Posted on 08/17/2010 6:41:37 AM PDT by Scythian
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Israel has "eight days" to launch a military strike against Iran's Bushehr nuclear facility and stop Tehran from acquiring a functioning atomic plant, a former US envoy to the UN has said.
Iran is to bring online its first nuclear power reactor, built with Russia's help, on August 21, when a shipment of nuclear fuel will be loaded into the plant's core.
At that point, John Bolton warned Monday, it will be too late for Israel to launch a military strike against the facility because any attack would spread radiation and affect Iranian civilians.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Sooooooo - hmmmm - sounds to me like this isn’t nearly as big of a deal as some are making it out to be? That it is not what Iran needs to make nuclear weapons. So, if this day comes and goes it is not the end. ? That is what I am reading on this thread from those in the know. At least that is what it sounds like.
The fuel rods change significantly the first time the reactor goes critical, not in a loss of particular uranium isotopes, but in the addition of short- and medium-lived reaction byproducts.
What it sounds like you're saying is there's a larger window depending on certain variables for the rods to go fully hot?
Useful web based graphic tool for predicting nuclear bomb damage.
Ping to post # 96.
Don’t listen to them silverknight - those that think Bushehr isn’t a big deal have been bamboozled.
This is a quote form General Thomas McInerney on frontpagemag today...
“The danger is that 40 to 60 plutonium bombs could be manufactured once the Bushehr plant is online so the IDF must strike Iran now,” he said. “Iran may have crossed the nuclear threshold, which is unacceptable.”
I can’t decide what to blow up first. lol
I was going for Mecca, and the I thought no, how about NYC, thats the real target and I live about 5 hours North.
Luckily for you the wind doesn’t often travel from NYC to VT. Hundreds of thousands of citified refugees might be worse than a cloud of radiation though.
Maybe they can make it look like somebody else did it.
As I am beginning to understand it, weapons-grade plutonium is produced by controlling the extent to which uranium fuel elements are irradiated with neutrons in the reactor.
This is known as the “fuel burn-up” rate. Apparently, even a PWR (Russian WER) could produce PU-239 in usable quantities: this is done by using an effective neutron flux that only extracts ~ one hundreth of the usual amount of MW-days-per-ton-of-fuel.
For example: a ton of enriched Uranium fuel might typically yield 40000 MW-days of energy when used efficiently in a commercial reactor. The fuel rods would show a build-up of Plutonium 240 and other non-fissile plutonium isotopes: useless for weapons.
But a ‘wasteful’ low neutron-flux that yields only 400 MW-days of energy per ton of fuel would give lousy fuel mileage, but would create a usable yield of Plutonium 239
I’m still new to this, so I stand to be corrected. But right now it does indeed look as if Bushehr could be run as a Pu-239 production plant. Perhaps they could use one reactor to make electricity ‘for show’, and make Pu-239 with the other.
It all depends on he size of the device. It looks like Obama is moving to focus Muslim International outrage on NYC. The trials of the Guantanamo Sheiks have fizzled, the mosque is the next issue.The World Caliphate want New York destroyed.
They know they will get only one more chance before we rip them a new asshole by destroying every place they are known to gather, under the next president. We will level them in a week with strategic stand off weapons,some nuclear, no more fooling around. That will be the result if Obama succeeds in his invitation for the World Caliphate to nuke NYC.
I hadn't thought of it that way. It sure does explain the pattern of his actions.
You seem to know your stuff. Re my post above: do you suppose that the Bushehr WER could in fact be deliberately run as a Plutonium-239 farm by changing the fuel burn-up rate?
This would appear to be analogous to the effect of a short core-residence time - not enough neutron capture takes place to create the useless heavier Pu isotopes because the flux is deliberately kept suboptimal for energy generation (but optimal for enrichment)?
This Mosque will be a tourist attraction to moslems. Tourist attractions bring businesses. Businesses bring residential conversions like lofts and apartments and condos. If you've been to Jerusalem, look outside the Danmascus gate.
This will be a foothold in a part of Manhattan where they previously haven't had a foothold, in addition to being a huge symbol of 9/11 attacks as a victory.
They already have neighborhoods in NJ and the five boroughs. The more they can encroach upon the south and midtown of manhattan, the more they are taking over the heart of the city.
“No they do not fly USN style a/c, but the Iranians will fall for anything.”
I think that it may be a mistake to underestimate the Iranians.
Although hampered by the Islamic Fundementalists running the Goverment, Iranians are at least of average human intelligence. They will not fool so easily as you suggest.
Unless things have changed from the Carter era, as soon as the reactor is bombed they will immediately begin shooting each other.
Have you seen the latest news? They downed one of their own today, 6 miles out from the reactor.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2572492/posts
Missile defence activation is at 20 miles.
I am not under-estimating the Iranians. I am telling the truth. Any force with any intel tech can get in and out of there without them even knowing who it was.Which is my point.
The Iranians have a 12th century military culture and command structure combined with modern high tech weapons from the Russians. Somehow they do not mix!
Buahahahahahahahahaa!
“Great. I just got married and bought my first home and the world is going to end.”
Congratulations!
With all the talk about December 2012, my grandson’s concern is that he won’t be able to get his driver’s license in 2013!
” The Iranians have a 12th century military culture and command structure combined with modern high tech weapons from the Russians. Somehow they do not mix!”
Buahahahahahahahahaa!
Too easy ;-)
I'm afraid I have not read it.
“The Iranians have a 12th century military culture and command structure combined with modern high tech weapons from the Russians. Somehow they do not mix!”
You are right on that point! Still I’m cautious on capabilty assessment.......
I see that their air defense missles work, even when they shoot them at their own guys......Wonder if the Russian stuff is fool proof?
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