North Korea, now with blasts, mushroom clouds...

[Jon P. Inghram]

A large explosion occurred in the northern part of North Korea, 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.

[Helevitia]

I wonder what it will turn out to be?

[xortam]

Gee, and I just went out and spent tons of money on a Korean FL washer and dryer today. Hmmm

[Wombat]

CNN is saying it wasn't nuclear. Would like more info.

[Dr Mordrid]

Reuters is reporting that SK's seismographs didn't report any earth tremors. Nevertheless NK has been threatening to test a nuclear device in the near future and a small one (1kt or less) may not have produced enough of a tremor to pique any interest.

Dr. Mordrid

[az]

Any sufficiently big explosion can create a mushroom cloud.

AZ

[Dr Mordrid]

Word is that this one happened near an underground missle complex.

I guess we could hope it was an un-intentional underground test

Dr. Mordrid

[schmosef]

That would be sweet.

[Paddy]

Yahoo news is swamped - I can't see the video atm

[Paddy]

Ahh.. it's on the BBC website. (and you don't have to subscribe like with CNN)

[Dr Mordrid]

I hope nobody takes this as TEMP material, as it's just some observations of the obvious and a prediction;

Iran is thumbing its nose at the UN, IAEA and everyone else. They have also tested a nuclear-capable medium range ballistic missile system (MRBM) that can reach as far as Sweden, Norway and the UK on the north and Israel. North Korea is doing likewise.

Both are presuming that after the split in the western alliance caused by the war in Iraq that they're safe. IMO they're VERY wrong.

Russia has CERTAINLY found out that the Chechen terrorists are getting support from AQ and other muslim terrorist organizations; namely HAMAS, Hizboullah and others directly linked to and/or funded by Iran.

Who's directly south of Chechnya and in a position to provide the terrorists with training camps and logistical support? Iran.

What did a high level Russian General state this week? That they will "pursue these terrorists to the ends of the Earth" in a manner that implies their basic acceptance of the Bush Doctrine.

France has been put on notice that their practice of appeasing muslim terrorists isn't doing them any good. They've had two people kidnapped and have received direct threats from muslim terrorist groups including AQ. Germany and France both are seeing Iran thumb their noses at them re: the IAEA demands.

IMO if Iran and NK keep this up, and especially if NK tests a nuke, they have at most several months before an alliance will form and attack BOTH.

I'm guessing on most of the major NATO countries, Russia and maybe even China since all are at risk if either destabilizes their surroundings.

I include China because if the Western Pacific is destabilized it could start a nuclear arms race in the area (Japan, South Korea and perhaps even Formosa) that is definitely not in their interests.

There may well not be a land attack, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to be in a terrorist camp or nuclear facilty in either place when the stealth bombers arrive and the cruise missiles and bunker-buster bombs start to fall.

Dr. Mordrid

[Wombat]

Bah, nobody's going to attack NK. They could level Seoul in a second. Can't evaculate all of SK.

[Dr Mordrid]

Three words:

Standard Missile-3 (SM-3)

They use kinetic kill warheads and can take out a missile in boost, cruise or terminal phases at altitudes up to 100 miles.

They go operational in ground-based stations including Alaska at the end of this month. Sea-launch capability on Aegis cruisers gets deployed in early-mid 2005.

Dr. Mordrid

[SpiralDragon]

thats technicly 2 words and a number...

[SpiralDragon]

sory Doc.. ... any way what are SM-3s... your link wont load on this crapy machine