Large Explosion, Mushroom Cloud in North Korea!

[Nbadan]

A reliable source in Seoul's diplomatic community says Sunday a mushroom cloud with a radius of 3.5 to 4 kilometers was spotted in Kimhyongjik County in North Korea's northernmost inland province of Yanggang on Sept. 9.

Link

[Nbadan]

more...

"Nature of Blast in N. Korea Unclear: U.S. Diplomatic Sources
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- A diplomatic source here said a huge explosion reported to have occurred in North Korea appears not to be a nuclear weapons test, but said it remains unclear whether it was a natural disaster or an accident.

Another source raised the possibility of a forest fire, citing huge clouds of smoke, and added that there is a rumor that the explosion occurred near the Demilitarized Zone, not the northernmost province of Yanggang as reported."

Link

[Nbadan]

Atomic Activity in North Korea Raises Concerns
By DAVID E. SANGER and WILLIAM J. BROAD

Published: September 12, 2004

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 - President Bush and his top advisers have received intelligence reports in recent days describing a confusing series of actions by North Korea that some experts believe could indicate the country is preparing to conduct its first test explosion of a nuclear weapon, according to senior officials with access to the intelligence.

N.Y. Times

[Nbadan]

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- A large cloud that appeared over North Korea in satellite images several days ago was not the result of a nuclear explosion, according to a U.S. official.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency is reporting a huge explosion shook North Korea's northernmost province on Thursday producing a mushroom cloud over two miles (4 km) wide.

The blast coincided with the anniversary of North Korea's founding on Sepember 9 when various military activities are staged.

The U.S. official said the cloud could be the result of a forest fire....

CNN

Emergency over!? Nothing to see here, move along?? Or progressive conspiracy to force W to have to say Nucular again?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Well given their track record it could have been a big accident. After the whole train problem, and given the fact they have a big missile production facility in that part of the country (think rocket fuel), ya never know.

[MannyIsGod]

yo ucan't hide nuclear explosiions, even small ones. we would have known because of sesmiographs around the world would have picked it up.

[Yonivore]

Nuke 'em...I'm sick and tired of Kim Jong Mentally-Ill and his shenanigans. He's like a 8 year old with his first chemistry set, the er's gonna kill us all.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Go ahead and nuke NK. Just be prepared to say goodbye to Seoul, most of SK, not to mention LA, Washington, and most of the western seaboard.

[ChumpDumper]

What if he strikes first?

Isn't that a distinct possibility, given the fact that the South is working on nukes too -- deceiving international inspectors for years (sound familiar)?

So do we negotiate with this dictator?

Treat him differently than Saddam?

:Q

[ChumpDumper]

*crickets*

Getting tougher, isn't it?

[Yonivore]

No.

[Tommy Duncan]

Why must we equivocate when it comes to totalitarian regimes?

Sure, North Korea has been a problem for some time. Of course, I guess that missle defense initiative was a bad idea.

[ChumpDumper]

Why must we equivocate when it comes to totalitarian regimes?

So what's your plan? Invade?

Of course, I guess that missle defense initiative was a bad idea.

If he sells a nuke, it ain't coming on a missle.

[Tommy Duncan]

It starts with not comparing the North to the South.

NKorea reportedly has missles which can reach the West Coast. Your point?

[ChumpDumper]

Who is comparing North to South? -- that stuff about the South was an aside.

I'm comparing Kim to Saddam.

Should we treat them the same?

[Tommy Duncan]

Of course not because NKorea actually has a real army.

Oh, so it was an "aside." Whatever.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Well, what do you expect to do Chump?

We can trace any nuclear fuel in the world to its point of origin.

So either NK refined its own, or it gets it from China or Russia. The Russians aren't that stupid. The Chinese could be, of course with all the trade that's been opened up with them the last 10 years I think they wouldn't want to bite the hand that feeds them.

Long story short, whether NK fires a nuke at us itself or passes it off to some little AQ punk, the moment we trace it to them South Korea has a very large new parking lot to the north.

As insane as Kim Jong Il is, I'd rather not, at this point, give him an excuse to wipe out the west coast, South Korea, and truth be told probably some of our friends in Europe as well.

The last time tensions flared up, even the Chinese told NK to knock it off. While we are tacid opponents, they are keeping NK in check in my eyes.

[ChumpDumper]

Long story short, whether NK fires a nuke at us itself or passes it off to some little AQ punk, the moment we trace it to them South Korea has a very large new parking lot to the north.

So we wait for him to sell or use WMDs?

Of course not because NKorea actually has a real army.

So we only pick fights we think we can win easily and 1000 US lives is ok to stop a dictator but more isn't?

Ok.

[Tommy Duncan]

Not when said dictator has the ability to launch strikes against the US West Coast.

Hussein could be dealt with. After the weak response of the US to attacks on its interests throughout the 1990s it had to establish itself. We had a terrorist attack from abroad on the US mainland in 1993 and nothing was done. The US response in general to Islamic terrorism since the 1970s was to ignore it. Well guess what? It didn't ignore us.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Well, as much as people about losing 1000 men in Iraq, I can only imagine what the outcry would be if we lost the whole western US to nuclear attack for going into Iraq.

And as if the loss of lives wouldn't be enough, our economy would probably collapse (and in turn the entire economic structure of the free world).

But hey, if you think that's the way to go, I'm sure you can find a militia to join up with or something and talk about it.

[ChumpDumper]

So we wait until he strikes first or sells a WMD to someone who will.

Ok.

I just thought we wern't going to do that anymore.

[Tommy Duncan]

So we attack and then those who ed about 1,000 American KIAs in Iraq will support it? Yeah right.

Yes, we do what we can to address threats to this nation.

[ChumpDumper]

So we attack and then those who ed about 1,000 American KIAs in Iraq will support it? Yeah right.

Since when do you guys worry about that?

Yes, we do what we can to address threats to this nation.

Which in this case is nothing?

[Tommy Duncan]

Again, every intelligence agency in the world and the current administration and the last two thought he had WMDs and certainly had the desire to procure and use them and he was definitely moving from a secularist stance to one in support of Islamist extremism and yes, terrorism.

Try again.

[ChumpDumper]

Try what again?

I asked what should be done and "nothing" is the answer I get.