Air Routes Closed Over Growing Japan China Tensions

[homesweethome]

[emperor]

..no mention of it on the FAA site - only light restrictions over
NY during the UN conferences, nothing on google news or reuters, except a story about the air force saying they need to replace every single plane in their inventory (in order to be prepared for world war 3).

[homesweethome]

I just checked with an old buddy who listens to military chatter. He said the amount of military com traffic has picked up considerably in the last couple days but nothing on this route closure in particular.

[emperor]

WASHINGTON The U-S is considering rewriting its nuclear doctrine for the age of terrorism.
A Pentagon planning document spells out America's willingness to use nuclear weapons in a preemptive strike if terrorists threaten the U-S or its allies with weapons of mass destruction.
President Bush stated such a policy three years ago, and a draft of it is on the Pentagon's Web site.
The draft says weapons of mass destruction are proliferating, increasing the possibility they might be used by even a non-state group. And it notes that could happen on purpose or through miscalculation.
In such situations, the draft says deterrence might fail and the U-S would have to be prepared to use nuclear weapons if necessary.
The draft notes that any such attack would require "explicit orders from the president."
Copyright 2005 Associated Press

not exactly hot off the presses - but might have some relevance?

[Taro Toporific]

I just checked with an old buddy who listens to military chatter. He said the amount of military com traffic has picked up considerably in the last couple days but nothing on this route closure in particular.

This is no X-Files Case...if somebody was paying me I could dig out most of the details from public records that are not online. There're just some new testing of crappy never-gonna-function-100%-right 'Stars Wars' defence system.
Back in January 2003, the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Extended Test Range (ETR) was "proposed" at this air route. Most likely, it's a done deal and they are testing there this week.
Of course there's nothing meaningful posted on the US Dept of State travel warning site: http://travel.state.gov

Abstract: The Missile Defense Agency is proposing to develop the capability to conduct more realistic interceptor flight tests in support of GMD. The extension of the existing GMD test range would increase the realism of GMD testing by using multiple engagement scenarios, trajectories, geometries, distances, and speeds of target and interceptors that closely resemble those in which an operational system would be required to provide an effective defense. Extended range testing would include pre-launch activities, launch of targets and Ground Based Interceptors from a number of widely separated locations, and missile intercepts over the Pacific Ocean. Target missiles would be launched from Vandenberg AFB, Kodiak Launch Complex, Pacific Missile Range Facility, Reagan Test Site (RTS), or from mobile platforms in the western Pacific Ocean.

[homesweethome]

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050914/APA/509140717&cachetime=5

Air Force Test Launches Unarmed Missile

The Air Force successfully launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday in the fourth and final test of the year, officials said.

The Minuteman III's dummy warhead traveled more than 4,000 miles in about 30 minutes, hitting a predetermined target across the Pacific Ocean.

Thanks for the backup Taro

[Buraku]

it will calm down again, those Minuteman's are a killer..Moscow, India, Paris, England, Pakistan and Beijing must have been wondering ??

[homesweethome]

it will calm down again, those Minuteman's are a killer..Moscow, India, Paris, England, Pakistan and Beijing must have been wondering ??

I suppose it could have only been a test like the emergency broadcast system.
OR
They could have been trying to rattle this guy's cage

Or upset this guy's prayers

Or knock this guy off the stool

Or all three.