New member in the nuclear club

[TankGirl]

And what a weird member it is.

[theknife]

not for the lack of trying, but NK's test seems to be a bit of a dud...apparently the event readings from the area in question are unusually low for a nuke test.

One intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. intelligence agencies detected an explosive event in North Korea with a force of less than a kiloton. Historically, the types of devices used in initial nuclear tests have yielded several kilotons of force.

"We cannot confirm if it was a nuclear explosion," the official said Monday morning.

Another U.S. government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of political sensitivity of the situation, said the seismic event could have been a nuclear explosion, but its small size was making it difficult for authorities to verify that.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...home-headlines

[multi]

boshintang anyone ?

[multi]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/1908571.stm

"These reactors are like all reactors, They have the potential to make weapons. So you might end up supplying the worst nuclear violator with the means to acquire the very weapons we're trying to prevent it acquiring," Henry Sokolski told the Far Eastern Economic Review.

[Nicobie]

the nut with the nuke

[floydian slip]

all the talk about sanctions is pretty laughable, this is the UN we are talking about here. just like the sanctions worked in iraq they will work just as well in NK.

why wont the U.S. just talk with them, pretty snobby i'd say

freaking diplomacy my ass

[theknife]

Originally Posted by floydian slip

why wont the U.S. just talk with them, pretty snobby i'd say

freaking diplomacy my ass

great point...

the most fundamental flaw in our foreign policy approach, imho, is a refusal to talk to our enemies. Donald Gregg, National Security Advisor to Bush 41:

Why won't the Bush administration talk bilaterally and substantively with NK, as the Brits (and eventually the US) did with Libya? Because the Bush administration sees diplomacy as something to be engaged in with another country as a reward for that country's good behavior. They seem not to see diplomacy as a tool to be used with antagonistic countries or parties, that might bring about an improvement in the behavior of such entities, and a resolution to the issues that trouble us. Thus we do not talk to Iran, Syria, Hizballah or North Korea. We only talk to our friends -- a huge mistake.

when you won't talk, your range of options narrows considerably.

[Nicobie]

Originally Posted by floydian slip

why wont the U.S. just talk with them, pretty snobby i'd say

freaking diplomacy my ass

The man is wacked. He is interested in blackmail.

Pay attention.

pls.

[Mazer]

Why won't the Bush administration talk bilaterally and substantively with NK

For years now, Bush has been trying to initiate mutilateral talks among North Korea, China, Russia, and other interested countries in the region. He understands, correctly, that if any agreement is to be enforced then China must be the enforcer since they're the only nation Kim Jong Il will listen to. We just don't have the cards to force North Korea to obey us; by the time bilateral talks yield anything positive, one or two more nuclear tests will have taken place indicating that Il will be prepared to sell nukes to the highest bidders. If we can't get North Korea's neighbors to participate, then what's the point of talking to North Korea at all?

[albed]

What are they going to "talk" about with those nutjobs? And what's "talking" going to accomplish anyway? Everyone's made their positions clear.

It's just more of the blame america for everything propaganda that they won't "talk" with rogue nations.

[RDixon]

PRESIDENT REAGAN

Mid-1980s: First signs of North Korea nuclear program detected by US intelligence.

1986: North Korea produces plutonium in reactor.


PRESIDENT GEORGE H. W. BUSH

1991: US begins talks with North Korea to end to nuclear program.

1992: North Korea has separated an estimated 0-10kg of weapons-grade plutonium, enough for 1 to 2 bombs.


PRESIDENT CLINTON

1993: North Korea announces it will leave nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; US prepares to attack nuclear sites.

1994: Clinton Administration reaches Agreed Framework, North Korea freezes nuclear production for the next eight years.

August 1998: North Korea tests medium-range “Taep’o-dong-1″ missile.

December 1998: North Korea warns they will test another missile, but pressure from US dissuades them.

September 1999: Pyongyang agrees to long-range missile moratorium.

October 2000: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is highest ranking US official to ever meet with Kim Jong Il.


PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

March 6, 2001: Secretary of State Colin Powell says the administration will “pick up where President Clinton left off.”

March 7, 2001: President Bush undercuts Powell, declares negotiations will take on a different tone.

January 2002: Bush labels North Korea a member of the “Axis of Evil.”

March 2003: United States invades Iraq.

April 2003: North Korea withdraws from the Non-Proliferation Treaty; soon thereafter, they restart their reactor.

April 2005: North Korea appears to unload nuclear reactor with up to another 15 kg of weapons-grade plutonium.

September 19, 2005: In six-party talks North Korea agrees to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for incentives package.

September 19, 2005: US labels bank that provides financial support for North Korean Government Agencies as “money laundering concern.” Bank freezes North Korean assets; causes collapse of September 2005 agreement.

June 2006: North Korea is believed to have now produced enough plutonium for 4 to 13 nuclear bombs.

July 2006: North Korea tests missiles: one medium-range and five short-range. Medium-range “Taep’o-dong-2 fails.

October 3, 2006: Kim Jong Il announces North Korea plans to test nuclear weapons.

October 4, 2006: North Korea asserts that nuclear test is a measure to “bolstering its nuclear deterrent as a self-defense measure.”

Mid-2008: If North Korea unloads another batch of fuel, it may have enough nuclear material for 8 to 17 nuclear bombs.

[theknife]

containment works. it's also an attractive alternative to being mired in unwinnable wars.

[TankGirl]

US tests confirm North Korea nuclear blast