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| North Korea missile test: Are Alaskans scared of Kim Jong-un? | North Korea missile test: Are Alaskans scared of Kim Jong-un? |
| (30 days later) | |
| Robert Edwardson isn't quite old enough to remember the height of the Cold War, and he never practised ducking and covering under his school desk to hide from a nuclear blast. But at 51 he does remember the spectre of the Red menace, just over the water from his home state of Alaska. | |
| In the early days of America's long stand-off with the Soviet Union, Alaska's proximity to the communist enemy led US military officials to fear an invasion. They recruited a network of citizen spies in the then-US territory - fishermen, bush pilots, miners - and instructed them to hide in key locations to monitor Soviet troop movements. | In the early days of America's long stand-off with the Soviet Union, Alaska's proximity to the communist enemy led US military officials to fear an invasion. They recruited a network of citizen spies in the then-US territory - fishermen, bush pilots, miners - and instructed them to hide in key locations to monitor Soviet troop movements. |
| The threat of an invasion came and went and was replaced by the threat of the bomb. B-52s buzzed over Alaska at all hours, ready to head to Moscow. Missiles stationed in the state pointed at Soviet cities. Soviet missiles pointed back. | The threat of an invasion came and went and was replaced by the threat of the bomb. B-52s buzzed over Alaska at all hours, ready to head to Moscow. Missiles stationed in the state pointed at Soviet cities. Soviet missiles pointed back. |
| But the destruction then was mutually assured, said Mr Edwardson, who lives in Juneau. Everyone had too much to lose. Now there is a new nuclear threat, from North Korea, which successfully test-fired an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) on Tuesday which might be able to hit Alaska. | But the destruction then was mutually assured, said Mr Edwardson, who lives in Juneau. Everyone had too much to lose. Now there is a new nuclear threat, from North Korea, which successfully test-fired an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) on Tuesday which might be able to hit Alaska. |
| North Korea has less to lose and is more unpredictable, said Mr Edwardson. "This seems like more of a threat," he said. "Recent history shows that they are rash. The fact that they are testing ICBMs at all is rash." | North Korea has less to lose and is more unpredictable, said Mr Edwardson. "This seems like more of a threat," he said. "Recent history shows that they are rash. The fact that they are testing ICBMs at all is rash." |
| He blamed the Trump administration and administrations past for Alaska being in the firing line. "No US administration has dealt with North Korea effectively," he said. "But I think this one is probably the least capable of handling it." | He blamed the Trump administration and administrations past for Alaska being in the firing line. "No US administration has dealt with North Korea effectively," he said. "But I think this one is probably the least capable of handling it." |
| Mr Trump is meeting world leaders this week in Poland. Mr Edwardson said he was "hopeful that the administration can make it less likely the North Koreans will get a fully working ICBM. Hopeful, but not optimistic." | Mr Trump is meeting world leaders this week in Poland. Mr Edwardson said he was "hopeful that the administration can make it less likely the North Koreans will get a fully working ICBM. Hopeful, but not optimistic." |
| If North Korea did obtain a fully working ICBM, Alaska's last line of defence might lie under a remote, World War II-era military base in Fort Greely. The base is home to 44 missile interceptors - the arsenal was boosted by 12 by President Obama in 2014 - which would, with luck, knock a North Korean nuke out of the sky. | If North Korea did obtain a fully working ICBM, Alaska's last line of defence might lie under a remote, World War II-era military base in Fort Greely. The base is home to 44 missile interceptors - the arsenal was boosted by 12 by President Obama in 2014 - which would, with luck, knock a North Korean nuke out of the sky. |
| The interceptors had about a 50% success rate in tests. | The interceptors had about a 50% success rate in tests. |
| Alaskan congressman Don Young is lobbying the federal government for 28 more interceptors to be installed at Fort Greely. "The recent actions by North Korea, a rogue and irrational regime, underscores the importance of the Alaska's missile defence systems," a spokesman for Mr Young said in a statement after the launch. | Alaskan congressman Don Young is lobbying the federal government for 28 more interceptors to be installed at Fort Greely. "The recent actions by North Korea, a rogue and irrational regime, underscores the importance of the Alaska's missile defence systems," a spokesman for Mr Young said in a statement after the launch. |
| Senator Lisa Murkowski called the test a "matter of grave concern" and "no cause for complacency". | Senator Lisa Murkowski called the test a "matter of grave concern" and "no cause for complacency". |
| Not everyone was as worried. A hundred miles away from Fort Greely, in Fairbanks - Alaska's second city, where two military bases might make for good targets - resident Kelsey Skonberg said she was more concerned about the dangers of fishing as summer got underway. | Not everyone was as worried. A hundred miles away from Fort Greely, in Fairbanks - Alaska's second city, where two military bases might make for good targets - resident Kelsey Skonberg said she was more concerned about the dangers of fishing as summer got underway. |
| "Recently there have been a lot of fishing accidents here," she said. "And, not to sound like a stereotypical Alaskan, but we've had a lot of bear attacks this year as well. We're a little bit more concerned about that than North Korea to be honest." | "Recently there have been a lot of fishing accidents here," she said. "And, not to sound like a stereotypical Alaskan, but we've had a lot of bear attacks this year as well. We're a little bit more concerned about that than North Korea to be honest." |
| Residents of Fairbanks were unlikely to take any radical action, she said. "It wasn't that long ago we had that Russian flyby [by a bomber], now suddenly we're on the international stage again. It's not going to change our day-to-day lives. These things come and go." | Residents of Fairbanks were unlikely to take any radical action, she said. "It wasn't that long ago we had that Russian flyby [by a bomber], now suddenly we're on the international stage again. It's not going to change our day-to-day lives. These things come and go." |