How stupid are we?

[sigma7]

Forest fire? Is that the best they can come up with?

Let's trot out the givens.

There's an explosion in North Korea on September 9, the anniversary of its founding, a national holiday typically celebrated with government-sponsored military and nationalist displays.

The explosion happens on the site of the Yongjori Missile Base, one of the suspected sites of North Korea's uranium enrichment program.

The explosion produces a mushroom cloud two miles wide.

But a U.S. official says it's not a nuclear explosion: "The U.S. official said the cloud could be the result of a forest fire."

Maybe if a forest was doused in gasoline or liquid oxygen. Otherwise, c'mon, I know it's an election year, but how stupid do they think we are? Another argument against not using anonymous sources, people.

(But then I just finished battling my router to the death for 48 hours, so maybe I shouldn't talk.)

Comments

[ex-mightygo.livejournal.com]

Actually, although the forest fire suggestion is ludicrous, there is seismic evidence from South Korean geologists to suggest that it wasn't a test blast, but a large explosive accident. There was seismic rumbling before the actual blast which is not concurrent with a nuclear blast's seismic pattern.

That having been said, I tend towards it having been an actual blast myself - but I admit that there's some evidence to admit otherwise.

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

Actually, although the forest fire suggestion is ludicrous, there is seismic evidence from South Korean geologists to suggest that it wasn't a test blast, but a large explosive accident. There was seismic rumbling before the actual blast which is not concurrent with a nuclear blast's seismic pattern.

Now see, this I would buy. An explosion of a conventional weapons cache -- or rocket fuel? -- is entirely plausible, and a catastrophic industrial accident is certainly precedented. Anyone trying to explain away a (possible) nuke test has a few better options than "forest fire," which does scream Karl Rove improv more than an educated, well-thought-out theory. Moose falling screaming from space would sound more plausible.

That having been said, I tend towards it having been an actual blast myself - but I admit that there's some evidence to admit otherwise.

Which is exactly where I am. Well, I figured that some seismologist on the outside would have a clue by now, but I hadn't heard about that seismic evidence yet. And I figured KJI would've been on every North Korean station gloating by now if it were a test. So...70/30 nuke.