Yet, even for Israelis, the most troubling recent development in missile proliferation was the news on August 31st that North Korea had launched a three-stage missile, known as the Taepo Dong, which is apparently capable of reaching the western fringes of Alaska.

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On Tuesday, Yediot Aharonot reported that Israeli analysts who reviewed videotapes of North Korea's missile tests concluded that alongside the various short range Scuds it sent over the Sea of Japan, Pyongyang also launched a Taeopodong-2 multi-stage long range missile capable of reaching Alaska.

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It is also true that intercepting a missile during that stage could cause any debris to land on the launching country since, by and large, for these weapons tend to be deployed deep in the interior of such states.

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The Bush Administration and Congressional supporters of its mobile missile plan have set the stage for a rout in the arms control negotiations.

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He asserts that even if a missile interceptor succeeded in effecting a boost-phase "kill" on an incoming missile (that is during the early stage of its trajectory when it is moving relatively slowly, easily identified and vulnerable to destruction), its warhead might continue on and land in friendly territory with devastating effect.

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"At some stage, there will have to be some negotiations over the nuclear issue, the missile issue, " said Bridges, the Lingnan University professor.

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Most analysts don't expect North Korea to stage an attack on the U.S. or its allies and it isn't thought to have the missile technology to hit long-range targets.

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