# Poor African Country Announces "Imminent Launch Of 5 Satellites" - Reaction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 18, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-african-country-announces-imminent-launch-of-5-satellites-reaction/661300 "2013-06-18T20:44:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AHeinrich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@AHeinrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHeinrich)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-african-country-announces-imminent-launch-of-5-satellites-reaction/661300/1 "2013-06-18T20:44:24Z")
The scenario: > [@](#): > > The leaders of a struggling poor African country hastily call an international press conference. > > In this conference, the President follows international protocol and law by announcing that tomorrow at 1100 GMT, there will be a launch of 5 communication satellites. He claims the country has been working on building them secretly. (But the world is well aware of no historical tests - missile or otherwise - taking place.) What would your reaction to this announcement be? What do you think the world’s reaction to this announcement to this would be? How would the international community take it? Additionally, as an aside continuation: Tomorrow (i.e. 19 June 2013) at 1100 GMT, this poor African country then goes and actually launches five satellites in its backyard from intriguing “mobile launchers”. The satellites then go into successful orbit and are functioning impeccably. They are up to the standard of even the very best US communications satellites. With this in mind, what would your reaction now be? How would we as humans take this? How would the international community take this news? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-african-country-announces-imminent-launch-of-5-satellites-reaction/661300/2 "2013-06-18T21:32:01Z")
I’d wonder who they bought them from, and what both of their games are. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-african-country-announces-imminent-launch-of-5-satellites-reaction/661300/3 "2013-06-18T21:46:49Z")
I’d assume it’s that old Nigerian “99 cents for unlimited cell phone minutes” scam. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-african-country-announces-imminent-launch-of-5-satellites-reaction/661300/4 "2013-06-18T21:56:02Z")
My reaction would be “smile and nod”, then “wait and see”. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-african-country-announces-imminent-launch-of-5-satellites-reaction/661300/5 "2013-06-18T22:06:41Z")
Bring it. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-african-country-announces-imminent-launch-of-5-satellites-reaction/661300/6 "2013-06-19T04:54:42Z")
I’d assume the reaction would be “yeah, sure, that’s nice,” quickly becoming “holy—what the _hell_ just happened!?”