As a part of its standard script of saber-rattling, the North Korean government issued a statement Wednesday in a radio broadcast that it will “relentlessly shoot down” any US reconnaissance aircraft conducting surveillance of the preparations being made for the launch of a long-range missile sometime next week.  This latest warning is added to an already tense storyline.  From the Washington Post story from today:

That warning against “brigandish U.S. imperialists” came on top of North Korea’s announcement Tuesday that it would put on trial for “hostile acts” two American journalists who were detained in mid-March after they apparently crossed from China into North Korea.

The latest surveillance photographs taken of the North Korean launch site seem to indicate that the missile is, indeed, going to launch a satellite-like device, but the flight path will take the rocket over Japan.  The Japanese have affirmed their right to shoot down any debris should the missile launch be unsuccessful.

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This story comes to us by way of our friends at Naval Open Source Intelligence.

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