SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Hawaiian officials will begin using an alarm system on Friday to prepare residents for a potential nuclear attack. Community meetings have also been held to let Hawaiians know what to do in the event of an attack by North Korea. (Photo: @USAToday/Twitter)
As Trump Spikes Fear of Nuclear War, Hawaii to Bring Back Cold War Air Raid Sirens
"As we track the news and see tests, both missile launches and nuclear tests, it’s the elephant in the room."
Nov 27, 2017
With President Donald Trump showing little interest in sitting down at the negotiating table with North Korea--regarded by many in the U.S. and around the world as the best method for deterring nuclear development by Kim Jong-un's government--Hawaiian officials are being forced to take precautions to make sure residents know what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.
At the beginning of next month, the state will begin testing the missile warning system it used during World War II and last tested during the Cold War.
"Hawaii is a likely target because we're closer to North Korea than most of the continental United States," said Vern Miyagi, administrator of the state's Emergency Management Agency. "As we track the news and see tests, both missile launches and nuclear tests, it's the elephant in the room. We can't ignore it. People of Hawaii need to know what Hawaii is doing in preparation for this."
The agency is reinstating the warning system amid Trump's ongoing feud with Kim's regime. North Korea ran nuclear tests and launched several test missiles into the Pacific Ocean earlier this year, and Trump responded to the tests with bellicose threats of "fire and fury" and a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in which he declared he would "totally destroy" the isolated country of 25 million people should Kim continue to develop its nuclear program.
Earlier this month, the White House returned North Korea to its list of state sponsors of terrorism, further angering Kim's government and leading critics to worry that the country would respond with more nuclear tests.
A missile launched from North Korea could take just 20 minutes to reach Hawaii, according to the Defense Department, but officials say that if all 1.4 million residents of the state's eight islands follow precautions, at least 80 percent of Hawaiians could survive a nuclear attack.
In public meetings and announcements broadcast on TV and the radio, officials will instruct local residents to hide in a concrete shelter and have enough food and water to last at least 48 hours.
Starting on Friday, the state will begin using its "attack warning" siren to prepare households for what would happen should North Korea launch a missile
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
With President Donald Trump showing little interest in sitting down at the negotiating table with North Korea--regarded by many in the U.S. and around the world as the best method for deterring nuclear development by Kim Jong-un's government--Hawaiian officials are being forced to take precautions to make sure residents know what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.
At the beginning of next month, the state will begin testing the missile warning system it used during World War II and last tested during the Cold War.
"Hawaii is a likely target because we're closer to North Korea than most of the continental United States," said Vern Miyagi, administrator of the state's Emergency Management Agency. "As we track the news and see tests, both missile launches and nuclear tests, it's the elephant in the room. We can't ignore it. People of Hawaii need to know what Hawaii is doing in preparation for this."
The agency is reinstating the warning system amid Trump's ongoing feud with Kim's regime. North Korea ran nuclear tests and launched several test missiles into the Pacific Ocean earlier this year, and Trump responded to the tests with bellicose threats of "fire and fury" and a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in which he declared he would "totally destroy" the isolated country of 25 million people should Kim continue to develop its nuclear program.
Earlier this month, the White House returned North Korea to its list of state sponsors of terrorism, further angering Kim's government and leading critics to worry that the country would respond with more nuclear tests.
A missile launched from North Korea could take just 20 minutes to reach Hawaii, according to the Defense Department, but officials say that if all 1.4 million residents of the state's eight islands follow precautions, at least 80 percent of Hawaiians could survive a nuclear attack.
In public meetings and announcements broadcast on TV and the radio, officials will instruct local residents to hide in a concrete shelter and have enough food and water to last at least 48 hours.
Starting on Friday, the state will begin using its "attack warning" siren to prepare households for what would happen should North Korea launch a missile
With President Donald Trump showing little interest in sitting down at the negotiating table with North Korea--regarded by many in the U.S. and around the world as the best method for deterring nuclear development by Kim Jong-un's government--Hawaiian officials are being forced to take precautions to make sure residents know what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.
At the beginning of next month, the state will begin testing the missile warning system it used during World War II and last tested during the Cold War.
"Hawaii is a likely target because we're closer to North Korea than most of the continental United States," said Vern Miyagi, administrator of the state's Emergency Management Agency. "As we track the news and see tests, both missile launches and nuclear tests, it's the elephant in the room. We can't ignore it. People of Hawaii need to know what Hawaii is doing in preparation for this."
The agency is reinstating the warning system amid Trump's ongoing feud with Kim's regime. North Korea ran nuclear tests and launched several test missiles into the Pacific Ocean earlier this year, and Trump responded to the tests with bellicose threats of "fire and fury" and a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in which he declared he would "totally destroy" the isolated country of 25 million people should Kim continue to develop its nuclear program.
Earlier this month, the White House returned North Korea to its list of state sponsors of terrorism, further angering Kim's government and leading critics to worry that the country would respond with more nuclear tests.
A missile launched from North Korea could take just 20 minutes to reach Hawaii, according to the Defense Department, but officials say that if all 1.4 million residents of the state's eight islands follow precautions, at least 80 percent of Hawaiians could survive a nuclear attack.
In public meetings and announcements broadcast on TV and the radio, officials will instruct local residents to hide in a concrete shelter and have enough food and water to last at least 48 hours.
Starting on Friday, the state will begin using its "attack warning" siren to prepare households for what would happen should North Korea launch a missile
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy