Date: 12 Feb 2003 22:31:00 +0200 From: ASWAD-AT-anarch.free.de (catkawin) Subject: [ndn-aim] Fw: North Dakota Found To Be Harboring Nuclear Missiles > > > North Dakota Found To Be Harboring Nuclear Missiles > > > <http://www.theonion.com/onion3904/north_dakota.html> > > > > > > BISMARCK, ND-The stage was set for another international > > > showdown Monday, when chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans > > > Blix confirmed that the remote, isolationist state of > > > North Dakota is in possession of a large stockpile of > > > nuclear missiles. > > > > > > "Satellite photos confirm that the North Dakotans have > > > been quietly harboring an extensive nuclear-weapons > > > program," said Blix, presenting his findings in a speech > > > to the U.N. Security Council. "Alarmingly, this barely > > > developed hinterland possesses the world's most > > > technologically advanced weapons of mass destruction, > > > capable of reaching targets all over the world." > > > > > > After initially offering no comment on the report, North > > > Dakota officials admitted to having a stockpile of 1,710 > > > warheads at two military sites and confirmed that the > > > state has been home to an active nuclear-weapons- > > > development program for decades. > > > > > > Blix called the revelation a "terrifying prospect for > > > the world at large." > > > > > > Within hours of the announcement, U.N. Secretary-General > > > Kofi Annan urged North Dakota to abandon its program. > > > > > > "This is clearly an excessive number of weapons for a > > > place like North Dakota to possess," Annan said. "In > > > this post-Cold War environment, we should be moving away > > > from nuclear proliferation among developing states." > > > Above: Kofi Annan addresses the U.N. Security Council > > > regarding the North Dakota situation. > > > > > > European leaders also spoke out in opposition to North > > > Dakota's weapons program. > > > > > > "North Dakota, still in its cultural infancy, cannot be > > > trusted to responsibly handle weapons of mass > > > destruction," French President Jacques Chirac said. "We > > > are talking about a place that doesn't even have a Thai > > > restaurant or movie theater that shows foreign films, > > > but still they have the resources to build thousands of > > > warheads. Do not believe their claims of being 'The > > > Peace Garden State.'" > > > > > > According to Chirac, North Dakota's development of > > > nuclear arms "represents a grave threat to peaceful > > > states the world over, none more so than its longtime > > > neighbor and rival across the 45th Parallel, South > > > Dakota." > > > > > > "The South Dakotans, while a simple people themselves, > > > are friendly, hospitable, and far more in touch with the > > > outside world," Chirac said. "Many people, myself > > > included, have passed through and seen the Badlands and > > > Mount Rushmore. North Dakota, on the other hand, is a > > > bleak, racially homogeneous state that few people ever > > > enter or exit." > > > > > > After a joint meeting of the French and German cabinets, > > > German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said the two nations > > > "agree that this situation must be rectified" and > > > implored North Dakota to cease its uranium-enrichment > > > program immediately. > > > > > > "We have opened the door to talks," Schroeder said. > > > "But, unfortunately, North Dakota seems unwilling to > > > engage with the world community at this time." > > > > > > According to Blix, North Dakota is home to 500 Minuteman > > > III ICBMs and 50 Peacekeeper missiles, giving it one of > > > the heaviest concentrations of the weapons on earth. The > > > biggest discovery made by U.N. inspectors, Blix said, > > > was a missile field at Minot Air Force Base, where they > > > found an "almost unbelievable" stockpile of warheads. > > > > > > The rogue state was also found to possess enormous > > > stockpiles of fissile material. > > > > > > "North Dakota could have as much as 75 metric tons of > > > weapons-grade uranium and 8 metric tons of weapons-grade > > > plutonium," Blix said. "Just 55 pounds of uranium are > > > needed to construct a simple nuclear weapon. Do the > > > math-the prospects are terrifying." > > > > > > The man at the center of the controversy is North > > > Dakota's leader, Gov. John Hoeven. Having risen to power > > > in 2000 after amassing tremendous wealth in the private > > > sector, Hoeven lives a life of comfort and excess inside > > > the heavily patrolled North Dakota governor's mansion, a > > > lavish dwelling paid for entirely by the state, while > > > many of his people engage in subsistence farming. > > > > > > Some suspect that Hoeven is using the nuclear program as > > > a bargaining chip to gain badly needed economic benefits > > > for his state. Hardly at the forefront of technology in > > > other aspects, North Dakota has a largely rural > > > population and a child-poverty rate of 14 percent-a fact > > > critics have been quick to point out. > > > > > > "North Dakotans live a horrible life of isolation and > > > deprivation, struggling to grow crops in a hostile, sub- > > > zero climate while their indifferent government > > > routinely prioritizes bolstering the state's military > > > might," BBC World correspondent Caroline Eagan said. > > > "There are people starving there, and yet high-tech > > > weapons laboratories and military bases abound. It's > > > deplorable." > > > > > > Added Eagan: "And, no big surprise, the U.S. played a > > > major role in arming this place. I hear most of the > > > missiles are American-made." > > > > > > Many U.S. citizens have expressed fear, some realizing > > > for the first time that North Dakota has thousands of > > > weapons capable of reaching any major American city > > > within minutes. > > > > > > "It is absolutely frightening that there are all these > > > weapons of mass destruction practically in my backyard," > > > said Karen Stiles of Moorhead, MN. "Do we really know > > > enough about these people who have their finger on the > > > button that could kill millions?" > > > > > > Added Stiles: "How did our elected officials let this > > > happen?" > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > > The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. 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