An act of war?

While North Korea has been making missiles to intimidate its neighbors for nearly half a century, what makes this launch particularly worrying is the increasing possibility -- as assessed by U.S. intelligence and some independent experts -- that it has built or is attempting to build nuclear warheads small enough to fit atop its growing number of missiles.

North Korea "may be able to successfully mate a nuclear warhead to a ballistic missile," Lt. Gen. Michael D. Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said this month in testimony prepared for the Senate Armed Services Committee.

David Albright, a physicist and nuclear weapons expert who runs the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, has written that North Korea is "likely able to build a crude nuclear warhead" for its midrange missiles that target Japan.

Experts agree that North Korea is probably years away from putting nuclear warheads on long-range missiles that could hit the United States.

"North Korea's nuclear strategy is to keep everyone confused, keep everyone wondering," Albright said.

to intimidate its neighbors for nearly half a century

Shouldn't the US and other countries consider it an act of war if North Korea launches their new missile?

Its the Obama admin that calling the launch a "provocative act", not the repubs.

mysteryman wrote:

Its the Obama admin that calling the launch a "provocative act", not the repubs.

And it is a "provocative act" but an "act of war" is a legal concept, and this simply comes nowhere close to being an act of war.

Shouldn't the US and other countries consider it an act of war if North Korea launches their new missile?

North Korea has stated that it would be an act of war if another country shoots down their ICBM...

H2O MAN wrote:

North Korea has stated that it would be an act of war if another country shoots down their ICBM...

In some cases they would be correct, and it would be an act of war. But those situations aren't going to happen and other countries aren't going to shoot it down unless it is deemed threatening to them. For example, if it starts coming down at Japan, Japan has announced its intentions of defending herself.

Shouldn't the US and other countries consider it an act of war if North Korea launches their new missile?

Every country in range of this ICBM should make their intentions clear and announce plans to defend themselves.

H2O MAN wrote:

Every country in range of this ICBM should make their intentions clear and announce plans to defend themselves.

Why? If it comes their way they'll do what they can, and it will come as no surprise to anyone.
What's the point of getting all the neighbors rattling their sabers as well?

Your worldview is very cartoonish.

H2O MAN wrote:

Shouldn't the US and other countries consider it an act of war if North Korea launches their new missile?

Not unless they launch it at somebody.

Every country in range of this ICBM should make their intentions clear and announce plans to defend themselves.