Activity At North Korean Nuclear Facility
US satellites have beamed images back to our intel guys, and after their announcement yesterday that they would go ahead with a nuclear test it appears that North Korea is preparing for their test:
AMERICAN spy satellites have detected unusual activity at a suspected North Korean nuclear test site, suggesting that Pyongyang is preparing to carry out its threat to explode an underground atomic device.
A US official said: “We have seen some activity in the area — personnel, vehicles, materials, things of that nature.”
The movements were spotted recently at one of a number of suspected sites that are closely monitored by the Americans. The official insisted that the findings were not conclusive.
The Pentagon assessment was expected to heighten tension in the region, where China, Japan and South Korea all appealed to the regime in Pyongyang not to carry out its threat to detonate an underground nuclear device.
Last night Christopher Hill, the US Assistant Secretary of State, said that Washington had warned North Korea not to conduct the test. “We are not going to live with a nuclear North Korea,” he said.
China, which has close ties with Pyongyang, urged the regime of Kim Jong Il to “keep calm and restrained on the nuclear test issue”. The leaders of China, Japan and South Korea will hold a series of meetings over the weekend to co-ordinate their position.
One option being discussed last night at the United Nations would be a Security Council resolution that warns North Korea that it could face further international isolation. While Japan is pressing for the move, China and South Korea favour persuading North Korea to return to six-party talks it broke off last year.
Beyond concern about the immediate impact of a nuclear test on the region are the longer-term consequences on North Asia, which many fear could undergo a dramatic military escalation.
Yu Myung Hwan, the South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister, gave warning yesterday that a nuclear test by North Korea could “provide a pretext for Japan’s nuclear armament”.
A nuclear-armed Japan might make some nervous in the region. However, a nuclear-armed North Korea would have everyone scared sh**less in the region. Kim Jong-Il is a loon, and can't be gauged reasonably. He's so quirky that he might react to something that most consider a minor slight. I'm apt to agree with Japan's idea. Further isolating North Korea, cutting off ALL trade with them (and this includes China; Lord knows how it will be enforced), and refusing to recognize any of their diplomatic officials might be enough to force them back to the talks. China and South Korea calling for persuasion is nothing more than a stalling tactic. I'm not sure exactly why South Korea would call for such a lethargic pace in getting them back to the talks. China benefits because it gives their little pit-bull a chance to get their test off, and creating a warhead for their missiles.
What will we do? Hopefully we'll react like Japan is. Keep them isolated and fairly contained. But the real danger of their nuclear program isn't going to go away. We need to have more of a strategy than simply isolation. Economic and trade pressure needs to be applied here, as well. The country is close to collapse. And IU know there'll be people who cringe at the humanitarian crisis that could unfold. What those people don;t realize is the crisis is already ongoing, and the departure of Kim Jong-Il and his Communist regime can only be seen as a blessing not just ot the world, but the oppressed preople of North Korea, too.
Sabrina McKinney
US satellites have beamed images back to our intel guys, and after their announcement yesterday that they would go ahead with a nuclear test it appears that North Korea is preparing for their test:
AMERICAN spy satellites have detected unusual activity at a suspected North Korean nuclear test site, suggesting that Pyongyang is preparing to carry out its threat to explode an underground atomic device.
A US official said: “We have seen some activity in the area — personnel, vehicles, materials, things of that nature.”
The movements were spotted recently at one of a number of suspected sites that are closely monitored by the Americans. The official insisted that the findings were not conclusive.
The Pentagon assessment was expected to heighten tension in the region, where China, Japan and South Korea all appealed to the regime in Pyongyang not to carry out its threat to detonate an underground nuclear device.
Last night Christopher Hill, the US Assistant Secretary of State, said that Washington had warned North Korea not to conduct the test. “We are not going to live with a nuclear North Korea,” he said.
China, which has close ties with Pyongyang, urged the regime of Kim Jong Il to “keep calm and restrained on the nuclear test issue”. The leaders of China, Japan and South Korea will hold a series of meetings over the weekend to co-ordinate their position.
One option being discussed last night at the United Nations would be a Security Council resolution that warns North Korea that it could face further international isolation. While Japan is pressing for the move, China and South Korea favour persuading North Korea to return to six-party talks it broke off last year.
Beyond concern about the immediate impact of a nuclear test on the region are the longer-term consequences on North Asia, which many fear could undergo a dramatic military escalation.
Yu Myung Hwan, the South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister, gave warning yesterday that a nuclear test by North Korea could “provide a pretext for Japan’s nuclear armament”.
A nuclear-armed Japan might make some nervous in the region. However, a nuclear-armed North Korea would have everyone scared sh**less in the region. Kim Jong-Il is a loon, and can't be gauged reasonably. He's so quirky that he might react to something that most consider a minor slight. I'm apt to agree with Japan's idea. Further isolating North Korea, cutting off ALL trade with them (and this includes China; Lord knows how it will be enforced), and refusing to recognize any of their diplomatic officials might be enough to force them back to the talks. China and South Korea calling for persuasion is nothing more than a stalling tactic. I'm not sure exactly why South Korea would call for such a lethargic pace in getting them back to the talks. China benefits because it gives their little pit-bull a chance to get their test off, and creating a warhead for their missiles.
What will we do? Hopefully we'll react like Japan is. Keep them isolated and fairly contained. But the real danger of their nuclear program isn't going to go away. We need to have more of a strategy than simply isolation. Economic and trade pressure needs to be applied here, as well. The country is close to collapse. And IU know there'll be people who cringe at the humanitarian crisis that could unfold. What those people don;t realize is the crisis is already ongoing, and the departure of Kim Jong-Il and his Communist regime can only be seen as a blessing not just ot the world, but the oppressed preople of North Korea, too.
Sabrina McKinney
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 5:33 PM
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