September 3, 2004 :: Inside the Ring (Washington Times) :: News
In their weekly column, Inside the Ring, Bill Gertz and Roman Scarborough cite military specialist Richard D. Fisher on the threat from North Korea’s new long-range missile. The missile is that which was recently reported to have been derived from the Russian SS-N-6, from which North Korea is said to have built both a land- and ship-based version.
The columnists note that although the CIA had expected the missile to be displayed in a military parade during September 2003, the display did not take place.
Mr. Fisher also notes that the ship-launch scenario is North Korea’s “simplest option,” whereby they could load the missile onto a merchant ship and launch it against an American coastal city from a comfortable range.
In the past, officials including Donald Rumsfeld have spoken of an unnamed rogue state having tested a ship-launched missile. The columnists positively identify Iran as the nation who tested a ballistic missile in the late 1990s from a merchant vessel. (Article)
» More stories on: Iran, North Korea, Ship-Launched Threat
