What is Digg?95 Comments
- fancypantscz, on 03/26/2008, -1/+45FTA: The fuses, which send an electronic signal to the device that starts the nuclear weapon's trigger process, are among a class of sensitive equipment that must be accounted for on a quarterly basis.
Which explains why we had no idea anything was out of the ordinary for a year and a half.
Feeling safer every second... - birdman2435, on 03/26/2008, -0/+36(-) buyer beware! Items received not as described. Slow service.
- Celeron, on 03/26/2008, -4/+21Why did it take Taiwan 2 years to tell the U.S. government that they sent the wrong items? Maybe they were reverse engineering them during the time period?
- tulizx, on 03/26/2008, -0/+16(Country) sends (Part of a nuclear bomb) by accident to Taiwan.
Years later: Zomg Taiwan has nuclear weapons!!! how?!?!? - nahsrocketeer75, on 03/26/2008, -1/+16"...acknowledging an incident likely to rile China." ... ya think?
- xthroughmyeyesx, on 03/26/2008, -1/+13"Mistakenly"... ;)
- tuntcickle, on 03/26/2008, -0/+11china's just looking for ***** ups like this to justify their position on taiwan
- inactive, on 03/26/2008, -3/+12Oh, sure- a mistake, like the nukes they flew to California recently "by accident". Nobody knew! Wow!
- GeorgeStone2, on 03/26/2008, -0/+8See, the American economy is so ruined we can't even afford to sed a nuke to china, unless it's in instalments.
- rz8472, on 03/26/2008, -3/+11I wouldnt put it against them. It's revenge for screwing them over for the "One China" Policy in the 70s
- manicdvln, on 03/26/2008, -0/+6China also mistakenly sends arms to North Korea.
- inactive, on 03/26/2008, -1/+7Isn't Taiwan is the world's largest maker of electronic devices? I'm thinking they could have reverse-engineered the things by now.
- Dumbledorito, on 03/26/2008, -0/+6China will be doubly pissed off that they aren't the ones manufacturing them in the first place.
- jmpeagle, on 03/26/2008, -1/+7I wonder if they are sending a message to China that Taiwan might be nuclear protected, but the U.S. can't openly say so as it violates the non-proliferation treaty the U.S. signed.
- jlhoben, on 03/26/2008, -0/+6Fuses were accidentally misplaced after a friendly, exhilarating game of nuclear Jenga.
- charlietuna, on 03/26/2008, -0/+6I am sure the use of the word "fuses" intentionally implies that these were simple lead wires and that in reality what they received was more likely some essential part of the detonation circuit. Fuse sounds much more innocuous than *detonator*.
- Majjoodi, on 03/26/2008, -0/+6"When Taiwan realized it had received the incorrect shipment, it notified the U.S. military. Wynne would not say when Taiwan first reported the problem."
Maybe Taiwan reported this two years back, or two weeks. Mr. Wynne seems doesn't like to tell. - jimbo92107, on 03/26/2008, -1/+6When I get stuff like that in the mail, I just throw it away. I don't care if it's magazines, bills, checks or nuclear missile parts. Into the trash with all of it. Not my problem.
- Smokersroom, on 03/26/2008, -1/+6Rocket Scientist are we?
- kansai22, on 03/26/2008, -2/+7They reported it right away it took the US years to respond to it and once the US did respond they just told them to destroy it not send it back. This was clearly done on purpose. The US was giving them these weapons to use against China if they attack Taiwan. They were basically saying hey our back is turned keep them.
- michnuc, on 03/26/2008, -0/+4The issue here is that the "fuse" was misplaced, and is technology that should not be proliferated.
The fuse is either:
A. The timing circuitry for detonation of the HE to form the critical mass. This is very difficult to create and perfect, and is one of the critical pieces of technology in the creation of efficient (small) nuclear weapons. The timing on the detonators has to be exact, otherwise the device will "fizzle" (Note: N. Korea's attempt likely fizzled). Not only is the timing of each individual detonator important (I believe down to the microsecond), but the timing of all the detonators has to be exact, otherwise the fissile material would be blown apart before creating the critical mass.
B. The fuse is the arming device for the weapon, that activates the timing circuitry. The issue with this is obvious. These fuses would be the safeguards against accidental or unauthorized use of the weapon, and as such, their structure would be classified. Knowledge of their structure and processes could allow unauthorized use of other active-duty weapons. This is the more likely definition of "fuse" from the report:
"The fuses, which send an electronic signal to the device that starts the nuclear weapon's trigger process, are among a class of sensitive equipment that must be accounted for on a quarterly basis."
