U.S. failed to predict North Korea rocket launch

(CBS News) North Korea, a hermit dictatorship that cannot always feed its people, has become the 13th nation to orbit a satellite. The success of Wednesday night means the nuclear armed nation has a rocket capable of reaching as far as the United States.

U.S. intelligence failed to detect signs the North Korean launch was imminent.

Officials insist that made no difference in the ability of the American missile defense system to track the rocket as it jettisoned its first stage in the Yellow Sea as planned, and its second in the Philippine Sea before boosting what the North Koreans say is a weather satellite into polar orbit.

U.S. Navy ships in the Pacific and missile defense crews in Colorado had already been placed on alert and did not require warning of a launch. Had the rocket been fired on a trajectory that threatened the United States, officials say interceptors based in Alaska and California would have been ready to shoot it down.

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Still, these officials say they are now trying to determine whether North Korea deliberately disguised its launch plans, or whether U.S. intelligence simply missed the final preparations.

Last April, a similar rocket failed two minutes after launch. This time, North Korea announced it was experiencing technical difficulties and would need to extend the launch window to the end of the month. Whether those difficulties were real or fake, the rocket was quickly prepared for launch without U.S. intelligence detecting it had been fully fueled.

The satellite is now circling the Earth, and is likely to stay up for a year or two, although it appears the North Koreans are having trouble controlling it.

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North Korea's long-range rocket launch

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[nazcap]

Blogs are reporting that government sources say this object,whatever it is, is tumbling and putting other satellites at risk. Haven't seen this in any MSM, though.

[YouSign]

Please join our campaign to stop North Korea's nuclear program!
http://www.yousign.org/en/north_korea

[friend2008]

Well, I think before we say anything, please take 16 minutes of your time and watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGHZGL3k5xA

We we want here!

Thanks

[Rakeshdry]

Somebody tell Joe Biden that we missed this. He is convinced that our intelligence is so good that we will know when Iran ges nuclear before they do.

[WhereisOT]

"failed to predict"?
But theres drones spying on farmers & cows crappin in the waters of the Heartland..

Well, can't get em all...

[takacrat]

If the US and Russia almost nuked each other over Cuba, what one can think about Holly Rollers Killing themselves for God or Pride!

[audemus]

Ah, the multi-faceted dangers of the collective conscience getting Shanghaied by the zealots of religion and fantasy....never a good combination.

[KansasCity-2012]

Hiding rocket launch preparations is not that hard, if you know that interested parties are using their resources somewhere else. Going forward, it will be tougher to conceal. Night darkness, bad weather and cloud cover helps conceal a lot of things.

[takacrat]

What cave did you come from. The US has the power to look in deserts and see through sand to the base rock. You think that some rain clouds it thicker than dirt?

[Ulgnud]

Failed to detect it, or it simply was not important enough to make a fuss over. There is a difference. I am sure the performance characteristics of the rocket was carefully measured and is being analyzed.

[Topo_Loco]

It's a wash. Bozo leader in North Korea = Bozo leader in the White House. Perhaps the bozo in the White House will "Air Force One" into North Korea and tell the bozo in North Korea "this is all about politics and I protest!"

[vapnut]

It is hard to see what is going on around you when your head is stuck in the sand... looking for more "revenues".

[takacrat]

Now this is the best statement that I have read on this! How True!!