Syria has revealed that it has built a missile facility over the ruins of what the US says was a nuclear reactor destroyed by IAF warplanes, diplomats said Tuesday.
The diplomats quoted Syrian nuclear chief Ibrahim Othman as saying during a closed meeting Tuesday that the new structure appeared to be a missile control center or actual launching pad. They demanded anonymity for divulging details about what Othman told the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board.
The IAF reportedly bombed the site in September 2007. While Israel has not commented on the strike, Washington subsequently presented intelligence purporting to show that the target in a remote area of the Syrian desert was a nearly finished nuclear reactor built with North Korean help that would have been able to produce plutonium once completed.
Syria has denied secret nuclear activities but has blocked IAEA inspectors from visits beyond an initial inspection to the Al Kibar site.
Environmental samples from that trip have revealed traces of man-made uranium and graphite. But UN officials say it is too early to say whether the graphite - a common element in North Korean prototype reactors - had any nuclear applications.
Syria had previously only said the site was military in nature and that it was being rebuilt.
But the diplomats said comments by Othman suggested that the facility now in place of the bombed target was either a missile launching command center or a launching pad.
#2
But UN officials say it is too early to say whether the graphite - a common element in North Korean prototype reactors - had any nuclear applications.
Thereby showing abysmal ignorance of history: the first sustained nuclear chain reaction was achieved in a reactor built from graphite located under a soccer field in Chicago. the plutonium for the "Fat Man" bomb came from that reactor.
So how much boron was in the graphite? The Nazis were delayed in their fabrication of an atomic weaspon because their graphite had too much boron in it. They were forced to use heavy water, but couldn't make enough after the bombing mission on their heavy water plant that cost Joe Kennedy (John F. Kennedy's older brother) his life.
#4
They were forced to use heavy water, but couldn't make enough after the bombing mission on their heavy water plant that cost Joe Kennedy (John F. Kennedy's older brother) his life.
#5
Man-made probably refers to >0.7% U235 in the sample. That indicates enrichment. You don't get U233 unless you bombard Thorium with neutrons in an operational reactor.
Posted by: john frum ||
02/25/2009 12:06 Comments ||
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#6
Actually, Joe was going after V-2's. And in an incredibly dangerous way...
England formed an elite group to destroy the launch sites, and asked for volunteers. Joseph Kennedy's squadron, flying in bitter winter weather over the Bay of Biscay, had suffered heavy casualties, with Joe losing his former co-pilot and a number of close friends. He was due for a leave but persuaded his crew to stay on until D-Day. Flying frequently in June and July they were given another opportunity to go home. Joe felt it would be unfair to ask his crew to remain any longer, so they returned to the U.S. Joe remained to volunteer for the very dangerous assignment which would require another month. Joe had completed probably more combat missions in B-24s than any other pilot and was well qualified. He considered his chances at fifty-fifty. Joe was an expert in Radio Control projects and was considered a natural to fly the "drone" in the highly secret mission. To destroy the V-2 menace it was decided to use radio controlled drones carrying massive bomb loads. The U.S. had been experimenting with R.C. drones, as had Germany, who was developing R.C. glider bombs. The X-1 rocket boostered bomb released from a German bomber could glide for six miles when released from 26,000 feet.
The X-1 demonstrated devastating results by sinking many Allied ships, showing the promising use and accuracy of the R.C. guided missile.The U.S. guided their missiles in test using operator-television, however the pay load was too small. They then advanced to full size Radio Controlled aircraft that after establishing control the pilot bailed out. The aircraft would fly to the target by remote control. The Army experimented with B-17s while the Navy made test using the B-24. Early U.S. test failed. Pilots were killed, and the drones missed their target. Despite the numerous failures the U.S. proceeded with their testing of full size aircraft.
