AggieDave 6 #1 September 12, 2004 No shit...well, that's what is being reported. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040912/ap_on_re_as/nkorea_explosion&e=1&ncid= QuoteBlast, Mushroom Cloud Reported in N. Korea 18 minutes ago By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA, Associated Press Writer SEOUL, South Korea - A large explosion occurred in the northern part of North Korea (news - web sites), sending a huge mushroom cloud into the air on an important anniversary of the communist regime, a South Korean news agency reported Sunday. The Yonhap news agency, citing an unidentified source in Beijing, said the explosion happened Thursday in Yanggang province near the border with China. The explosion in Kim Hyong Jik county blasted a crater big enough to be noticed by a satellite, the source said. "We understand that a mushroom-shaped cloud about 3.5 to 4 kilometers (about 2-2 1/2 miles) in diameter was monitored during the explosion," Yonhap quoted an unidentified diplomatic source in Seoul as saying. North Korea was founded Sept. 9, 1948. Leader Kim Jong Il uses the occasion to stage performances and other events to bolster loyalty among the impoverished North Korean population. Experts have speculated that North Korea might use a major anniversary to conduct a nuclear-related test, though there was no immediate indication that Thursday's reported explosion was linked to Pyongyang's efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Kim Hyong Jik is reported to hold a major missile base. North Korea, which has a large missile arsenal and more than 1 million soldiers, is dotted with military installations. South Korea (news - web sites)'s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Sunday the government was in the process of confirming reports there were signs of an explosion in North Korea. "I am not aware of details such as the size of the damage," he was quoted as saying by Yonhap after a National Security Council meeting. On Saturday, North Korea said recent revelations that South Korea conducted secret nuclear experiments involving uranium and plutonium made the communist state more determined to pursue its own atomic programs. The South Korean experiments, conducted in 1982 and 2000, were likely to further complicate the already stalled six-nation talks aimed at dismantling the North's nuclear development. South Korea has said the experiments were purely for research and did not reflect a desire to develop weapons. On April 22, train wagons at a railway station exploded in the North Korean town of Ryongchon, killing 160 people and injuring an estimated 1,300, according to some estimates. The blast was believed to have been sparked by a train laden with oil and chemicals that hit power lines. The source in the Yonhap report said Thursday's explosion reportedly was bigger than the train explosion. --"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #2 September 12, 2004 Unfortunately, my guts are telling me it was a nuke.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #3 September 12, 2004 Quote Unfortunately, my guts are telling me it was a nuke. And the roaches are saying..."meh, did you hear something?" Ok, seriously though...I think you're right.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #4 September 12, 2004 There have been "rumors" that NK will be testing a nuke shortly. Maybe this is "shortly"... BBC is confirming it, as well. Essentially the same story as Dave posted. It supposedly happened on 09/09. Thursday. If it was a nuclear explosion, would that have set a cloud of radiation out? Is this a concern for everyone? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frenchy68 0 #5 September 12, 2004 Not to speculate, but if it was a nuclear blast, it would probably have been detected by satelites. Sources in the article seem to be very careful about qualifying it as a "nuclear" blast. I can't imagine the Chinese being too happy about whatever happened though... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #6 September 12, 2004 So, if it was a nuke test . . . how f'in stupid are we for invading Iraq instead of North Korea?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #7 September 12, 2004 Oh geez...it never ends. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunaplanet 0 #8 September 12, 2004 It's ok. He's just frustrated because Kerry is falling faster in the polls than he does skydiving. Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #9 September 12, 2004 So, lemme get this right . . . you actually think that I give a shit whether or not you guys think that's a political statement? No. What I'm saying is . . . WE . . . as a nation clearly f'ed up by not going after somebody that can start WWIII. A -true- madman with nuclear capabilities.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #10 September 12, 2004 I've thought the same thing, quade. Why not go after NoKo? Many reasons: 1) Too tough to win. A legitimate chance they take SoKo with a million man army. We could win by nuking them, though. 2) What valuable resource do they have that's worth protecting? There's the true logic behind it. This coming from a Republican ex-Congressman I spoke to. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunaplanet 0 #11 September 12, 2004 Quotegoing after somebody that can start WWIII. You have to have nuclear weapons to start WWIII? Hmmm, interesting. Let's try and stay on topic. Plenty of other threads to spew Bush hatred. Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #12 September 12, 2004 I'm not saying that it wouldn't be difficult, but we actually -did- know that they were working on an active nuke program. THAT was well documented. I don't believe we -have- to resort to nukes to win against -anyone- at this point. Especially if we have very specific goals such as taking away a weapons facility. OK, Russia might be tough, but we'd still completely kick their ass in anything but a full on nuke war. Yes, we're -that- powerful. As for what resource do they have . . . I don't give a shit . . . I would just want to deny them nuke capabilities with Kim Jong Il at the helm -- don't even need to effect regime change, just totally destroy their weapons program and get the hell out. They rebuild -- we redestroy. If we did it enough times, they'd either give up or go financially bankrupt.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #13 September 12, 2004 I disagree. We do that, NoKo rolls through SoKo, and we'd have a hard time stopping them. Like, really hard time stopping them. We knock out a facility, they knock out everything to Inch'on. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #14 September 12, 2004 How many times do I have to say it? If this is true and North Korea has just demonstrated their nuke capabilities -- WE the US -- all of US have f'ed up on this. Why do you think this is a red v blue thread anyway? Is that really all you can see? Quote Let's try and stay on topic. Plenty of other threads to spew Bush hatred. 1. When it come to the business of forum management, don't -ever- tell me what to do in a forum I moderate. I win -every- argument when it comes to stuff like that. No question. You can leave that tactic of yours for use somewhere else. 2. I never mentioned GWB.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #15 September 12, 2004 QuoteWE . . . as a nation clearly f'ed up by not going after somebody that can start WWIII. A -true- madman with nuclear capabilities. I dunno. Going after a madman with nukes might be a good way to ensure he starts lobbing them around.