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Are Some of North Korea's Long-Range Missiles Fakes?

Posted by Soulskill on from the it's-a-faaaaaake! dept.

gbrumfiel writes "North Korea has not been shy in announcing plans to destroy the United States, but questions remain over whether it has the nukes or the missiles to do so. Now NPR reports on open-source intelligence showing that one of the North's most 'advanced' weapons might actually be a decoy. Six KN-08 missiles were paraded last year, but each showed differences in the way they were assembled. Is it all a bluff? Or are the missiles part of a real program?"

5 of 322 comments (clear)

  1. Duh by AmiMoJo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Obviously the ones they parade are just shells. Do you think the US/USSR paraded armed nuclear missiles down the streets back in the day?

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    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    1. Re:Duh by Charliemopps · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They could be iterative design mockups for producing the real thing, or it could be a massive display of horseshit for propaganda.

      Or... what's more likely... both.

  2. Some analysts say... by rvw · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I just read those two lines under that nice picture.

    Some analysts say the half-dozen missiles showcased at the military parade were fakes.

    So the ones they showed in a parade are fakes. Now how smart do you have to be to decide to use fakes in a parade? I mean, you have maybe only two of them working, maybe only one, or maybe even six in good condition. Why take the risk that something happens while showing them off? Showing them in a parade means they are not ready to use if the US or the South attacks. (How unlikely this might be to us, they have a different perspective.) The decoys might be empty ones that will be used later. That each of them has differences only shows that they are working on them.

  3. The bright side of North Korea by stevegee58 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Say what you will about North Korea, you still have to admit those guys sure know how to put on a parade.

  4. Re:Let's nuke them to be sure by dragonsomnolent · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Ok, let's look at this more closely, because you bring up very good and valid points. While it's true, if you are wrongly incarcerated you won't be happy about it, however, there are things which can be done to repay you for that injustice (financial compensation, and I know it may never be enough to make up for you losing your freedom). What reparations can you make to a man who you executed? He's dead, his body will no longer function, ever, you can't give him anything to make him come back to life or to make up for killing him. I won't say that execution is just as bad as murder, because I don't think it is (though I do think it somewhat barbaric).

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    I got nuthin