Joe Kennedy saw his chance to become a hero. He was eager to go, and was a very experienced pilot. The system to be used was to load a B-24 with explosives, using two pilots, and the installation of an arming pin to prevent accidental ignition of the explosives. The target was Mimoyecques, France. A P-38 weather plane reported acceptable conditions, it was a go. Kennedy and his co-pilot Bud Willy took off at 5:55PM. The safety pin had been properly installed in the arming unit. Fourteen other aircraft gathered in formation with the "flying bomb". The lead plane was a B-17. There were two P-38s to accomplish aerial photography over the target. Also included were two Mosquito bombers, one to monitor weather, the other flown by Elliot Roosevelt, the son of the President of the United States. Another B-17 acted as a signal relay over the channel, with six P-51s as escort. The flying bomb was followed by two Lockheed Venturas which are believed to have been the "mother" guidance planes. This armada after hooking up in formation flew from Fersfield to Framingham, England, then to Beccles testing their RC equipment. Final test would be made with the B-24 flying alone on Radio Control. They flew from Beccles to Clacton, then took the final turn to head for the target. Both pilots were scheduled to bail out near Dover after preparing the plane to continue to the launch target guided by the mother plane. The actual flight plan called for a flyover Beccles but went further east than intended and flew over Blytheburgh. Kennedy made final preparations to set the plane on remote control. He removed the safety pin, and signaled O.K. with the code phrase "Stay Flush". These would be his last words as the plane exploded at 6:20PM over Blytheburgh.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
02/25/2009 13:34 Comments ||
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#8
The Syrian reactor the Israelis destroyed was a copy of the North Korean Yongbyon plutonium producing reactor. It used natural uranium and graphite was the moderator. So not sure about the "man-made" uranium unless it was fueled with low enriched uranium from Iran.
Posted by: ed ||
02/25/2009 14:05 Comments ||
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#9
ION EXPLOSIVE SPACE MUDULATOR-R-R, RIAN > IRAN desires to have up to 50,000 centrifuges at its NATANTZ NucPlant within five years [2012-13].
Also, TOPIX > IRAN NUCLEAR CHIEF: US, WEST MUST ACCEPT IRAN IS A NUCLEAR POWER.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), based in The Hague, will start the hearing in the assassination of Rafik Hariri and 22 of his companion next month, according to Suzan Khan, the spokeswoman of the court. The case is coming before the STL after almost 4 years of investigation.
"All precautions have been taken into consideration to ensure fairness and transparency of the court proceedings, which will be run on a professional basis," she told Gulf News.
In a telephone interview with her office in The Hague, Khan told Gulf News that the STL, which was established in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution 1757 of May 30, 2007, is composed of 11 judges, including four Lebanese.
"The identities of the judges are still not revealed and they will be known on March 1, the day the court is scheduled to begin the proceedings, in order to ensure impartiality and independence of the court," she said.
In addition, Khan said the STL was located outside Lebanon for the sake of justice and fairness, as well as for the security and administrative efficiency of the tribunal.
The STL, she said will consist of four organs: The Chambers, the Prosecutor, the Registry and the Defence Office.
Khan said a number of safeguards have been adopted by the court, including protection for the rights of the accused to present their views and concerns that deemed appropriate by the pre-trial judge or the Chamber.
"An independent defence office will act to protect the rights of the defence, draw up the list of a possible defence counsel and provide support and assistance to defence counsel and persons who are entitled to legal assistance," she said.
"The pre-trial judge is crucial to ensure the efficiency and expediency of the process of the trial. He or she will review and confirm indictments and may also issue arrest warrants, transfer requests and any other orders that are required for the conduct of the investigation and for the preparation of the trials," Khan said.
"Once the pre-trial judge decides the validity of the case and approves the procedure, the case should be referred to the court. The prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, who is currently the investigation commissioner, has been granted 60 days during which he should submit his request to the Lebanese government and any other government that is suspected to have links with the crime, to produce what the prosecutor feels is needed for the proceeding of the court, including suspects and documents in possession of these governments," she said.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
