"China Killer" Missile

[Anonymous]

India calling their long-range missiles "China Killers" surprises me. I had no idea there was that kind of hostility between the two nations. Maybe the journalists were mjust trying to make a stupid joke.

[Anonymous]

I became anxious upon reading this post. The threat of nuclear war is real and should not be taken lightly. I read more on the topic and found out that the Los Angeles Times reported that the 50-ton, 55-foot three-stage rocket is named after the Hindu god of fire, Agni. However, it said the missile had been dubbed the "China killer" by the Indian press. Here is yet another example of the media having tremendous power of the masses. It is scary at how much power they have, yet are oftentimes not monitored as closely as one may like. The consistency of information is questionable. I agree with Iprinn...maybe this is a ploy by the media to "stir the pot". I feel as though this incident should not be treated any differently than the previous issues with North Korea have been treated. Threats are threats and should be treated accordingly. It is interesting how certain countries carry with them an certain negative or positive connotation, based on their past experiences or actions.

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

I was intrigued by a story, India Test-Fires "China Killer Missile Capable of Reaching Beijing, Europe, by Alastair Jamieson, I read earlier today that detailed how India successfully "test-fired a nuclear-capable, long-range missile capable of reaching deep inside China and Europe." The Indian press has labeled the missile "China killer." No Western nation criticized India in the way that they have demonized North Korea. As you might expect, the Chinese press was none too pleased and issued a reply which stated, "The West chooses to overlook India's disregard of nuclear and missile control treaties." In fact, not only has India now joined an elite club of nations with long-range nuclear missile capabilities, but it has also been the world's largest importer of arms over the last several years. And it's not like India and China are the best of friends. They have often quarreled over water and border issues. My US History class recently talked about Hiroshima and Nagasaki and we're now discussing the Cuban Missile Crisis. When I brought up the current developments in India my students were eager to discuss it and it was quite difficult to redirect the discussion back to the 1960s. I think this current event adds more meaning and relevance to World War II atomic bomb issues and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[Anonymous]

I covered the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in my class this week. Every once in awhile, I get the age old question of "Why do we have to learn about history?" Until reading this post I was unaware of the nuclear threat that India poses. I frequently use North Korea as a reference point for current event discussions about the possibility of nuclear threats. I even used to it answer my students question of "Why do we have to learn about history?" I referenced the recent news about North Korea's nuclear testing. We discussed how the development of the atomic bomb immediately impacted the way in which political and military decisions were made during the Cold War and how governments still struggle to solve and deal with the threat of nuclear issues. I will definitely be adding the information about India's nuclear testing with my classes as an answer to "Why do we study history?"

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