US claims photos show Syrian nuclear reactor

[Flabbergasted]

Source: The Independent

US claims photos show Syrian nuclear reactor
By Leonard Doyle in Washington
Published: 25 October 2007

US security experts have published what they believe to be photographs of a secret nuclear facility in Syria, which was bombed by Israeli jets last month.

Their analysis of satellite images in an area near the river Euphrates reveals what they say are buildings similar to a North Korean nuclear reactor capable of producing fuel for a nuclear bomb. The experts, David Albright, a former UN weapons inspector, and Paul Brannan, from the Institute for Science and International Security (Isis), believe they have found the site that could have been the target of a night-time Israeli raid on 6 September. The Israelis imposed a news blackout on the raid, which prompted speculation that the attack may have been a dry run for a strike on Iran.

In a report released yesterday by Isis, the experts say that commercial satellite imagery of the area shows buildings under construction. The buildings have the same footprint as that of North Korean reactor at Yongbyon, which is capable of producing nuclear material for one bomb a year.

Syria admits co-operating with North Korea but says the two countries have no nuclear co-operation. The site is 100 miles from Syria's border with Iraq and close to an airstrip that would allow for easy transportation of personnel. "I'm pretty convinced that Syria was trying to build a nuclear reactor," Mr Albright told The Washington Post yesterday. However the Isis report said the images "raise as many questions as they answer". Isis is an independent research organisation that follows nuclear weapons production around the world.

A week ago ABC News reported that Israel had recruited a spy to take ground photographs of the reactor construction from inside the complex. Because the building was already covered with a roof, they say, a spy may have been necessary to take photographs from inside the reactor building. The Washington Post has reported that the North Korean-style reactor is built gradually on site and the roof would hide what was inside the building.



Read more: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3093815.ece

---

I spent several hours studying this and I have to admit that this may have been a NK nuclear reactor. I suspected the whole thing was a concoction. The building that was bombed was the same size and shape as a NK reactor and had many qualifying features. I looked for after the bombing photos and couldn't find any.

I don't understand why no one from Israel or Washington will make a statement on the subject?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. Or Syria for that matter.

You'd think that they'd be screaming their heads off over an unprovoked Israeli air raid.

[wuushew]

19. politically the loss of face over ineffective air defense may trump any public sympathy

I mean its not like people that hate Israel are going to get that much more angry on account of the secular Syrian government. Also since Israel is more or less immune from international rebuke the outrage would be wasted bluster.

[RC]

2. That was what I was thinking before I even read it.

"Their analysis of satellite images in an area near the river Euphrates reveals what they say are buildings similar to a North Korean nuclear reactor capable of producing fuel for a nuclear bomb"

Gee, I wonder why?

[acmavm]

3. Hmmm. Could this be like the 'mobile Iraqi weapons platforms'?

[Buns_of_Fire]

5. You mean the Winnabagoes of Death?

If so, this could be nothing more than a Spent Human Fuel Containment Facility (read: Outhouse).

[acmavm]

9. Pretty much like that.

[johncoby2]

4. Doesnt Israel have nuclear weapons?

And what would we do if Syria bombed their nuclear facilities?

I guess Israel is the nuclear police in the middle east. Great. Let them police the area and we can get the hell out of there.

[JCMach1]

6. Perhaps as much as 100

[billyoc]

7. Yes, YES, I see it! Right under the Golden Arches

of DOOM! :rofl:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. How did they get the big machines in the building with the roof already on?

Typically, the roof is the last thing to go on the structure, because the equipment needed is so large that they lift it in by crane, then the roof goes on last. Apparently in this situation, they had to send in a spy to get pictures because "the roof was put on during an early stage of construction."

So, how could it be a nuclear reactor? :shrug:

[ShortnFiery]

10. "So, how could it be a nuclear reactor?" Because our leaders SAY SO! Get with the program ...

join the team and come in for the Big Win, i.e., the onset of The Rapture. :wow: :nuke:

[pattmarty]

11. What was it that famous actor once said, "here we go again".

[leftynyc]

27. Exactly the phrase running through my head

I have to believe the American people will not buy this a second time - not after so many lies.

[Javaman]

12. And we are supposed to believe this, why? nt

[dipsydoodle]

13. Doubtless they're using the duplicate Korea/Iran pictures

yet again but this time adding Syria in too.

Courtesy of : http://www.bradblog.com/?p=1188

[Kokonoe]

16. circle drive target requirement.