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #16 September 12, 2004 Paul. You're smarter then this, take a second and think this one through. Look at the political structure of modern east Asia, also look at the history of Korea ancient currents and the modern history you probably know fairly well. My point is we shouldn't really fear N. Korea as much as we should fear what will happen if we go to war with them. Even though China and N. Korea haven't been the best of friends in recent history (past 30 years), who do you think is going to help their little brother? Remember, those N. Koreans aren't just political relatives, Korea's entire history revolves around China's history and people. China's weaknesses right now is the lack of a first class navy and no true ICBMs. Well the navy is being built and if you think that China's space program is to boost the morale of the Chinese people and help explore space...then I've got bridge to sell. Side note, what gets me about the WMD hunt in Iraq that liberals call a failure is that sure we didn't find "smoking gun." However we found all the parts to the gun laying on the table unassembled with bullets. Translation: we found all the right pieces hidden away in secure seperate locations and all the means for delievery once they were made, the quick and final step of tossing it all together hadn't been crossed. If you came home and found your kid with all the parts to a 1911 sitting on the kitchen table, I bet you wouldn't say "oh, well thats nothing, he has a slide, barrel, frame, recoil spring, magazine..." I bet you'd say "holy shit where did you get that gun?!" Side note rant done.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #17 September 12, 2004 Follow up: White house claming it wasn't "nuclur" http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/09/12/nkorea.blast/ QuoteSEOUL, 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 4 kilometers (two miles) 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. South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-yong said the government was aware of the reports and is checking them. "I have no information about the size of the damage of the explosion," he said on Sunday, according to Yonhap. Chung also said he believed there was no correlation between the explosion and reports of North Korea preparing for a possible nuclear test. The New York Times reported on Saturday that U.S. President George W. Bush and his top advisers recently received intelligence reports that could indicate North Korea is preparing its first nuclear test, citing senior officials with access to the intelligence. John Irvine, a reporter for Britain's ITN TV who is in Pyongyang, said there has been no official response from the North Korean government, although there is pressure to provide an explanation. "I'm touring outside Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, right now with the British Junior Foreign Minister Bill Rammell, who has just told me that he is demanding a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in North Korea," Irvine reported Sunday. "[Rammell] does have a meeting with a senior foreign minister here tomorrow and Mr. Fammell anticipates some answers at least by then." Yonhap reported the explosion happened in Yanggang province along the Chinese border, the site of Yongjori Missile Base -- a large facility with an underground missile firing range. According to data gathered by Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), Yongjori is a suspected site for North Korea's uranium enrichment program. According to its Web site, NTI is a private charity -- funded by CNN founder Ted Turner -- dedicated to lessen the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction -- nuclear, chemical and biological -- around the globe. -- CNN National Security Correspondent David Ensor and Correspondent Sohn Jie-Ae contributed to this report--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,131 #18 September 12, 2004 Quote Follow up: White house claming it wasn't "nuclur" ... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #19 September 12, 2004 Does anyone else think it's a little too Orwellian for the “US Official” to be telling people it’s just a forest fire while the whole world is trying to figure out what caused such a massive explosion, big enough to actually be seen and felt in SK. Somehow the Iraqi Information Minster comes to mind: "There was no explosion. It is just little forest fire. You no need worry, we will defeat the infidels". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #20 September 12, 2004 QuoteDoes anyone else think it's a little too Orwellian for the “US Official” to be telling people it’s just a forest fire while the whole world is trying to figure out what caused such a massive explosion, big enough to actually be seen and felt in SK. Somehow the Iraqi Information Minster comes to mind: "There was no explosion. It is just little forest fire. You no need worry, we will defeat the infidels". I think so too. I mean, if it was a nuclear blast, we're all going to know that sooner or later. A forest fire sounds pretty unlikely. On the other hand, maybe it was a downed alien spacecraft, and the MIB planted the whole forest fire story...-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydyvr 0 #21 September 12, 2004 QuoteAnd the roaches are saying..."meh, did you hear something?" Ha, pretty funny. . . =(_8^(1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #22 September 12, 2004 There is very little doubt in my mind.. That explosion was a low-grade nuclear blast. Our administration will deny it, while in secret imminent plans are likely being drawn up to "DEAL" with North Korea. The North Koreans are ten times more important to be dealing with than the middle east. They fucked up... Iran will likely be right behind them in the "oops, we fucked up" category. That size explosion "could have been" about the same size bomb as our Daisy Cutter.. My guess is low grade nuke... Rhino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #23 September 12, 2004 Quotehow f'in stupid are we for invading Iraq instead of North Korea? Pretty smart considering our troops would have been vaporized?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #24 September 12, 2004 QuoteAs for what resource do they have . . . I don't give a shit . . . I would just want to deny them nuke capabilities with Kim Jong Il at the helm -- don't even need to effect regime change, just totally destroy their weapons program and get the hell out. They rebuild -- we redestroy. If we did it enough times, they'd either give up or go financially bankrupt. I actually agree with you... We might want to consider feeding the millions of people there that are starving.. That would be the right thing to do anyways.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rhino 0 #25 September 12, 2004 QuoteI dunno. Going after a madman with nukes might be a good way to ensure he starts lobbing them around. Better to go after him while he only has a few to lob around than 1,000...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 3 4 Next Page 1 of 4 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
rhino 0 #25 September 12, 2004 QuoteI dunno. Going after a madman with nukes might be a good way to ensure he starts lobbing them around. Better to go after him while he only has a few to lob around than 1,000...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
