July 5, 2009
Posted: July 5th, 2009 04:40 PM ET

From


WASHINGTON (CNN) – A day after reported short-range missile tests by North Korea, one of President Obama’s top military adviserS said it was possible the regime could be preparing to test longer range missiles capable of reaching the United States.

“Certainly there are possibilities there,” Adm. Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. But Mullen added, “I haven’t seen any indications of that in recent days. The seven missiles which the leadership [of North Korea] fired yesterday basically into the sea – similar to what they did in 2006 – those were violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

“They continue to thumb their nose at the international community,” Mullen added. “And I think the international community – which has been bound very tightly together to include Russia and China - and putting additional pressure on North Korea that needs to continue and those sanctions need to be enforced.”

On Iraq, Adm. Mullen rejected the suggestion that Iraqis celebrating in the streets earlier this week - as the U.S. met a deadline to pull out of major cities - was a sign that citizens of the war-torn country did not appreciate American sacrifices to establish peace and stability in the country.

Related: History will have to make a judgment on Iraq, says Powell

“I know from my engagement with Prime Minister Maliki as well as the rest of the political and military leadership in Iraq, they’re very appreciative of everything that we have done,” Mullen told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King.

Updated: 4:40 p.m.

Filed under: Iraq • Mike Mullen • North Korea • State of the Union


educated   July 5th, 2009 10:49 pm ET

News flash. Our aegis destroyers can shoot satellites out of low orbit travelling 10x faster than an ICBM. We're not scared and we are not playing Kim's game. And for kim to shoot a missile at Afghanistan, it would be in or close enough to Chinese airspace to make them flip out.

phil s.   July 5th, 2009 10:46 pm ET

There should be a mandated draft to enlist all registered Republicans into the armed forces.

NOT A FAN OF OBAMA AT ALL   July 5th, 2009 8:38 pm ET

Whats Obama going to do, make us less safe and give in .

Be just like a democrate, NO PATRIOTISM and MAKES THE USA LESS SAFE.

HaHaHa   July 5th, 2009 8:35 pm ET

NK aiming and shutting anything towards US is like committing suicide and they know this. Even if they could they will not dream of it. It's just a show for their own people so OldKim trying can seat BabyKim on the throne of KIMdome.

Just ignore these news; any country can do the military exercise.

GI Joe   July 5th, 2009 5:46 pm ET

You're wrong N Korea -you hate monger. Obama has never threatened anyone – ask the pirates he had taken out. Obama will not tell the likes of you our secrets, Idiot.

VON BISMARK,Vienna.   July 5th, 2009 5:34 pm ET

The less american policies become belgerant the better for the world.

N. Korea mocks Obama......   July 5th, 2009 5:16 pm ET

Every day Obama threatens N. Korea but never follows through....consequently N. Korea sees Obama as a clown who is weak....Iran sees Obama the same way........This is the weakest President we have had in decades.....all talk and threats but zero follow through...

Logicbomb   July 5th, 2009 5:10 pm ET

Methinks the government should consider beefing up missile defense in Afghanistan as well. Look at a map, if Kim can possibly reach Alaska or Hawaii with a missile, he could also possibly get one to reach one of our bases in Afghanistan, especially considering it's nearly equidistant from Pyongyang in comparison to Hawaii, i.e roughly 70 degrees west instead of east.

The whole firing towards Japan and the US mainland seems like misdirection. If he really wanted to accomplish something of merit he would try and hit us where we are already occupied with a war and therefore vulnerable to attack. This would decimate our morale and at least some of our response forces.

Killing civilians would be counterproductive to depleting our morale in that it would send us into a rage. Our response would be swift and likely result in Pyongyang becoming a parking lot. Plus it is counter productive to being able to make demands. You can't make demands when you kill civilians, only when you engage the response force and you have the upper hand. War is war after all, and one of its greatest weapons is misdirection.

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