Koreans showed nuclear weapons

Koreans showed nuclear weapons
David E. Sanger / NYT
Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Pakistani was first to see secrets

WASHINGTON Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Pakistani scientist who sold nuclear technology around the world, has told his interrogators that during a trip to North Korea five years ago, he was taken to a secret underground nuclear plant and shown what he described as three nuclear devices, according to Asian and U.S. officials who have been briefed by the Pakistanis.

If Khan's report is true, this would mark the first time that any foreigner has reported seeing North Korean nuclear devices. Past CIA assessments of North Korea's nuclear capability have been based on knowledge of its plutonium production and assessments that North Korea had the technical ability to turn plutonium into weapons.

Khan, known as the father of the Pakistani bomb, said he was allowed to inspect the weapons briefly, according to the account that Pakistan has begun to provide in classified briefings to nations within reach of North Korea's missiles. U.S. intelligence officials caution that they cannot say whether Khan had the time, expertise or equipment to verify the claims. But they note that the number of plutonium weapons roughly accords with previous CIA estimates that North Korea had one or two weapons and the ability to produce more.

White House officials declined to discuss the intelligence reports, saying through a spokesman that the subject was "too sensitive." But Vice President Dick Cheney was fully briefed on Khan's assertions before he left for Asia over the weekend, and he was expected to cite the intelligence to China's leaders on Tuesday to press the point that negotiations over disarming North Korea are going too slowly, administration officials said. They expect him to argue that the Bush administration is losing patience and may seek stronger action including sanctions at the United Nations.

more here
http://www.iht.com/articles/514556.htm

How many times will BushCo be taken for fools?

Which is a pretty appropriate quote, considering the original subject was nuclear proliferation.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/04/14/200404140011.asp

from the article---

"First, he wasted years and months allowing his ideological and visceral reaction to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il to prevent serious talks addressing the North Korean nuclear threat. The Bush administration also failed to devote the necessary resources and skills to address nuclear dangers in Iran, Israel, India, Pakistan and the former Soviet Union.

Worse, every day Bush deepens his failure to lead by example, to demonstrate by his actions adherence to a proposition that even Ronald Reagan eventually accepted: A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. If the U.S., as the country with the largest number of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, fails to live up to its treaty obligations, how can the rest of the world be expected to comply with theirs? "
-----snip


How can the rest of the world be expected to comply indeed....

I can clearly see the response, "be patriotic and support the President. We can't let elections endanger national security, so they must be suspended until this crisis is over!" :scared:

the response by the Bush Administration will be swift and decisive. We'll invade Iraq.

Now you may ask - "Why would we invade a country we've already invaded?" But the answer is simple - it'll keep the terrorists on their toes. That's what they're least expecting.

Some will object, arguing that North Korea, not Iraq, was to blame. But can you prove that Iraqis don't have ties to North Korea? No you can't. And absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

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They have weapons of mass destruction!

But they have no oil, only a lot of hungry people.

Nothing in it for Boy George & friends.

Never mind. Move on. *sarcasm*

Iraq had a lot of hungry people too.
And people who needed Freedom(tm)...
Many good reasons aren't they...? ^_^


On the other hand... I can't really see US troops messing around in NK... much too close to China... some irons are just too hot..