Breaking News
The AP is reporting that North Korea has detonated a nuclear weapon in the northeast of their country. CNN reports a Richter 4.7 earthquake in that same region (which is consistent).
Stand by for confirmation and estimated yield.
UPDATE (1540 local):
Well, it's been confirmed. North Korea announced the 2006 test for a few days before setting it off; this time the Chinese and the US had an hours' notice before the pedal was put to the metal. Everyone's condemning it and there's a great deal of Viewing with Alarm (CDT 19-g) about it. According to a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, the device was similar in yield to the Mark II bomb we dropped on Nagasaki - that is, it was in the 10-20 kiloton range, probably closer to 12 KT.
That makes it a city-killer.
Now, the DPRK can do several things. It can (and probably has started to) refine the design to make it deliverable by missile, and it could try to sell it to whoever bids highest. See, the DPRK needs money, has none of its own and has two national philosophies. Neither are compatible with a command economy and a lot of hungry mouths to feed.
Things just got very interesting, folks. And before anyone starts bleating about Obama's failed diplomacy may I remind them that the DPRK's first test was in 2006.
Stand by for confirmation and estimated yield.
UPDATE (1540 local):
Well, it's been confirmed. North Korea announced the 2006 test for a few days before setting it off; this time the Chinese and the US had an hours' notice before the pedal was put to the metal. Everyone's condemning it and there's a great deal of Viewing with Alarm (CDT 19-g) about it. According to a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, the device was similar in yield to the Mark II bomb we dropped on Nagasaki - that is, it was in the 10-20 kiloton range, probably closer to 12 KT.
That makes it a city-killer.
Now, the DPRK can do several things. It can (and probably has started to) refine the design to make it deliverable by missile, and it could try to sell it to whoever bids highest. See, the DPRK needs money, has none of its own and has two national philosophies. Neither are compatible with a command economy and a lot of hungry mouths to feed.
Things just got very interesting, folks. And before anyone starts bleating about Obama's failed diplomacy may I remind them that the DPRK's first test was in 2006.
posted by Walt at 11:12 PM
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