Harry Reid has lied to us! Divine Strake test is prelude to nuking Iran

[IndianaGreen]

This story was just published today:

Bush administration 'secretly plans air strikes' as it seeks regime change in Iran

By Raymond Whitaker

Published: 09 April 2006

One option under consideration, Mr Hersh reports, involves the possible use of a B61 nuclear "bunker-buster" bomb against Iran's main centrifuge plant, at Natanz. Last week the Federation of American Scientists alleged that a weapons test to be carried out in the Nevada desert in June was designed to simulate the effects of just such a bomb. Conventional explosives would be used, it said, for "a low-yield nuclear weapon ground shock simulation against an underground target".

The US Defence Threat Reduction Agency told The Independent on Sunday that the test, codenamed "Divine Strake", was intended "to assess the capability of computer codes" to predict the effects of the explosion. The experiment aimed to improve "warfighters' confidence in their ability to plan to defeat hardened and deeply buried targets". It did not refer to tactical nuclear weapons like the B61.

According to Mr Hersh, some officials are shocked at what they describe as "operational" planning which goes far beyond the usual work on hypothetical scenarios. One former defence official is quoted as saying the planning was based on a belief that "a sustained bombing campaign in Iran will humiliate the religious leadership and lead the public to rise up and overthrow the government".

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article356679.ece

Here is the original story about Reid:

Reid assured 'Divine Strake' will be safe

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Thursday that he's satisfied with the Pentagon's explanation about an upcoming test at the Nevada Test Site, and has no fears about the health or safety of Nevadans.

Reid made the comments after meeting with the Pentagon official who stirred controversy last week by saying a test planned for June of a 700-ton explosive would create "a mushroom cloud over Las Vegas."

"The language in the media has unfortunately blown this issue out of proportion," said Reid after meeting with James Tegnelia, head of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

"We discussed the details of this operation tonight, and I now feel comfortable that DTRA is taking all necessary precautions to make sure the test is done safely," Reid said.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/apr/06/040610266.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2213901

[LynnTheDem]

1. Sustained bombing on Iran will piss Iranians off alright but NOT against

Iranian leaders.

bush & Cabal; still the stupidest MFers on the planet.

[kestrel91316]

24. Just great. I can imagine how thrilled the HUGE Persian community

right where I live and work will be when their beloved family members in Iran are murdered by Bush. They'll riot in the streets. It will make the Rodney King riots look like child's play.

Bush, you dumbs--t: DON'T PISS THESE PEOPLE OFF.

[Atman]

2. Did it occur to you that Harry Reid WAS LIED TO first?

Do you really believe anyone in the Bush administration would give Mr. Reid the truth about his own parking space, let alone bomb tests in Nevada?

[IndianaGreen]

3. He is the Senator from Nevada, same place that Area 51 is at

He knows the secrets, and he doesn't mention the real purpose of Divine Drake while we have to get our news from the likes of Seymour Hersh and the British press once again.

[Teaser]

5. I doubt he knows anything

This admin? Briefing the leader of the opposition?

They'll brief Lieberman but likely not Reid.

[DanCa]

7. Agreed

I would also put Zell "go to hell" Miller on the rethug need to know list.

[IndianaGreen]

9. They voted to fund the nuclear bunker buster technology

Did they not think that Bush wouldn't use it?

[Solo_in_MD]

12. Actually I believe they have to

Leadership of both houses from both sides.

[Teaser]

18. "required?" by whom?

To what "authority" would this admin yield?

[OzarkDem]

21. Then he should avoid statements of support

until he knows all the facts.

[Coastie for Truth]

14. Based on my dealings with DHS pukes on September 10, 2005

I don't trust anybody from the Executive Branch to even honestly point to the washrooms.

[OzarkDem]

20. Reid needs to learn

to take the Bush administration's word with a grain of salt.

He should know better than to make a judgement like that given the past history of Bushco.

[Punkingal]

4. I fail to see how Reid could be satisfied...

With anything this administration tells him. The fact that he can be tells me a lot about his uselessness. I wish we had someone as leader who didn't have any kind of comfort level with ANYONE in the Bush administration.

[Teaser]

6. Please

Reid is hardly useless. Tom Daschle was useless. Reid has been periodically quite useful. He was instrumental in saving social security, an achievement that should not ever, EVER, be overlooked. He's fallen down several times this year, but it's disheartening how short the memory is around here...

[IndianaGreen]

8. There is a war coming, and all we hear is silence from Reid and others

We need more Murthas, Conyers, Kerrys, Kucinichs, and Feingolds.

