March 6, 2019

Mika Scarborough reminded us of Kim Jung Un's alleged promise to Donald Trump that he would stop missile testing:

"Kim promised me last night, regardless, he won't do testing of rockets and nuclear, not doing testing. So, you know, I trust him. I take him at his word. I hope that's true. In the meantime we'll be talking."

"Taking him at his word, he might be making an idiot of him," Scarborough said.

"A new analysis of commercial satellite imagery taken on Saturday, two days after Trump's remarks, reveals that North Korea is pursuing the rapid rebuilding of a long-range rocket site. The site, North Korea's only operational space launch facility, has been used in the past for satellite launches, which use similar technology to what is needed for intercontinental ballistic missiles. Researchers add the recent activity at the site, including the rebuilding of a rocket engine test stand, is consistent with preparations for another test and indicates that North Korea's nuclear ballistic missile capability may have passed the developmental stage.

"North Korea began to disassemble parts of the site last summer. Never finished. It's the same facility Kim told Trump he would shutter following the Singapore summit. Joining us now is the reporter who broke this story for NBC, Courtney Kube. The president said that he took him at his word and everything was going to be stopped. What happened?"

Kube explained that while the site is a satellite launching stand, it uses the same basic technology used to launch a three-stage ICBM, "one that's capable of hitting the United states. So President Trump throughout this whole diplomatic push that's gone on all year with North Korea, the consistent talking point is North Korea is not testing missiles, not testing a nuke any more.

"Despite the fact they are not launching these missiles, there's no indications they have stopped the actual testing of their program. They stopped, you know, continuing to work on the research and development of their ballistic missile and their nuclear program. What's concerning about this report which comes from the amazing analysts and researchers at Beyond Parallel, a group that is associated with a D.C.-based defense think tank. What they're saying here is that while this facility seemed to have been lying dormant for several months after the Hanoi summit last week, there now seems to be some new activity.

"And while it may not necessarily show there's a test that's imminent, it shows they are working in a direction where they could be preparing for one."

Can you help us out?

For nearly 20 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon