Gertz: U.S. doubts Korean test was nuclear

The Drudge Report ^ | October 9, 2006 | Drudge

[blogblogginaway]

GERTZ: U.S. doubts Korean test was nuclear; Readings fall short of atomic explosion... MORE...

U.S. intelligence agencies say, based on preliminary indications, that North Korea did not produce its first nuclear blast yesterday, WASHINGTON TIMES star reporter Bill Gertz is set to report in Tuesday editions.

U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that seismic readings show that the conventional high explosives used to create a chain reaction in a plutonium-based device went off, but that the blast's readings were shy of a typical nuclear detonation.

'There was a seismic event that registered about 4 on the Richter scale, but it still isn't clear if it was a nuclear test. You can get that kind of seismic reading from high explosives.'

The underground explosion, which Pyongyang dubbed a historic nuclear test, is thought to have been the equivalent of several hundred tons of TNT, far short of the several thousand tons of TNT, or kilotons, that are signs of a nuclear blast, the official said. Developing...

[justa-hairyape]

The ONLY reason that they "disapprove" is because we (the USA) are going to allow Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia to have their own nuclear programs.

I do not know if that is the ONLY reason, since I am not privy to their intel. The best scenario for Russia and China would have been the previous situation where everyone assumed North Korea had nukes, but there was no factual verification. That allowed the NK to possess at least a theoretical deterrent, while preventing Japan, S.K. and Taiwan from going nuclear. The nuclear issue is a political one in those countries. An actual verification of N.K. nukes cuts through the political inhibitions. Not only that, but verification also makes the Armistice null and void. Clearly we are back to a state of war now and the Russians and Chinese have lost control of the situation. It appears that N.K. may not be as strategically important to Russia and China as Iran. Oil possibly has something to do with that.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Not only that, but verification also makes the Armistice null and void. Clearly we are back to a state of war now and the Russians and Chinese have lost control of the situation.

Exactly.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Dick Morris just called for the US to provide nuclear weapons for Japan. The Dims will call for a Japanese first strike. Not good on one level, great on another.

[familyop]

"This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever - if simply the high explosive trigger goes off, you do NOT get an M 4 range earthquake."

Yep--especially from 6,000 feet down in a horizontal mineshaft. More media goons are spewing more fiction from their imaginations than I've seen on any one story in the past. They're desperate to put off military preparations and actions for their various reasons (anti-defense sentiments, investments,...). On the topic at hand, a test shot of a small nuke is worse than a test of a large one. That scares people of many varied interests, and it's natural for people to want to hide from immediate, small-cost-bearing responsibilities.

Besides, if Iran and North Korea are not stopped (and only one general way to do that, given their compulsions and attitudes), they'll fire nukes sooner or later.

[Raycpa]

U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity,

Didn't Reno and her gang want others to have nukes so that we are not the only super power?

[maryz]

He is going to look like a real jerk, if it is proved that this was a fake....not that he isn't allready.

Didn't early reports say that Kim was bragging that there was no radioactive leakage or something? Preemptive?

[HIDEK6]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that this "test" was actually a sales demonstration.

Kim is trying to fleece a sucker. He doesn't have a bomb, but he is saying he does in order to get someone to buy it from him.

[jerryem]

I would like to disagree with you Sir, with the modern explosive technology it would not be difficult to create such a blast, I personally know of an explosive that has a 500 to 1 greater impact than nitroglycerin, 25 tonnes of this used as a implosion ( not explosion )would create a good earthquake.

[mainepatsfan]

[jslade]

Didn't Reno and her gang want others to have nukes so that we are not the only super power?

IIRC that would be the hotel maid.....Maddie Halfbright.

[Right Wing Assault]

Maybe we should secretly lob (or drop) a Davy Crockett onto their test sight. Then we could tell the world that the Koreans indeed had a nuclear blast. We could also blame them for the mess of fallout produced. Finally, we would send NK a clear message concerning future tests.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Imagine if the administration is simply playing with Kim Jong-il and purposely deflating his grand act of nuke testing. That would drive the dictator up the walls (walls which we know he is already bouncing off of)!

You know, perhaps it's GWB's strateGeRy!

[COBOL2Java]

...the conventional high explosives used to create a chain reaction in a plutonium-based device went off, but that the blast's readings were shy of a typical nuclear detonation.

Dear Leader screaming at his scientists: "You said my kimchee capable of nuclear exprosion! What happen???"

[Lazamataz]

This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever - if simply the high explosive trigger goes off, you do NOT get an M 4 range earthquake.

No, but this is sure much more of a fizzle than a nuke.

[justa-hairyape]

Didn't Reno and her gang want others to have nukes so that we are not the only super power?

Anyone in the U.S. government that holds that belief should be Bauered (ie - put on a slow boat to China).

[skinkinthegrass]

Foiled by Team America?

"I'm so roney"....They'll talk to me now! :D

[kitd-fohs]

Au contraire, please read up on the Divine Strake project which utilizes a 700 ton ANFO subterranean charge designed to mimic low-yield subterranean nukes to destroy bunker complexes. That would indeed rattle some cages.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/ops/divine-strake5.htm

[HereInTheHeartland]

So they packed a bunch of explosives in a deep hole and blew it up? It sounds like it. Do they think we would be to stupid to not know the difference?

[kellynla]

BTTT

[NinoFan]

No, you weren't. No evidence yet that you were. Also, if it fizzled, that doesn't mean it was a fake. Sorry, you're going to have to wait for more evidence before you can do the "I Told You So"s