A satellite photo of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station shows several bunkers and test stand components remain in place
38 North: Update on North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station
A 38 North exclusive with analysis by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Frank V. Pabian and Jack Liu.
Commercial satellite imagery from August 16 of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, North Korea’s only operational space launch facility, indicates no significant dismantlement activity has taken place at either the engine test stand or the launch pad since August 3.
At the vertical engine test stand, while significant progress in tearing down the facility was made from July to early August, no new dismantlement activity is apparent since August 3. The components previously removed remain stacked on the ground.
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More News On Reports That North Korea Has Halted Dismantling Its Primary Missile Launch Site
Images indicate North Korea halted dismantling of launch site: think tank -- Reuters
North Korea stops dismantling of nuclear sites: Satellite images reveal nothing has been done for weeks despite Kim’s denuclearisation promise -- Daily Mail
North Korea stops missile base dismantling, satellite photos show -- Financial Express
North Korea Appears to Halt Dismantlement of Key Missile Site – Reports -- Sputnik
Maybe it wasn't dismantling it, instead what if it is improving it with new structures?
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteWhat you propose is certainly a real possibility and I would not dismiss it totally out of hand. When we are not there and we do not have access to inside information in real time and the reports we are getting are contradictory, it is admittedly going to be a judgment call as to whom we are going to believe and which reports we are going to believe.
On the one hand we have US media personnel breathlessly claiming the North Koreans are in violation of their agreements, there never was an agreement, or nothing happened in Singapore and on and on etc. Recently we have a UN report suggesting that NK has not undertaken any steps to nuclear disarmament.
First I will start with the media. Back when NK was essentially threatening to annihilate us essentially threatening us with genocide, POTUS responded rather forcefully this threat as one would expect any good leader sworn to defend America would. The media response was to condemn Trump and not Kim!! Essentially the threat was Trump's bellicose rhetoric and not the man who initiated it!!
Essentially. at that time, NK posed no real threat. The problem was POTUS. Now that tensions have cooled considerably and the main talk is on the timetable of nuclear disbarment and not will it occur, one would think the media pundits would be overjoyed. Instead they do a complete 180 as though nothing happened. Now they become a threat and POTUS is giving them to much slack!! We could stop right here. They lack credibility. Add to this the Russian election meddling nonsense without any evidence. We don't need no stinkin evidence!! Just make the accusation. I'm getting off topic. Other examples can be cited. Tentative conclusion: they are so desparate to undermine a POTUS they loathe that they'd do anything to undermine him essentially a diplomatic initiative with NK if necessary.
As to the UN watchdog, "no skin in the game." I'd tend to dismiss them out of hand for this reason. Think "path of least resistance" and family duties are calling meaning time permitting I will have to finish this post later.
ReplyDeletePoster, today I actually read of examples of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. I should have kept the links. Nonetheless I did not. I may have been in shock from reading of an actual example rather than the vague mumblings of some press and government entities.
Sorry. I'll keep my eyes peeled for them again.
Roger,
ReplyDeleteVery respectfully, so the press says Russia meddled generally quoting some "expert." A number of links have already been provided in the various comment threads on this site.
We quote the "experts," "studies," or whatever. No sources or methods are provided, just the words of some expert. Given the extraordinary nature of the claim, the poor track record of the sources, and the trouble we've gotten into relying on these "experts," "because we say so" or "trust us" is not enough.
The solution they espouse in response is essentially take what is Cold War 2, douse it with gasoline, and light a match. Cold wars can become hot. We were fortunate last time. There's no guarantee we would be again. This is very dangerous. A VERY good reason would be needed for this. It hasn't been provided and the claims are extraordinary for which extraordinary evidence is needed. Such evidence has not been provided.
Tentative conclusion: Russian electoral meddling on any scale is hogwash, a myth perpetrated by sore losers and perhaps by someone's demented desire to create a foreign devil while demonizing those domestically who do not agree with their policies. The American people are not pawns to be used to advance the political or economic intersts of Hilary Clinton or anyone else.
It's always nice discussing these things with you. Now I shall try and finish the response I started to the first post of anonymous.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteEssentially the media lack credibility. The UN watch dog has nothing at risk either politically or to their families. Their simply writing the reports their bosses want. Their bosses are essentially the people who feed things to the media on what to report. While I don't doubt their overall competence, at this point my suggestion would be "go back to your cubicles and get out of the way."
If this had been an improvement of the facility with new structures, South Korean and Japanese Intel almost certainly would've picked up on it. While our Intel is questionable, theirs are much more reliable.
Japan has lowered their alert level with regards to NK, the diplomatic initiative enjoys enormous support in SK so much so their leadership cruised to what we would call a "landslide" victory, POTUS recently stated we were making progress, it's very unlikely he would have made such statements without first making sure SK, Japan, and others in the region are in agreement, one of our generals on the ground stated "things are moving in the right direction," top level meetings are in the works between to SK, NK, and American leaders.
Essentially the people who have much at stake are acting as though sound progress is being made. On the other hand the pundits and their cabal of "experts" say otherwise. Given their track records, their lack of investment, and their partisan natures, while admittedly a judgment call, the proper conclusion seems to be much progress is being made.