WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States
would not shoot down a missile that Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)
was expected to launch soon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in an interview
to be aired on Sunday.
Gates told "Fox News Sunday" that the launch was
likely to happen soon but the U.S. military was not prepared to "do anything
about it."
Graphics shows that US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the United States would not shoot down a missile on March 29, 2009.(Xinhua/Zheng Yue) Photo Gallery>>>
His remarks were made after Timothy Keating, who
leads the U.S. Pacific Command, said in an interview with ABC News that the U.S.
military was ready to shoot down the missile if given the order.
"I think if we had a missile that was heading for
Hawaii, that looked like it was headed for Hawaii or something like that, we
might consider it," said Gates. "I don't think we have any plans to do anything
like that at this point."
The DPRK has announced that it would launch a
communications satellite between April 4-8. But the United States, Japan and
South Korea suspected that it might be a long-range ballistic Taepodong-2
missile.
Gates said that although the launch was "intended as
a mask for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile," this type
of missile could not reach Alaska.
The U.S. government believed that DPRK carried a
long-term intent to put a nuclear warhead atop a missile but he personally
doubted about the country's ability to do it right now, the Pentagon chief
added.
On Iran, Gates said in the interview that he believed
economic penalties on Iran were more likely to bring success to the United
States than diplomacy.
However, he also doubted that Iran was close to
obtaining a nuclear weapon since it still lacked capabilities to enrich enough
uranium to the levels needed for a weapon at the moment.
In the same interview, Gates also commented on
President Barack Obama's newly-announced strategy for Afghanistan, saying that
it has narrowed the short-term objectives for U.S. troops in the country,
including reversing the Taliban's momentum, strengthening the Afghan army and
police, and going after al-Qaeda.
A flourishing democracy in Afghanistan remained a
long-term goal for the United States, he noted.
PYONGYANG, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The attempt of the United
States, Japan, and South Korea to bring the planned satellite launch of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) before the United Nations was a
"contemptible conspiracy" and "ridiculous farce," said a commentary carried by
the official Rodong Sinmun daily on Sunday.
Launching a satellite for peaceful purpose was the DPRK's
legitimate right, said the commentary, adding that the launch will contribute to
the prosperity of the country as well as the progress of human beings. Full story
Japanese Self-Defence Force's Patriot
Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile unit is deployed at the Defence
Ministry in Tokyo March 29, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
TOKYO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Air Self-Defense Force
(ASDF) on Sunday start moving Patriot guided-missile units from central Japan to
locations in northeastern areas to brace for the planned rocket launch by the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kyodo News reported. Full story
SEOUL, March 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's chief nuclear
envoy left for Washington Friday to discuss with his counterparts of the United
States and Japan on the DPRK's impending rocket launch, South Korea's Yonhap
News Agency reported. Full story
