German defense expert: Iran tested bomb in N. Korea

[toomuchtime_]

BERLIN - Iran may have tested a nuclear bomb in North Korea in 2010, Hans Rühle, who directed the planning department of the German Defense Ministry from 1982 to 1988, wrote on German daily Die Welt's website on Sunday.

According to his article, many intelligence agencies believe that of the two nuclear tests carried out in North Korea in 2010, at least one detonation was an Iranian atomic weapons device. Some intelligence agencies believe that North Korea used its nuclear weapons expertise to test a weapon of mass destruction on behalf of the Iranians

Rühle, who is widely respected among defense and security officials, writes that "Iran's military was capable of testing a nuclear warhead in North Korea in 2010. It is therefore not surprising if some intelligence agencies are now of the view that North Korea, in fact, in 2010, conducted at least one nuclear test for Iran."

He continues that "for a number of years intelligence agencies have registered close work between North Korea and Iranian experts in connection with the preparation of nuclear tests. The suspicion up until now has been of an underground nuclear weapons test on Iranian territory."

In connection with the North Korean test of an Iranian nuclear weapon, the former German defense official Rühle noted that it is not atypical for countries to test nuclear devices for foreign countries. He cites a list of examples,including the United States conducting tests for the United Kingdom in the 1990's in the state of Nevada. He added that China tested Pakistan's first nuclear weapons in its territory Lop Nur in 1990.

German defense expert: Iran tested bomb ... JPost - International

 

[zzzz]

I would say it is possible that the Koreans supplied the weapons grade uranium for the test. After all designing a nuclear weapon is not that difficult. The hard part is getting the proper material that can reach critical mass. Iran should already have nuclear weapon designs but they have no models on how to test them in simulation like the nuclear powers have.

Of course the Koreans would have charged a pretty penny for the uranium and for the test. Iran surely would not have publicized this arrangement since they have no weapons grade material to put in their nuclear bombs/warheads they probably already have made.

 

[toomuchtime_]

I would say it is possible that the Koreans supplied the weapons grade uranium for the test. After all designing a nuclear weapon is not that difficult. The hard part is getting the proper material that can reach critical mass. Iran should already have nuclear weapon designs but they have no models on how to test them in simulation like the nuclear powers have.

Of course the Koreans would have charged a pretty penny for the uranium and for the test. Iran surely would not have publicized this arrangement since they have no weapons grade material to put in their nuclear bombs/warheads they probably already have made.

Rühle wrote that Iran's uranium production between 1998 and 2007 has not been accounted for, suggesting that the material was used in North Korea to test a nuclear device.

German defense expert: Iran tested bomb ... JPost - International

 

[Jos]

JPost = get this war on for israel goyim

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says Iran is laying the groundwork for making nuclear weapons someday, but is not yet building a bomb and called for continued diplomatic and economic pressure to persuade Tehran not to take that step.

 

[toomuchtime_]

JPost = get this war on for israel goyim

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says Iran is laying the groundwork for making nuclear weapons someday, but is not yet building a bomb and called for continued diplomatic and economic pressure to persuade Tehran not to take that step.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJvEYtT330M]US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Admits Iran Not Making Nuclear Weapons - YouTube[/ame]

There seems to be a difference of opinion on how far Iran has gotten in its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Panetta's opinion seems to be that Iran seeks to become a nuclear threshold state at this time, that is, to acquire all the components and technologies necessary to build nuclear weapons so that if the decision is made to build them, Iran could have nuclear armed missiles targeting cities in the ME, Europe and the US east coast within a few months, but Panetta doesn't believe that final decision has yet been made. Ruhle, on the other hand, believes believes he has evidence the final decision to build nuclear weapons was already made in 2010 and that Iran had already tested a nuclear in North Korea in that year.

Since Obama has committed the US to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons by any means necessary and Hillary stated in testimony before Congress that the US was committed to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear threshold state, the only question in dispute among the western allies is how long sanctions should be given to work before military force is used.