North Korea Tests A Nuke….Or Maybe Not

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Check out my earlier post here.

When I read this article I envisioned some North Korean bombmaker with a big cartoon bubble over his head that read:

RUH-ROH!

U.S. intelligence agencies say, based on preliminary indications, that North Korea did not produce its first nuclear blast yesterday.

U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that seismic readings show that the conventional high explosives used to create a chain reaction in a plutonium-based device went off, but that the blast’s readings were shy of a typical nuclear detonation.

“We’re still evaluating the data, and as more data comes in, we hope to develop a clearer picture,” said one official familiar with intelligence reports.

“There was a seismic event that registered about 4 on the Richter scale, but it still isn’t clear if it was a nuclear test. You can get that kind of seismic reading from high explosives.”

The underground explosion, which Pyongyang dubbed a historic nuclear test, is thought to have been the equivalent of several hundred tons of TNT, far short of the several thousand tons of TNT, or kilotons, that are signs of a nuclear blast, the official said.

While it is good news that they still haven’t figured this technology out completely, it’s just a matter of time….unless something is done.

Bryan at Hot Air believes this dud of a blast gave the world time to get something done:

We now know that we have a window of time in which to deal with a North Korea that has played its cards before the world: It wants ICBM tech and it wants nuclear weaponry and obviously has the will to use both even in defiance of its allies in Beijing. NoKo’s will to defy should have also awakened South Korea and killed off its misguided “Sunshine” policy for good. But while we know what NoKo will do, we also know what it can’t do, yet, and that’s put a working nuke on a working ICBM and either use that weapon or sell it. NoKo doesn’t have either the working ICBM or the working nuke. But it’s working on both, and has data to point it in the direction of obtaining both.

The window in which we can deal with a non-nuclear, non-ICBM North Korea is probably very short, probably less than a year and no more than 18 months. The US has cards to play, including the Japan card, now the South Korea card and even the Taiwan card in convincing China that it is in its interests to deal with Kim Jong-Il. Since North Korea has shown its hand and how it intends to behave, the US is in a stronger position now than it was in yesterday to get serious international action mustered against Pyongyang. And it may be true now that China may finally see Kim for what he is, which is an uncontrollable menace that sits right on China’s border. With the Chinese ambition to be seen as a real world leader, and with the Olympics coming to Beijing in 2008 and with Taiwan possibly slipping away for good if North Korea isn’t dealt with, China may finally be ready to work its hand. We’ll find out shortly.

And just as Bryan writes that China may now be willing to come to the pitchers mound comes this breaking news on Fox:

China to Drop Opposition to Tough Chapter 7 U.N. Sanctions on North Korea

I think we have our answer.

UPDATE

I’ve learned from an anonymous source that China has indeed decided to go along with the sanctions due to our secret weapon…..Fluffy!

UPDATE II 2315hrs PST

Apparently this news is from S. Korea:

South Korea’s nuclear envoy said Tuesday after returning from Beijing that China appears to have dropped opposition to tough U.N. sanctions against North Korea following its announced nuclear test.

“China seems to have different position than it had before on a Chapter 7 resolution,” Chun Young-woo told The Associated Press, referring to the section of the U.N. Charter that deals with threats to international peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression.

To deal with these threats or conflicts, the U.N. Security Council can authorize a range of measures under Chapter 7, from breaking diplomatic ties and imposing economic and military sanctions to taking military action to restore peace.

China’s participation in any tough action against the North for its nuclear test is key because of the heavy influence Beijing has on its communist neighbor. China is the North’s largest trade partner and supplier of aid.

“I think (China) will employ all available means to prevent North Korea from further aggravating the situation and to bring them back into diplomatic efforts,” Chun said after returning from a two-day trip where he met Chinese officials.

However, China didn’t say it would take any steps such as cutting of energy supplies or trade, he said.

And just breaking on Fox News is this headline:

North Korea Willing to Return to Nuclear Talks for Guarantee of Security

Here we go again folks…..”lets talk some more (while I do what I said I wasn’t going to do behind your back)”

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