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Tensions are clearly mounting in northeastern Asia as both the United States and Japan have deployed warships to the region ahead of a North Korean rocket launch expected to take place in the next few days.
Img: Taepondong 2\'s predecessor the T-1. Credit: Unknown
While Pyongyang is adamant it is launching a satellite into space, western intelligence suggests the North Koreans will instead test a a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which could theoretically have the range to threaten targets as far away as Alaska or northern Australia.
A 2006 U.N. resolution bans the development or testing of any such ballistic missiles, reports the Guardian.
Japan has moved its warships into the Sea of Japan, where it is expected that U.S. destroyers will join them. However, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters on the weekend that the aim was not to shoot down the missile.
"If we had an aberrant missile, one that looked like it was headed for Hawaii, we might consider it, but I don't think we have any plans to do anything like that at this point," he told FOX News.
Gates was also critical of the aggressive strategy of the North Korean government towards the new Obama administration.
"If this is Kim Jong-il's welcoming present to a new president, launching a missile like this and threatening to have a nuclear test, I think it says a lot about the imperviousness to any kind of diplomatic overtures," he commented.
However, Rear Admiral James Kelly, commander of the U.S. Naval Forces in Japan, attempted to calm matters when he told Japanese news agency Kyodo that:
"I wouldn’t lose sleep at night. Japan is very safe," before adding that U.S. forces are "postured the right way," to respond to any danger.
Japan has also deployed anti-missile rockets and has stated that it will shoot down any part of the missile reaching its territory.
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