Pentagon: N. Korea Missiles Could Hit U.S.

NewsMax: North Korea's missiles could hit the United States in as few as three years if the reclusive rogue nation continues to ramp up its weapons system, Pentagon officials said Tuesday. At a Tuesday morning Senate hearing on missile defense, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn pointed to Pyongyang's recent steps to accelerate its long-range weapons program and agreed . . . that the U.S. should be prepared for a "worst-case scenario" with North Korea. . . . Lynn did not immediately know how long it would take North Korea to build a powerful enough missile to hit Alaska or Hawaii. . . .

But the Pentagon's spending plan halts a planned expansion of its missile defense system, shaving at least $500 million from key programs, said Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, director of the military's Missile Defense Agency. In all, the missile defense budget is being cut by $1.2 billion, said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. "This whole budget has taken quite a hit," Sessions said. The Pentagon officials also acknowledged that North Korea is working with other nations, including Iran and potentially Syria, to develop ballistic missiles. . . . [Read More]

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