International Nuclear Watch & Discussion

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 29 Jun 2008 19:16

Iran ready to strike at Israel’s nuclear heart

Iran has moved ballistic missiles into launch positions, with Israel’s Dimona nuclear plant among the possible targets, defence sources said last week.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 29 Jun 2008 19:28

40 years on, NPT in urgent need of overhaul: experts

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 29 Jun 2008 19:43

Attorney inspired to write book about government’s nuclear testing

It was undoubtedly tone of he most unusual tax cases ever tried in the United States. It isn’t everyone who can petition to have the tax value of their land reduced because the government exploded a nuclear bomb beneath it.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 30 Jun 2008 01:28

North Korea must give up nuclear weapons, says Rice

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 30 Jun 2008 01:30

Iran is not North Korea

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 30 Jun 2008 01:40

IAEA belongs to Americans and Jews: A.Q. Khan

Dr. Khan said that Libya is lying as Tripoli did not get anything from Islamabad. He said they (Libyans) purchased nuclear hardware from the person from whom Pakistan had purchased nuclear hardware.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 30 Jun 2008 09:14

Report: U.S. 'preparing the battlefield' in Iran

June 29, 2008

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration has launched a "significant escalation" of covert operations in Iran, sending U.S. commandos to spy on the country's nuclear facilities and undermine the Islamic republic's government, journalist Seymour Hersh said Sunday.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 02:33

Syrian minister wishes for nukes

Syria's foreign minister rued his country's lack of a military nuclear program.

"As a private citizen, I wish Syria had this program quite simply because Israel has made huge advances in its manufacturing of nuclear bombs," Mouallem told reporters Monday.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 02:37

Toxic legacy: Scientists ponder task of labelling nuclear waste

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 02:38

Global nuclear stockpiles 'must be reduced to prevent terrorist attacks'

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 02:40

Brazil to authorize 3 nuclear plants in 12 months

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 02:42

Plutonium pit plan for N.M. lab faces opposition

They're fretting these days about a U.S. Department of Energy proposal to have the nuclear weapons lab increase its production of plutonium pits, the core of nuclear warheads, from a few each year to as many as 80 .

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 02:46

Bomb parts dropped at Y-12; contractor says no threat of nuclear explosion

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 02:47

The time has come for nuclear power with recycling

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 07:26

40 years on, nuclear proliferation still a threat

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jul 2008 07:27

110 B-61 warheads reported moved from RAF Lakenheath

enqyoobOLD · Post by **enqyoobOLD** » 01 Jul 2008 16:58

This related to what I had posted re: the calculations for ICBM numbers needed to achieve any probability of hitting a target. U have to read between the lines and use Conspiracy Theory, but not a lot:

French proposal calls for military component to EU space policy.

In continuing coverage from previous editions of Daily Launch, the Financial Times (7/1, Bounds, subscription required) reports, "The European Union should develop a military element to its space activities to counter growing security threats, according to proposals drawn up by France." The proposals argue that the EU "needs to add a 'political and security dimension' to European space policy" in order "to counter threats from conventional military powers such as China and Russia as well as terrorism." The Times notes that "French ambitions range from setting up an EU spy satellite system to joining a U.S. manned mission to Mars." Additionally, "[t]he EU will...attempt to head off a space arms race by pushing an EU 'code of conduct" for space on the rest of the world." However, the Times adds, these proposals "may fall foul of Germany, which wants to develop its own national space industry."

So what exactly is France proposing and why?

Additional Question: why would Germany want to develop its own space-based military stuff apart from the EU, and why would this "fall foul" of France's proposal? To answer this, one has to consider that France has a highly developed space program AND a highly developed nuclear force.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 02 Jul 2008 05:59

Germany sits alone in G8 on nuclear power

By Bertrand Benoit in Berlin

Published: July 1 2008 23:12

Germany will be the last of the world’s eight leading industrial nations to oppose the use of nuclear power as a clean and durable alternative to coal and gas when G8 leaders meet in Hokkaido, Japan, next Thursday.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 03 Jul 2008 15:10

US praises nuclear treaty, silent on Rudd plan

The official said, however, that if Australia thought it would be possible to get the US to reduce its nuclear arsenal further, beyond reductions made under the most recent Moscow Treaty, it was fooling itself.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 04 Jul 2008 16:28

N Korea nuclear negotiating partners 'not fulfilling deal'

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 04 Jul 2008 16:31

'2 kg of plutonium used in N-test'

North Korea said it used 2 kilograms of plutonium to build a nuclear device it detonated in October 2006 in a report about its nuclear weapons program recently submitted to China, according to a source close to six-party talks on the reclusive state's denuclearization.
The report also said the country had extracted a total of about 30 kilograms of plutonium, according to the source.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 05 Jul 2008 02:26

Interview with Non Proliferation Ayatollah Joseph Cirincione

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 05 Jul 2008 04:05

26kg of Plutonium Used for Production of Nuclear Weapons

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 05 Jul 2008 04:10

Beyond non-nuclear fantasies

40 years later, nuclear states still haven't kept promises

U.S. Government Nonproliferation Priorities & Asia

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 05 Jul 2008 04:25

The myth of 'weapons-grade' enrichment

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 05 Jul 2008 22:09

North Korea: Foreign Quid Wanted Before Providing the Nuclear Quo

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 06 Jul 2008 04:29

US removes uranium from Iraq

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 06 Jul 2008 18:38

US Pentagon doubts Israeli intelligence over Iran's nuclear programme

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 07 Jul 2008 18:39

Iran resumed nuclear bomb project, experts say

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 09 Jul 2008 01:59

IAEA conducts nuclear accident response exercise in Mexico

Authorities in southern France ban water supplies after nuclear site leak

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Jul 2008 02:16

Gerard, That NoKo report is very illuminating. To use such a low qty of poo, they must have an advanced design with reflectors and what not. Quite troubling. Wonder if its same as the Chagai model in 1998.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 09 Jul 2008 03:09

Apparently, in the 20 minute advance notice they gave the Chinese, they said the expected yield was 4 kt.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 09 Jul 2008 16:43

In Japan, Resistance Rises To Nuclear-Power Plans

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Jul 2008 23:14

Gerard wrote:Apparently, in the 20 minute advance notice they gave the Chinese, they said the expected yield was 4 kt.

Why so low or are they signalling something else? Its this that the worriers have to worry about and not the AQK falthu maal.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 10 Jul 2008 02:04

Possibly a boosted primary being tested (to verify boost gas ignition and initial burn)?

Such a small primary (alone) may be necessary for the small throw-weight (at max range) of NoKo missiles. Later they could test a complete TN and really shake up Unkil.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 11 Jul 2008 08:02

New Nuclear Warhead Deemed Dead

Today the Senate administered the last rites for the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW). The Senate Appropriations Committee passed an annual spending bill that rejected all funding for the new weapon.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 11 Jul 2008 10:37

I have this desi habit of reading whatever comes into my hands. I found this fabulous magazine called SEED.

it has this article A proliferation of mistakes

Enjoy.

BTW its a good magazine for Science and Culture. The article on music and math should mean something to folks like vsunder.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 11 Jul 2008 22:36

Leak closes French nuclear plant

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 12 Jul 2008 04:27

URS unit leads team likely to clean up U.K.'s Sellafield nuclear plant

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 12 Jul 2008 04:56

The IAEA's Other Job