"So why are the nuclear fuses any more special that a kitchen timer and a battery?" The are more special because the fuses set off a nuclear bomb, and are therefore more sophisticated and of greater security importance. - bxblox, on 03/26/2008, -1/+5They knew they were missing, but they would never admit to losing something that important. And taiwan took its sweet time, as if you wouldn't be confused by the box of nuclear missile parts you never ordered.
- fancypantscz, on 03/26/2008, -0/+4That does little to explain why you are wasting your time leaving comments that are only read in my parents basement.
- staxx202, on 03/26/2008, -1/+5They "accidentally" send nuclear missile fuses to a close enemy of China?
The U.S. is pushing pretty hard to instigate a world war.. - liuite, on 03/26/2008, -2/+6the Taiwanese need nuclear missles to blow the Chinese to kingdom come if they invade! at least to knock out Beijing.
- ecape7, on 03/26/2008, -7/+10silly mistake like you know the war that killed 4000 troops over 1000000 civilians oh america is there no situation you wont exacerbate
- EuphopiaB, on 03/26/2008, -5/+8What is so special about a nuclear missile fuse over any other missile fuse?
"...send an electronic signal to the device that starts the nuclear weapon's trigger process..."
Modern conventional explosives are detonated using an electrical signal. The nuclear reaction is started by setting off conventional explosives forcing the substance into a critical mass. So why are the nuclear fuses any more special that a kitchen timer and a battery? - kansai22, on 03/26/2008, -2/+5This was clearly done on purpose. The US was giving them these weapons to use against China if they attack Taiwan. They were basically saying hey our back is turned keep them.
- DynamicSurge, on 03/26/2008, -1/+4Nothing to see here.... Move along.
- Bushlied, on 03/26/2008, -2/+5Losing a Nuclear component isn't a mistake. It's a crime.
- kurtu5, on 03/26/2008, -0/+3At first I was thinking they were fuses for h-bombs. Those happen to be a-bombs. But then I realized they were high speed switches.
Its the timing electronics for setting off the high explosives that they are talking about.
Now in the 50's, research into kryton switches took a significant fraction of the GDP to develop and manufacture. But today? Come on, its the fissile material thats the hard part. - Ragarnok, on 03/26/2008, -1/+4U.S. Military Meeting
"Sir Taiwan needs helicopter batteries"
"Just send them 4 of these electric thingmajing"
"What Nuclear Fuses?"
"Yeah whatever you guys call it those days" - Winston84, on 03/26/2008, -0/+3Yeah right and Donald Rumsfeld "accidentally" sold 2 nuclear reactors to North Korea
when he was on the board of ABB . - willsani, on 03/26/2008, -1/+3Quoting Cheney: "So?"
- michnuc, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2Does he ever?
- umbepo, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2They're friggin fuses... OH SWEET JESUS THEY'RE JUST MISSING THE MATERIALS FOR A NUCLEAR BOMB -FUSES! BOMB SHELTERS WILL BE BACK IN STYLE AGAIN!
I think that if Taiwan wanted to nuke anyone, and they did somehow get the nuclear materials, they wouldn't have much trouble getting their own fuses..
That's note even news worthy. - bjornski, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2Nah, those are throw-away parts. But if you need a kidney, lung or heart transplant, they're the first country to ask. They've got lots of prisoners to take them from.
- pat0neill, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2ahaha 'accidentally'
- bjornski, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2People who are about nuclear proliferation of materials and parts to make them.
Obviously not your type of person. - LocalDocal, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2If this truly is covert thing, then of course the US would encourage that. Appearances, remember? Make it look like you support one nation in public, but support another in private.
- crapmatic, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2That's what the fourth comment from the top said.
- silveravnt, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2I don't understand why we put up with this stuff yet we wont trade with Cuba. I've hated China (not the Chinese) since that time when they held our military people for so long.
- morningmatters, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2This is funny news and probably intentional on US' part to begin with. The timing of this disclosure is a bit odd as well, right after the recent landslide Presidential election won by someone who is more pro-China.
- Y0tsuya, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2Taiwan ran a nuclear weapons program during the 60-70's before CIA pressured them to halt it, with the implicit security guarantee that comes with the deal.
- charlietuna, on 03/26/2008, -1/+3They'd sell it back to us at a profit!
- EllieElliott, on 03/26/2008, -2/+4oops
- pat0neill, on 03/26/2008, -0/+2i concur
- razorsharpwit, on 03/26/2008, -2/+3The Government is so good at inventory! Let's give them more money! OH and let's give those Gov't employees job security based on anything but work performance.
- charlietuna, on 03/27/2008, -0/+1If you believe the cover story to begin with. I am sure that only people with a very high security clearance can review the blueprints that spell out what these components really do.
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