By Fox News has a pretty good report out that claims that the North Koreans may execute another nuclear test in response to the worthless UN sanctions I posted on yesterday. What I would be concerned about more then anything if they launch a third nuclear test is that the North Koreans must have no concerns about running out of enriched plutonium to use if they keep doing nuclear tests. Plus the nuclear tests have lost their shock value. If North Korea really wants to heighten tensions with their nuclear program, they could detonate a bomb using enriched uranium which right now all indications are they do not have the capability to do this yet.
However, what I found of most interest in the article was how US intelligence “lost” where the Taepodong-2 missile went:
As top Obama administration officials weigh this prized data and what actions they might take to counter North Korea’s plans for a third nuclear test, American intelligence analysts have also encountered setback in their efforts to track developments in the reclusive Stalinist country.
Where U.S. officials had observed the arrival of the first-stage transporter for a Taepodong-2 at Yunsong by June 2, leading to predictions of an imminent launch by officials as high-ranking as Defense Secretary Robert Gates, sources now tell FOX News they see no significant activity consistent with an imminent launch.
“The TD-2 activity has been rather dormant,” one source said.
As well, where American intelligence officials on June 9 observed components for the long-range Musudan missile leaving the Wapo-ri installation area, they have now “lost track of them,” FOX News has learned.
“We spotted the TELs [Transporter-Erector-Launchers] and then we lost track of them,” a source said. “NGA lost track.”
NGA refers to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a unit the Defense Department that provides imagery and geospatial information for military and civilian purposes.
“It’s disturbing,” the source added. [Fox News]
Personally I’m surprised this was leaked from the Pentagon. Why would you want the enemy to know you lost track of their missile? Unless this is a deliberate disinformation campaign to make the North Koreans think we lost track of their missile?
12:02 pm on June 12th, 2009 1
I was thinking the same thing about the using up of nuke material.
I wonder if there is a way the North would try faking nuke tests?
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7:36 pm on June 12th, 2009 2
I have yet to see conclusive evidence that NK has exploded a nuclear weapon. I may be wrong, but of the two test explosions, neither have given conclusive evidence. 1st test, detection of radioactive air particles from Russia and sismac(sp) tremors, that would be equal to either a failed, or very low power nuke, 2nd test, no reports of radiation or other data other than the sismac(sp) tremor reported before the NKs anounced their so called test.
Can a test be faked? Yes, with large amounts of non nuclear munitions. I think radioactivity in the air could also be faked. Add plutonium to the blast and let the material into the air.
Too unsophisticated for the North to pull off?
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June 12th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Thats seismic
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7:57 pm on June 12th, 2009 3
I agree that it makes no sense for the Pentagon to release data that they lost track of the TP2. My only guess is that some person in the new administration who is so bent on pentagon incompetence that it was his /her show of proof. Very unproffesional and dangerous to the country.
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