Latest News:  

English>>World

U.S. not to intercept DPRK missile unless threatened: Commander

(Xinhua)

08:15, April 10, 2013

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. commander in charge of forces in the Asia Pacific region said Tuesday that if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launches a missile in the near future, he would recommend U.S. forces shoot it down when U.S. homeland, forward-deployed forces and allies were threatened.

At a Senate hearing, Samuel Locklear, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, said if it was "in defense of the homeland... and if it was defense of our allies," he would recommend U.S. forces shoot down DPRK missile, if the country launches one.

"I believe we have a credible ability to defend the homeland, to defend Hawaii, defend Guam, to defend our forward-deployed forces and defend our allies," said Locklear.

However, Locklear rejected the idea to shoot down a DPRK missile regardless of whether it poses a threat or what the intended target is, saying he "would not recommend that."

As tensions on the Korean Peninsula continues to rise, the U.S. military has moved many missile-defense capabilities into the region, such as Aegis guided-missile destroyers USS John McCain and USS Decatur. A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System ( THAAD) will also be deployed to Guam.

We recommend:

World Pillow Fight Day marked in Washington

Multiple mortar shells hit Damascus

Prince William, Kate love sports

Aurora shines in Estonia

Floods kill 46 in Argentina

The world in photos

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:MaXi、Liang Jun)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Chinese Marines in military skill training

  2. French, Cote d'Ivoire soldiers attend drill

  3. Flowers laid outside Thatcher's home

  4. The job of building heavenly homeland

  5. Icicles on plum blossoms in Hami

  6. Garden Expo might be delayed after fire

  7. National Chinese Painting Academic Exhibition

  8. The best smiles may be all wet

  9. Stunning models at Bangkok Auto Show

  10. China's inflation drops from 10-month high

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Errors in urbanization must be avoided
  2. What kind of public diplomacy does China need?
  3. Today's youths will prove their mettle
  4. Chinese spend less on hotels, still flash the cash
  5. Soros upbeat on China's economic transformation
  6. Chinese innovations to benefit the world: Bill Gates
  7. Reflecting on rules that allow bad apples
  8. Cold food honors loyal man with a warm heart
  9. Safety concerns over state-owned coal mines
  10. New age of gender blending in China

What’s happening in China

Stand in face of bulldozer
With water and electricity cut, lonely 'Nail House' struggling to stay

  1. Eighth Chinese death from H7N9 bird flu
  2. Beijing plans to burn waste from landfills
  3. Interior pollution problem in mass-market cars
  4. Renewed crackdown on careless crossers
  5. Beijing to install BDS instead of GPS