N. Korea Able To Arm Missile With Nuke

The Associated Press reports the Defense Intelligence Agency chief says North Korea is able to arm a missile with a nuclear weapon. According to the Associated Press article it is unclear whether this is a new development:

The DIA, however, said in a statement later that Jacoby was only reiterating a statement he made to the panel on March 17 that North Korea's missiles were capable of carrying a nuclear warhead - but not that they had actually developed such a warhead.

The March statement, however, did not address whether North Korea could actually mount a nuclear warhead on its missile: Jacoby only said that North Korea's Taepo Dong 2 missile might be ready for testing and "could deliver a nuclear warhead to parts of the United States."

[. . .]

After Jacoby spoke, two defense officials said U.S. intelligence analysts believe North Korea is several years from being able to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile that is capable of reaching the United States from Korea.

The defense officials, discussing intelligence assessments on the condition of anonymity, said analysts believe North Korea has not solved all the problems of turning a nuclear device into a small warhead for an intercontinental ballistic missile, so the meaning of Jacoby's statement remained somewhat ambiguous.

I haven't heard any idea for dealing with North Korea that doesn't have apocalyptic possibilities, but how of a threat can we afford to allow this regime to become?

Comments

[Teresa]

After Iraq - I've been very leery of any story the MSM does on big bombs. It's just a feeling that I have - they're trying to set up the Bush government for yet another hit.

There are many many reasons that the N. Korean cesspool should be removed - possible nukes is only one of those reasons. But I can see it all now - we finally get around to taking out the monsters running that country - and then get lambasted by the press because - "we can't find any nukes here". Sound familiar?

I'd say I still thing the WMD think will come back to haunt the press in the future... but then they'd call me delusionally paranoid... *grin*