# North Korea Carries Out Controversial Rocket Launch **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 12, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801 "2012-12-12T05:33:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scholar\_Beardpig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Scholar\_Beardpig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scholar_Beardpig)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/21 "2012-12-14T03:20:32Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > Apparently, the Axis of Evil buddy, Iran, provided assistance to ensure the success of the launch. > > Naturally, America was too amazing a nation to need the help of any outsiders.\* > > On a more serious note, the North Koreans aren’t doing too bad here. Teething pains were a big part of our rocketry in the 50’s and early 60’s…one only needs to remember our great success with launching [Vanguard TV3](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVeFkakURXM) which was broadcast to the world. > > Granted, at least the USA we’ll show the good with the bad; whereas the PRC and DPRK…mmm…not so much. > > \*[Cough] Wernher Von [Cough] Braun [Cough][Cough] Now, now. Werner von Braun wasn’t an outsider. He was a _prisoner_. Important difference. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/22 "2012-12-14T11:07:23Z")
Is it true that North Koreans are getting their hands on smartphones? Will these phones have more internet access than what NK gets now? How will the regime hold up with increased access to world news and information? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/23 "2012-12-14T11:40:10Z")
Why exactly is it a bad thing that North Korea can get put satellites in orbit? Its i) a 55 year old technology and ii) technological advancement is not the preserve of just a few countries and iii) What are do going to do? Nuke Belfast? ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/24 "2012-12-14T22:24:22Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Crazy as they may be, that doesn’t seem to be in their interests under any definition. Sure, but just having the capability is a concern and if any nation has a slender enough grip of reality to actually use it then its North Korea. > [@AK84](#): > > Why exactly is it a bad thing that North Korea can get put satellites in orbit? Its i) a 55 year old technology and ii) technological advancement is not the preserve of just a few countries and iii) What are do going to do? Nuke Belfast? Ummmm…where does Belfast come into this discussion? And please don’t nuke it, that’s where I keep all my stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/25 "2012-12-15T04:13:41Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Why exactly is it a bad thing that North Korea can get put satellites in orbit? Its i) a 55 year old technology and ii) technological advancement is not the preserve of just a few countries and iii) What are do going to do? Nuke Belfast? If they get something high enough to put it into orbit, its classed as an ICBM and yes it can hit targets as far away as North America and Europe. Usually its a dual track situation, one program for the weapons, and the other program for the lifter. In North Korea’s case, this is something I would call political posturing. Don’t know if you read science fiction, but there was a story called king davids spaceship, in which a political entity to get a better deal, had to prove they were just pre space enough, so that they would not get a viceroy. So North Korea might be thinking that once they get passed a certain point with technology, they are untouchable. Declan ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/26 "2012-12-17T00:16:34Z")
> [@y7xzh1](#): > > hey ,i am a chinese!!! > i want talk with you , my english is learn from internet > i did it ,only from internet > u want talk about that rocket ？ > my chinese newspaper said it is already fired !and it seems success > yeah,north korea got so many problem,they are badman > but really not a trouble ,because we china will control them > are we ,china gonna be a threat to you america u.s? > that i wounld say i want be a friend .can i represent enough chinese. > if there are anyone chinese resist you america ,he or they are my hostile I’m American (US). Many Americans are upset at China but we do not want war. We want to be at peace with China. We don’t want war with North Korea either. America wants to be at peace but goes to war when it is necessary. We don’t want to fight people just because we want to fight. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/27 "2012-12-17T00:19:09Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > America wants to be at peace but goes to war when it is necessary. We don’t want to fight people just because we want to fight. History disagrees. ---
**Author:** ![turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turner)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/28 "2012-12-17T00:25:33Z")
To continue the joke from their last attempted launch, they must have spent all their national resources on a shit ton of mentos and coke. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801/29 "2012-12-17T02:48:50Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > America wants to be at peace but goes to war when it is necessary. We don’t want to fight people just because we want to fight. Explain Iraq then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-carries-out-controversial-rocket-launch/643801.md?page=1)