[Punkingal]

11. Oh, come on....

No Democrat should accept ANYTHING they are told by this administration. I don't believe a damn thing they say, I never did, and I don't see how Reid can still give them the benefit of the doubt about anything. Maybe you're right, he isn't useless. He is very useful to the Bush administration because he still treats them with the respect they don't deserve. I don't have a short memory, either. Social security payments aren't going to matter when we are all dead from global warming, or polluted air and water, or from dirty bombs or biological terrorism because these stupid fucks in the White House and the Pentagon have done EVERYTHING they possibly can to make sure that most people in the Middle East hate us for the next thousand years. And Harry Reid trusts them? About anything?????

[IndianaGreen]

19. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rummy, & Co have never told the truth about anything

Why would any self-respecting human being, much less the Democratic Leader in the Senate, ever believe anything this gang of criminals have to say. Only an idiot or someone in cahoots with Bush would ever say that they believe what they are told by the Bush regime.

[flyarm]

16. please see my post about Social Security and the 2007 budget..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=877742&mesg_id=877742

please check this out ....

fly

[OzarkDem]

22. We can do better, we have to

Reid has failed many times, he needs to leave or wise up.

[depakid]

25. I'd take Daschle over Reid any day

Daschle at least won a few victories here and there and showed at least a little bit of leadership ability. All Reid ever does is flap his lips- bark & back down. Or apologize. It's embarrassing.

Also, Reid didn't "save" social security! The Republicans didn't even get around to putting legislation out! Had nothing to do with Reid's efforts- that would have died on the vine no matter who was running the show.

Reid has a batting average of exactly zero. Lost on every single piece of legislation no matter how egregious (often without a fight) and every single nominee- no matter how extreme. He even crossed over and voted with the Republicans on the bankruptcy bill.

After 2006, I hope the Dems will have the good sense to try to find some graceful way out for him. He's been an utter and complete disaster.

[C_U_L8R]

10. What a "Crusader" name - Divine Strake

Like Divine Strike... (perhaps it's meant to be a divine strike from Faux-Jesus Bush)
I was curious what "strake" meant .." a continuous band of metal or wooden strips along the hull of a boat"
Curious indeed.

[teryang]

13. confidence in ability to destroy hardened targets- propaganda

The experiment aimed to improve "warfighters' confidence in their ability to plan to defeat hardened and deeply buried targets".

[IndianaGreen]

15. More info on the B61 bunker-buster nuclear warhead

What a surprise! It was Bill Clinton who gave the green light to this new Strangelovian creation!

B61-11 Concerns and Background

Los Alamos Study Group
February 10, 1997

Summary

The United States is now fielding a new tactical and strategic nuclear military capability that has already been used to threaten a non-nuclear country. This new capability was certified without nuclear testing, using an existing surrogate testing facility with capabilities much less than those under construction and planned. The weapon was developed and deployed in secret, without public and congressional debate, contrary to domestic and international assurances that no new nuclear weapons were being developed. Other new or "modified" nuclear weapons, earth-penetrating and otherwise, are planned.

Concerns

● The B61-11's unique earth-penetrating characteristics, not to mention its wide range of yields, allow it to threaten otherwise indestructible targets from the air and are its raison d'etre. The new weapon is uniquely useful from a military perspective?and hence provocative from an arms control and nonproliferation perspective.

● A central and expressed purpose of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) has always been to arrest the further evolution of the world's nuclear arsenals. This modified weapon? certified without nuclear testing and deployed after signing the CTBT?undercuts that treaty and could provide political cover to countries which have their own unsatisfied nuclear ambitions.

● Earth-penetrating weapons, deployed by the Clinton adminstration in the post-Cold-War era, were rejected for deployment by Presidents Carter, Reagan, and Bush. What is the new reason to deploy these weapons? What are the new targets? What is known about the B61-11 strongly suggests that its rushed development has been motivated by a desire to target one or more non-nuclear-weapon states.

http://www.brookings.edu/FP/PROJECTS/NUCWCOST/lasg.htm

The B61 (Mk-61) Bomb

Intermediate yield strategic and tactical thermonuclear bomb

The B61-11 has a reported capability to destroy targets at depths of several hundred feet at its highest yield setting.

Efforts are currently underway at Sandia to develop a new weapon using the B61 warhead package. This is the BIOS (Bomb Impact Optimization System), a guided glide bomb that would permit release of nuclear weapons at a greater range from the target, and by using the GPS satellite system would permit delivery with 1 meter accuracy.

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/B61.html

[WhiteTara]

17. I worry that Harry's stroke left

him slightly addled. It's the only reason that he could possibly have to say sure, no worries mate, it's just a nuclear bomb.

[TankLV]

23. Does "devine stake" sound too "MORMON" - or is it just me?

There are NO cooincidences.