[Flabbergasted]

17. You can go to google earth and see the building a year ago.

It is nearly exactly the same size. It had been worked on according to later pictures. There is reason to believe that Syria would want a reactor.

[Zhade]

22. THOSE ARE THE EXACT SAME PICTURES!

How stupid do they think we are???

[HuffleClaw]

32. they got caught doing that before

their explanation was 'oh, we were just using SIMILAR photos, as examples of what the sinister evil nuclear facility looks like'

[Algorem]

14. Of course.They're part of the Axis of Evil.We must preempt them.

[The Stranger]

15. Let me guess: It is a milk factory like the one they bombed years ago claiming it was WMD.

[yardwork]

18. There's something familiar about this....

Where have I heard this kind of thing before?

[HuffleClaw]

20. AFTER this has been debunked they produce sham evidence?

pretty desperate

[Flabbergasted]

21. Where is proof that it is fake?

[Zhade]

23. Uh, right before your eyes - they're the same pictures, the "Iranian" one is just ENLARGED.

Go upthread and look. They are undeniably the same photo!

[Flabbergasted]

24. The Syrian photo has nothing to do with Iran. This article and thread are about Syria not Iran. nt

[Zhade]

34. My mistake, I typed Iran instead of Syria.

That's how often they've pushed the lie that Iran has nukes - I went right to Iran!

[neohippie]

25. what about...

Haven't scientests already said that there was no evidence of any radioactive material being released into the atmosphere after the bombings... I remember reading that there was little evidence towards the area bombed in Syria having any nuclear releated activity showing up on satelite images that would detect a signature if such a facility had been bombed.

And those pictures look identical to me as well, one is just a zoomed in portion of the other.

[Flabbergasted]

26. Those are not the pictures this article is talking about.

[leftynyc]

28. I'm afraid that * has no credibility with this

That's the problem. When we can go back and show the same ramp up to war, using the same words, the same scare tactics, the same everything - I'd check outside if he told me it was daytime. No credibility. And it's his own fault for never owning up. American's can be very forgiving of our leaders if they are straight with us - this joke of a president can't even think of a mistake he's made. He's on a mission from God.

[Flabbergasted]

29. The author of the Report David Albright has been critical of the claims about Iran claims

Albright: Iranian Nuclear Claims Exaggerated

http://www.cfr.org/publication/13031/albright.html

He is an independent analyst.

Mother Jones bio: http://www.motherjones.com/radio/2005/08/albright_bio.html






Here is the report
http://www.isis-online.org/publications/SuspectSite_24October2007.pdf


I thought that this whole thing was a hoax as well but there is credible evidence as well as motive to develope a nuclear program.

[leftynyc]

30. I understand that there is evidence on both sides

and I have no idea what's true. What I'm saying is that this administration is going to have a much harder time trying to convince people they are telling the truth. And it's their own fault.

I was very much on the fence about Iraq (while being very supportive of our action in Afghanistan). Colin Powell's address to the UN was very compelling and, as it turns out, total bullshit. I remember being very frightened that it was so easy for us to get to Baghdad because they were drawing us in order to use those WMDs against us.

How incredibly sad it is that I have no trust in this administration - NONE. I automatically believe the exact opposite of what they say and further to that, can't help but think they are trying to distract us (once again) from their long list of fuck ups. That they would try to whip up fear and their version of patriotism with a major election coming is all too plausible.

[Eugene]

31. BBC: Syria air strike target 'removed'

Source: BBC News

Last Updated: Friday, 26 October 2007, 09:11 GMT 10:11 UK

Syria air strike target 'removed'

Newly-released satellite images of the presumed site
of an Israeli air raid on Syria last month suggest that
a large building has been completely removed.

US research group, the Institute for Science and
International Security, obtained and analysed the images.

The industrial-style building may have been a nuclear
reactor under construction, says the ISIS.

A BBC correspondent says the images are not conclusive.
Nor is it certain that they show the site hit by Israeli
jets.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7063135.stm

---

I would have expected that a building meant to house a nuclear
reactor would be a bit too substantial to just go poof.

[Flabbergasted]

33. Its the same size as the NK reactor building. Destroying it would only take the right missile.

Then they claim the Syrians removed the wreckage.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

35. I am missing something here. (not unusual, I know) but,

we see pictures of a big structure.
We hear the Israel bombs the living daylights out of it, destroying it.
we see pictures of nothing but roads.

so, how can we know that the syrians dismantled something if it was totally destroyed by Israel?

what am I missing?