North Korea « The Irate Nation

Iran Pushes Ahead Peaceful Nuclear Weapons Program

German intelligence reports that Iranian scientists have successfully simulated the detonation of a nuclear warhead in laboratory conditions, in an effort to sidestep an underground nuclear test like the one that brought the world down on North Korea's head earlier this year. DEBKAfile's Iranian and intelligence sources report that this development is alarming because detonation is one of the most difficult technological challenges in the development of a nuclear weapon. Mastering it carries Iran past one of the last major obstacles confronting its program for the manufacture of a nuclear warhead.

On High Alert in Korea

South Korean troops increase readiness after naval skirmish with North Korea

clipped from www.foxnews.com

South Korea warned it was ready to deter any retaliation by North Korea following the two countries' first naval clash in seven years, reportedly deploying two warships to the disputed sea border Wednesday.

The skirmish will not deter Washington from sending an envoy to North Korea, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said, vowing to continue efforts to resolve long-standing disputes over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

Iran is ready to launch its second homemade spy satellite

clipped from www.debka.com

Iran is ready to launch its second homemade spy satellite, with the Safir 2 rocket (Messenger of Ambassador) already in position on its pad, DEBKAfile's military and intelligence sources report. The new satellite weighs 200 kgs, ten times more than Omid 1 (Hope), which was successfully tested only ten months ago, on Feb. 2. Tehran's missile program is clearly rushing forward at a rapid pace. In fact, some Western and Israeli missile experts suspect it may have overtaken North Korea and that Iran no longer stands in need of technical assistance from Pyongyang or Beijing.

Tagged as: Beijing, comIran, debka, feb 2, homemade, intelligence sources, Iran, Messenger, missile, missile experts, missile program, North Korea, omid, Pyongyang, rapid pace, rocket, Safir, satellite, spy, spy satellite, Tehran No Comments

North Korea Threatens More Nuclear Weapon Production

clipped from www.foxnews.com

North Korea said Tuesday that it has completed reprocessing thousands of spent nuclear fuel rods to extract plutonium to bolster its atomic stockpile, raising the stakes in an apparent effort to get the U.S. into direct negotiations.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency said in a dispatch that the country finished reprocessing 8,000 spent fuel rods, which experts say yields enough plutonium for at least one atomic bomb.

The North is believed to already be in possession of enough plutonium to make at least half a dozen nuclear weapons. The latest announcement raises concern that the regime could enlarge its atomic stockpile.

Tagged as: apparent effort, Atomic Bomb, Central, central news agency, effort, fuel, half a dozen, Korean, korean central news, korean central news agency, North Korea, nuclear fuel rods, Nuclear Weapons, official, plutonium, Stockpile, Tuesday, U.S. No Comments

“Bloggers for Sarah Palin” blogroll links, 11/1/09

...three blog posts from different blogs TIN readers might like:

Conservative Girl with a Voice, "Heels On, Gloves Off" - Thought this was notable because of the relation many conservatives have to our cultural environment generally. fta: While those in Hollywood will try to preach that liberal is the only way to be, don't falter and don't fall- stick to your conservative values. I know I don't have to tell many of you this twice because you don't and never have listened to those liberal freaks in Hollywood. Do they know what it's like to earn a hard-earned living? Do they know what it's a like to live on Mainstreet U.S.A? Do they know what it is to have to sacrifice on the battlefield like our soldiers do day in and day out? Do they know what it's like to have to say goodbye to a family member who's in the military knowing that it will be months before they are reunited?
Conservative Matters, "Don't judge Obama on results only intentions" - Don't agree with everything here, but the overall assessment needs to be heard. fta: Iran has been able to accelerate its nuclear program to a point where it is now a serious threat and all Obama can do is throw away the missile defense plan for Eastern Europe. North Korea has thumbed its nose at us again... These are not paths to peace; these are paths to more severe conflicts in the future. This is a “bury your head in the sand approach to foreign policy” that will result in larger conflicts down the road. Never mind the disaster that is the Obama domestic policy, Obama hasn’t succeeded at anything other than getting elected and collecting awards based on “Hope” not results.
Finding Myself in Alaska, "Do it again" - Does God have the same sense of wonder toward Creation as a child does? fta: [Children] always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is.... It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. - Chesterton

Hope all of you enjoy those links, and if that's not enough reading for you, I do have an analysis of Lincoln's Second Inaugural you can look at which I'm sure will be plenty of reading.