A TOP US military commander says he favours shooting down a North Korean missile only if it threatens the United States or Washington's allies in the region.
When asked by politicians on Tuesday if he supported knocking out any missile fired by North Korea, Admiral Samuel Locklear, head of US Pacific Command, said: "I would not recommend that."
But the four-star admiral told the Senate Armed Services Committee he would "certainly recommend" intercepting an incoming North Korean missile "if it was in defence of our allies" or the United States.
Amid widespread speculation North Korea could be preparing a missile launch, Locklear said he was confident the US military would be able to detect quickly where any missile was headed.
"It doesn't take long for us to determine where it's going and where it's going to land," said Locklear, who oversees American forces in the Asia-Pacific region.
The US military has a powerful radar in Japan to help track a possible missile launch as well as naval ships in the area equipped with anti-missile weaponry. Japan and South Korea also have their own missile defence systems.
The Pacific Command chief's comments underscore the delicate balancing act faced by President Barack Obama as his administration attempts to demonstrate US resolve without aggravating the crisis on the Korean peninsula.
Given North Korea's repeated violations of UN Security Council resolutions that bar the pursuit of long-range ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, Pyongyang represents "a clear and direct threat to US national security and regional peace and stability", Locklear said.
North Korea has issued dire threats it could attack the US with nuclear weapons, but experts doubt it is able to do so.
Both the admiral and lawmakers voiced concern that possible miscalculation could trigger an unintended war.
To try to manage tensions, a new joint military plan between the US and South Korea was designed to carefully counter North Korea's provocations but "without unnecessary escalation", Locklear said.
Lawmakers said China needed to use its influence with North Korea to defuse the crisis.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
US to hit NKorea missile if allies at risk
Dengan url
http://semangatkaummuda.blogspot.com/2013/04/us-to-hit-nkorea-missile-if-allies-at.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
US to hit NKorea missile if allies at risk
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
US to hit NKorea missile if allies at risk
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar