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Can US Really Stop North Korea’s Nuclear Attack?

By Viraj Mahajan
Published on: 07:26 PST, Jul 15, 2016

North Korea is believed to have more than a thousand missiles of varying capabilities, including long-range missiles that could strike in just one day in the U.S. A recent report suggests that a system was recently designed to protect the country from North Korean missile strikes.

North Korea’s missile program has garnered momentum over the last few decades, from tactical artillery rockets in the 1960s to short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles in the late 1980s. According to U.S. Center for Nonproliferation Studies, North Korea possess long-range missiles, namely Hwasong-5 and Hwasong-6 (also known as Scud-B and C), that have ranges of 300 kilometers and 500 kilometers, respectively. These two missiles are capable of delivering biological, chemical, and nuclear arms.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, Pyongyang refers to the space launcher version as Unha, and it is described as a “carrier rocket.” If Unha, also known as Taepodong-2, was successfully launched, and if the government will increase its estimated range, then it could destroy Australia, parts of the U.S., and other countries that fall within its range.

To protect the citizens of the U.S., the ruling government designed a defense program, but according to Union of Concerned Scientists via Los Angles Times, the missile defense system will definitely fail to protect the people.

The published report states that the designed system needs a Congressional oversight and it also recommends President Barack Obama’s administration to expand the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system (GMD) – until scientists are able to resolve the ongoing issues.

According to the New York Post, the system that was designed to protect America from North Korea or Iran has cost $40 billion so far and is being expanded to include 44 interceptors by next year. UCS physicist Laura Grego stated that the system was constructed to help Americans but it has done the opposite.

“After nearly 15 years of effort to build the GMD homeland missile defense system, it still has no demonstrated real-world capability to defend the United States. Instead of getting something out to the field that worked well or worked adequately, in fact, this has been a disaster. It’s done the opposite. The lack of accountability has had and will have real lasting effects, especially for a system … that’s strategically important. It should be held to the highest standards, the highest rigor.”

Earlier this month, Pyongyang fired the submarine-based ballistic missile and received condemnation from both Washington and South Korea. According to CNN, South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff stated that the missiles failed in its early flight stage.

“We strongly condemn North Korea’s missile test in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions, which explicitly prohibit North Korea’s use of ballistic missile technology,” said Gabrielle Price, the spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

“These actions, and North Korea’s continued pursuit of ballistic missile and nuclear weapons capabilities pose a significant threat to the United States, our allies, and to the stability of the greater Asia-Pacific.”

Washington and Seoul are in the final stage to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system that will let them intercept the incoming missiles. Yoo Jeh-Seung, the head of South Korea’s Defense Policy Office, stated that THAAD will solely focus on Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile threats and would not be controlled by any third party nations.

So, the real question is: What will be the next administrative government of U.S.’s plan to enhance the security majors against the rising terrors from North Korea and other middle-eastern countries? Do you think that the citizens of America will feel protected if the government will take major action against the foreign countries that are planning to attack? Tell us in the comments.

[Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images]

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