and America from a strategic perspective and probably worthy of even more intensive defense measures. It is interesting to note that most recent DPRK missile tests were all trajected in this direction.

shinhiyata,

I take your post is addressed directly against me. But it's unclear what you're trying to say. Could you be more clear and succinct? 

You haven't explained why anti-missile defense systems such as PAC-3 and Aegis Ashore rmust absolutely be installed at the said locations despite the fact that they may already have become white elephants in front of North Korea's anti-missile finessing technology.

Varnes, will you help this guy out?

Note, however, that North Korea has been developing a new technology to evade U.S.- developed anti-missile systems such as Patriot, Pac-3 and Aegis at sea and ashore.

You claim this... but you make many claims (such as the systems being there for defense of a strike against the USA).

So there's nothing to comment on. You can claim that NK is 'developing' a new tech to avoid current ABM technology, but the same can be said for ABM technology. Either way, the systems are currently the most advanced in the world, and the best ABM shield available. Until proven otherwise, the systems do serve an interest as a deterrent.

So what's your point again?

David Varness,

The Pentagon's policy to weapons development is to always keep 10 years advanced from or ahead of other countries. As you say, and as is well-known, the U.S. has the most advanced technology in weapons building in the world, such as stealth aircraft or anti-missile defense systems. 

But who knows? Other countries may catch up with the U.S. or develop new technology to make U.S. weapons useless, whereby today's most advanced weapons may become obsolete in a few years. To me, the Aegis Ashore seems to be such a case.. 

So what's the use of buying unfinished products like Aegis Ashore systems whose capability hasn’t yet been proved for which Japanese taxpayers must pay an astounding 450 billion yen to the U.S