NEWS: Mushroom Cloud Seen After N.Korea Explosion 9/9/04

I don't think our guys want to say its nuclear too early. Its most likely a nuclear explosion, IMHO. If NK thought this was our doing, it'd be on the news alot sooner than today if it had happened Thursday.

Originally posted by PublicGadfly
[url=http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=65057BE4-5FD1-4278-Just beacuse something produces a mushroom doesn't mean nuclear.

Agreed, most notably a FAE, but the main fireball is being reported as around 2.5 miles in diameter. Thats pretty big for a conventional bomb. Maybe, just maybe a Compressed national gas facility?

Originally posted by zcheng

Originally posted by Janus
Well it could be any of the things suggested here, the only thing we can do is watch and see how it develops.What ever it is it is significant that there is no varified evidence comming from anywhere.Colin Powell seems to be the only one of any significance who has come out and said what it isnt.
Id like to see someone credible say what the hell it is.
Im beggining to think that maybe it wasnt a nuke. Perhaps an accident at their missile facility?

You think Powell will admit it was an attack of US against NK?

If it was a US attack on NK, then NK would have come out and said something pretty damn fast, remember, this didn't happen today, it happened days ago. The reason why they're not talking is because they don't want the world to know what happened, which indicates some kinda major accident or perhaps internal sabotage at a facility.

But then why all the intrigue and why not just say what really happened? This is just not making sense. The more time that goes by without a real explanation the more troubling this is. Already at this point I can't see anyone here accepting any official explanation as the truth.

Until North Korea releases information just about anything else that is released is pure speculation. However if N K were to release something would it be credible?

Originally posted by UM_Gazz
IF that happens Kim Jong Ill will launch anything and everything he has.
How good is our missile defence system these days?

I think he will as well. That braiwashed army of his is poised to overrun SK and our troops stationed there. The missile shield is still not operational. i do not know how many of the missiles are in thier silos at Ft. Greenly, but it cannot be that many. Add to the fact that it is not fully tested either. Pucker Factor

Originally posted by rangeroftheeast
This wasn't a nuclear explosion. If it was, we would have known about it right away. Any nuclear explosion can be detected instantly due to the signature it leaves in its wake, and the US is constantly monitoring for these things 24/7.

This was probably a massive explosion in a munitions factory or store in the mountainside, there are a lot of those facialities in that area. It could also have been a missile plant or fuel depot. Only takes one accident to set off a massive chain reaction and the whole mountainside would be obliterated.

Logical and supports the few facts we know. I'm inclined to agree based on NKs little train accident back in April. These guys don't have a great safety record.

It seems evident that Japan and/or SK would have been screaming bloody murder if either of them had detected a nuclear explosion either through air testing or seismic activity.

Originally posted by JediMaster
I don't think our guys want to say its nuclear too early. Its most likely a nuclear explosion, IMHO.

South Korea confirmed it wasn't :

�If a nuclear test causes an explosion, we can detect it by reading satellite data. Thus, the recent explosion in North Korea was not caused by a nuclear test.�

Originally posted by Janus
A strike like that from the US would be very reckless. and to use a Nuke to destroy a facility like that would be akin to using a Sledge Hammer to break a wallnut. Conventional weapons would be able to do the same thing Cruise would be good choice.

I agree, the US would not use a Nuke, when they could send some B-2's and CALCM's to take out the site. If the US used Nukes for a first strike, we would lose all pretnece of credability and every nation in the world would arm up with them just for prevention. Nor would a conventional airstrike cause a bomb to go critical. Thats not how a nuke works. Create a radiation problem yes, but a fission reaction, no way.

Why would we attack NK? Why would we goad NK into something we couldn't handle? I mean, if they wanted to fight, we couldn't win, not right now. Even if we could win, are we ready to loose hundreds of thousands of American and South Koreans in the process? We don't have the troops, even with a draft, and no country is going to help us unless we mend some fences first with our allies. That's why, accident or not, I don't think we were involved.

