Posted on 08/18/2006 5:54:55 PM PDT by garbageseeker
CAMP DAVID, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush warned North Korea against nuclear testing but would not say whether he had information confirming that preparations for such a test were under way.
"It's a hypothetical question," Bush told reporters. "And you're asking me to divulge intelligence information I have. I'm not going to do that, as you know."
But he added: "If North Korea were to conduct a test, it's just a constant reminder for people in the neighborhood, in particular, that North Korea poses a threat."
The US television network ABC reported on Thursday that North Korea may be preparing to conduct an underground test of a nuclear bomb.
"It is the view of the intelligence community that a test is real possibility," the network quoted a senior US State Department official as saying.
A senior military official told ABC that an unidentified US intelligence agency had recently observed "suspicious vehicle movement" at a suspected North Korean test site.
The activity included the unloading of large reels of cable outside an underground facility called Pungyee-yok in northeast North Korea, it said.
ABC said cables can be used in nuclear testing to connect an underground test site to observation equipment.
It said the intelligence had been brought to the attention of the White House last week but cautioned that it was "not conclusive."
An imminent nuclear test was predicted in North Korea last year but no test occurred.
ABC said underground nuclear tests are "notoriously difficult" to detect ahead of time and noted that the United States had failed to predict nuclear tests by India and Pakistan in 1998.
North Korea claims to have built nuclear weapons and sparked international alarm last month by test-firing seven ballistic missiles.
In Huntsville, Alabama on Tuesday the head of the US missile defense agency said he expects to make recommendations in a matter of months on where to position interceptor missiles and radar in Europe to best protect against the threat of Iranian missiles.
The European site would be the first expansion outside of the United States of an unproven US missile defense system that currently is aimed at thwarting a limited long-range missile attack by North Korea.
"We are facing a real threat," General Henry Obering said in a speech in Huntsville. "It is one that is growing. It is one that I consider to be one of the preeminent threats we'll face in the 21st century."
Obering's comments came just weeks after North Korea test fired a long-range Taepo-dong 2 missile and six shorter range Nodong and Scud-type missiles.
Although the long-range missile test failed early in flight, the others were successful.
"And so we have to be careful that we don't jump to the wrong conclusions about it. Even though they had a failure in a long range test does not mean they don't have capability," Obering said.
...or, he'll do what? Ignore Kim Jung Il's birthday?
I figured Kimmy wasn't just fiddlin' fruits during his disappearance from the public eye. Not good. bttt
Anyopne want to be that the Kimster was in Iran?
Bump.
Send them a strongly worded letter....
Warning, warning, I'm warning you!
Can somebody please dig up Ronald Reagan and set up a press conference.
Your forgetting Will Robinson.
LOL
ping
I think Bush is egging on Kim, and Kim will go for it.
ROFL! (Wow, does that show and those words bring back memories. Hubby and I often say to each other, "danger, danger, Will Robinson" when some situation calls for a warning. Often spoken as I dish up a steaming hot bowl of my homemade chili. LOL)
Kim will do it. He is crazy enough.
Thanks for this thread, garbageseeker. I'll have to check in later and see what folks are saying. Haven't heard anyone talking lately about August 22nd. Hopefully Kimmy isn't planning on a playdate with Ahdeminijadddadddadda. (I swear I'll never be able to pronounce that name..LOL) Only 4 days away now and here I sit without an ample supply of tinfoil.
Wow we are really letting the warnings pile up. I wouldnt be surprised if they test that we....enter into discussions with many parties to outline future to be determined steps that could lead to three tiered meetings to initiate hurdles that if triggered could lead to further sanctions.....
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