Author Archives: kerr

Chinese ASAT Test ?

Jeffrey and DefenseTech.org have what you need “here”:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1360/chinese-asat-test-massive-debris-creation-likely, “here,”:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1359/chinese-test-asat and “here”:http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003181.html.

If the Chinese did conduct an ASAT test, I, for one, would like to know WTF they were thinking. According to Noah, T. Hitchens best reflects my thoughts when I first heard about the event:

bq. Theresa Hitchens, with the Center for Defense Information called it an “irresponsible and self-defeating act” that will give “space hawks… more ammunition to take the United States down a similarly dangerous path.”

Yep.

2 Minutes To Midnight

“Jane has inspired me”:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1357/now-approaching-midnight to cite another “musical reference”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_clock#In_music to the BAS Doomsday Clock.

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The picture speaks for itself, but those few of you who are not familiar with the song can click “here”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Minutes_to_Midnight for more information.

I actually saw a documentary on metal the other night which fittingly had interviews with members of Iron Maiden, along with some old-school footage of them playing live with Paul Di’Anno.

And, just FYI, the Iron Maiden font was a top candidate for the font for the title of this blog. That would have been sweet.

*Update:*

Turns out that NRO, of all places, published “an article”:http://www.nationalreview.com/miller/miller200409150615.asp about 2 years ago celebrating the 20th anniversay of the _Powerslave_ album. Here’s that author’s take on the track I wrote about:

bq. The second song is one of Iron Maiden’s most familiar: “Two Minutes to Midnight.” It’s an anti-nuke tune whose politics aren’t exactly to my liking. Although the lyrics admit that “blood is freedom’s stain,” they also suggest that during the Cold War, both sides were deluded. The title is a reference to the *Doomsday Clock, whose main purpose is to serve as a propaganda tool of the Left.* None of this means that the boys in Iron Maiden are Commie symps — they aren’t — but a piece of me always has wished this song had been about Dunkirk or something. Still, the hooks are catchy and the lyrics are such that I enjoyed deciphering their meaning when I was 14 years old.

Loser.

Chris Hill Outsourcing Offer

I recently noticed that, during the most recent round of six party talks, Hill “offered to outsource”:http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/78206.htm his diplomatic task:

Q: Can you give us some details about the proposals?

HILL: Again, I’m sorry. I don’t want to give you a lot of information on that because these are tough issues involving extremely important questions of nuclear weapons, and I just don’t think it’s appropriate to negotiate through the press.

Q: Can’t you at least get a Yongbyon freeze? That would seem to be a…

HILL: Oh, you think that’s easy? [Laughter] I’ll tell you what — *put that boom microphone down and you get it done and I’ll buy you a beer.*

I would totally do it for a good beer…

Have a good weekend.

Text of Majlis Bill

I found it a few days ago, but have been too busy and sick to put it up.

Here it is (from Iranian Farhang Radio):

bq. The government is duty bound, in view of the UN Security Council resolution [1737]… to speed up the country’s peaceful nuclear programme and to reconsider its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency on the basis of the interests of the Iranian nation.”

For previous fascinating posts on the subject, start “here…”:http://www.totalwonkerr.net/1315/iran-majlis-vs-iaea-part-iii

Wonks on TV

Jacqueline Shire appeared with “-a space alien-“:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1346/blogging-heads-tv Jeffrey on BloggingHeads TV. Take a “look”:http://bloggingheads.tv/video.php?id=180.

Lots of good stuff, but Jeffrey’s remark that members of the “everyone was wrong about Iraqi WMD” crowd need some “corner time” reminded me of “this post”:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/601/youre-out-of-your-element-tommy I wrote about T Friedman a while back.

Especially this part:

bq. … those who supported the Iraq fiasco really need to STFU, stop lecturing the rest of us about foreign policy, sit in a corner, and think about what they did.

Still true.

More blogging when I feel less ill and finish my _ACT_ work…

*Update:*

Jeffrey admits to stealing “that line about wonks wrong about Iraq WMD” from me. I will simply note that he also stole my Rush albums…not that he’ll admit _that_.

Nork Test: Addendum

Adding on to Jeffrey’s “post”:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1343/nork-nuclear-test about the possibility of a second North Korean nuclear test…

Today’s _WP_ has “an interview”:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/05/AR2007010501771_pf.html with South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min Soon.

This is what he had to say about the intel RE: a possible test:

South Korean news agencies reported yesterday that vehicles and personnel movement had been spotted near the site of North Korea’s first test, but U.S. and South Korean officials cast serious doubt on those reports.

“Seoul and Washington are having a close joint-intelligence assessment, but so far we do not have direct indication that there is an imminent test,” Song said. He noted that North Korea conducted its last test underground, giving analysts very little time to detect possible preparation.

Japan and Nuclear Weapons Options, Part Deux

Just one thing to add to “Jeffrey’s excellent post”:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1339/japans-nuclear-status about Japan’s nuclear weapons potential…

According to a 1999 DIA primer on future threats (which can be found “here”:http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/Primer.pdf), Germany and Japan “could develop a nuclear warhead within a year should the political decision be made to pursue such capability.”

Iran: Majlis vs. IAEA, Part III

The Majlis approved the “bill”:http://www.totalwonkerr.net/1313/update-majlis-v-iaea, “IRNA reports:”:http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-24/0612274790134716.htm

The Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) on Wednesday ratified a double-urgency bill urging the government to speed up Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities and make a revision in the country’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to meet interests of the nation.

The bill on “urging the government to revise cooperation with the IAEA” was approved by MPs during the open session of the Majlis.

Still unclear what this means. But apparently the SNSC will be in charge. According to “another IRNA report:”:http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0612271099174543.htm

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani on Wednesday declared the formation of a special committee to examine various dimensions of government’s plan to revise its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

He made the remark while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his meeting with Iraqi Minister of Economy and Finance Bayan Jabr.

Larijani said that the committee will work under the supervision of the SNSC, adding that officials in charge of the relevant affairs will be members of the committee.

“Following the ratification of a draft-bill on revision of Iran-IAEA relations by Majlis, based on which the government is required to expedite the country’s nuclear program for peaceful purposes, the SNSC appointed a committee to conduct the necessary studies on making appropriate decisions in accordance with the current conditions,” said Larijani.

Maybe this won’t be so bad, but it still strikes me as gratuitous.