Don't know if you've seen this yet, it looks like there were 2 blasts, not just one:

The South Korean government used its own seismic monitors and air reconnaissance to detect the two explosions that occurred last week near North Korea's border with China, government officials said.

The Korea Meteorological Administration's measuring of a 2.6 on the Richter scale.

- JoongAng Ilbo

They say that explosion was near a Ballistic missile facility, i dont know what kind of fuel they use but would an accident at their Fuel strorage depot cause that kind of explosion?

Originally posted by curme
Why would we attack NK? Why would we goad NK into something we couldn't handle? I mean, if they wanted to fight, we couldn't win, not right now. Even if we could win, are we ready to loose hundreds of thousands of American and South Koreans in the process?

This is a good point. Trying to fight 2 major wars at the same time would be a disaster. ANd lets say we agree with Zchengs narrow view of America and say Okay we did do it:

Why only that attack
How come there has not been any change in military posture in the Pacific?
I mean they should have put the whole fleet out to see in the pacific to support the inevitable Kim invasion following that event.
Why would we do it before the very very limited missile shield is in place?

These are but a few questions: As I asked last night, If this was a test, why was it above ground? Kim knows that we can detect underground tests. Why contaminate your own territory with a surface burst?

Originally posted by Janus
They say that explosion was near a Ballistic missile facility, i dont know what kind of fuel they use but would an accident at their Fuel strorage depot cause that kind of explosion?

That would depend on the amount of fuel, if it was a very large storage site, with perhaps other facilites closeby, then yes, its possible.

The largest non-nuclear explosion hit 6.8 on the richter scale, whatever went off in NK was less that 3 on the scale, so its nowhere near anything historic.

The largest non-nuclear explosion hit 6.8 on the richter scale, whatever went off in NK was less that 3 on the scale, so its nowhere near anything historic.

Thats in interesting fact, what explosion was it that would cause a 6.8

CNN reporting.... no nukes ....

www.cnn.com...


North Korea cloud 'not nuke blast'

SEOUL, 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.

Originally posted by FredT
These are but a few questions: As I asked last night, If this was a test, why was it above ground? Kim knows that we can detect underground tests. Why contaminate your own territory with a surface burst?

Better pictures. If KJI is a narcicistic as dotgov101 laid out, he would certainly want to see it.

I am torn on this. News channels barely give it a mention. But when the train explosion happened they were all over it. Are they not covering it because they are being asked not to?

And, just on the attack theory, are we so good, that we can set the explosions to go off at 9:11? I mean, if it was a black-ops team, they would have to plan very well, to get in and out, and set the bombs for 9:11. Or was that 9:11 time debinked yet? Sounds a little fishy to me.

I am torn on this. News channels barely give it a mention. But when the train explosion happened they were all over it. Are they not covering it because they are being asked not to?

Maybe there isn't enough reliable info to make this a major story yet.
If there isn't alot of info its hard to make a wall to wall story on one of the 24/7 news channels.

Originally posted by Skibum

I am torn on this. News channels barely give it a mention. But when the train explosion happened they were all over it. Are they not covering it because they are being asked not to?

Maybe there isn't enough reliable info to make this a major story yet.
If there isn't alot of info its hard to make a wall to wall story on one of the 24/7 news channels.

Exactly, theres no video, stills, no word from NK, no word on deaths or injuries, so what exactly can the media do except show a map and say that there was an explosion a few days ago and it probably wasn't nuclear. We'll probably get some commercial sat imagery in the nexct 24 hours and it'll be interesting to see what the UK officials visiting NK will get, if anything.

Originally posted by curme
Why would we attack NK? Why would we goad NK into something we couldn't handle? I mean, if they wanted to fight, we couldn't win, not right now. Even if we could win, are we ready to loose hundreds of thousands of American and South Koreans in the process? We don't have the troops, even with a draft, and no country is going to help us unless we mend some fences first with our allies. That's why, accident or not, I don't think we were involved.

Would not it convenient to explode NK storage facility by blackops, thus avoiding all-out war just yet?