Intelligence Contractors Make Second Attempt In One Week To Provoke Tensions With North Korea

[Swordsmyth]

It's the second, but no less ludicrous, attempt in one week to sway the opinion of the public and President Donald Trump against the concept of denuclearization and peaceful dialogue with North Korea.
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A March 8, 2019 report from National Public Radio (http://archive.is/Ybi7J) (NPR) follows another by NBC News (https://disobedientmedia.com/2019/03/the-media-is-lying-about-construction-at-sohae-launch-facility/) with sensational and misleading claims that satellite imagery released by private corporations with contractual ties to government defense and intelligence agencies show imminent preparations by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to engage in missile testing or the launch of a satellite from their facilities in Sanumdong, North Korea. An examination of the photos provided shows absolutely no indication of such activity.
I. Satellite Footage Of Sanumdong Facility Shows No Sign Of Imminent Launch Images provided to NPR by private contractor DigitalGlobe consist of two low resolution images, one of a building in the Sanumdong complex and the other of a train sitting along a rail line. In neither photo is there any discernible amount of unusual activity.
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The first image of a "production hall" bears a striking resemblance to a similar photo run by the Washington Post (http://archive.is/hD6bs) in July 2018 where unnamed intelligence officials claimed that North Korea was building one or possibly two liquid fueled ICBMs which appear to have never materialized or been used in any launch. The claims came one month after President Trump met with Chairman Kim Jong Un in Singapore for a historic summit between the United States and the DPRK.
NPR's claims that the imagery shows "vehicle activity" occurring around the facility. Yet close inspection shows that the "activity" consists of a few inert vehicles, which appear to be a white pickup and white dump truck or flatbed parked in a permanent position next to piles of metal. The scene does not appear to be different from any number of sleepy yards of businesses that can be examined by members of the public on Google Maps.
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The second image, according to NPR, shows rail cars sitting "in a nearby rail yard, where two cranes are also erected." The photo simply shows a train car sitting inert with empty flatbed cars and hopper cars that are either filled with coal or empty. A second rail line similarly holds a number of hoppers and flatbed cars. Hopper cars in particular are totally unsuitable for the transportation of military technology such as missiles.
The tracks in the lower left corner are covered in snow, meaning that the train sat for many months through the winter or was backed into its position. Considering that US and international sanctions (http://archive.is/CeXkm) have caused an extreme scarcity of fuel in the DPRK it is likely that the trains have not moved for quite some time, unless their diesel engines were converted to burn coal or wood.
In short, there is absolutely no indication that several low resolution photos of a facility in North Korea have any activity in them outside of a few rusting vehicles that have sat without moving for some time.
II. NPR's Sources Of Satellite Imagery Are Contractors For The CIA And Pentagon The report by NPR lists two sources of satellite imagery - DigitalGlobe, Inc. and Planet Labs, Inc. As Disobedient Media (https://disobedientmedia.com/2019/03/the-media-is-lying-about-construction-at-sohae-launch-facility/) has previously reported, DigitalGlobe is an American vendor of satellite imagery founded by a scientist who worked on the US military’s Star Wars (http://archive.li/ryHe) ICBM defense program under President Ronald Reagan. DigitalGlobe began its existence in Oakland, CA and was seeded with money from Silicon Valley sources and corporations in North America, Europe and Japan. Headquartered (http://archive.is/HKAqG) in Westminster CO, DigitalGlobe works extensively with defense and intelligence programs (http://archive.is/fTscj). In 2016, it was revealed (http://archive.is/dSo5c) that DigitalGlobe was working with CIA chipmaker NVIDIA and Amazon Web Services (http://archive.is/grnoP) to create an AI-run satellite surveillance network known as Spacenet (http://archive.is/xLbbJ).
Planet Labs is a private satellite imaging corporation (http://archive.is/nHzEH) based in San Francisco, CA that allows customers with the money to pay an opportunity to gain access to next generation surveillance capabilities. In February 2016, Federal technology news source Nextgov (http://archive.is/NBRFj) noted a statement from former CIA Information Operations Center director and senior cyber adviser Sue Gordon that Planet Labs, DigitalGlobe and Google subsidiary Skybox Imaging were all working with the Pentagon's National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to provide location intelligence. Planet Labs' own website (http://archive.is/UthSb) also lists press releases detailing past contracts for subscription access to high resolution imagery with the NGA.
* * *
The pervasive involvement of intelligence agencies and defense contractors in attempts to undermine negotiations with North Korea (https://disobedientmedia.com/2018/06/cia-teams-up-with-defense-industry-to-undermine-korea-negotiations/) does not create confidence in the already shaky claims made by NPR regarding alleged preparations by the DPRK to participate in a missile launch.
These contentions are not supported in substance by any tangible facts. As claims and pressure continue to build on President Donald Trump to abandon the peace process (https://disobedientmedia.com/2019/03/opinion-the-path-forward-after-the-hanoi-summit/), there are multiple factions of the United States government who are running a real risk of behaving in manners which could be interpreted as open sedition or refusal to carry out the stated goals and policies of the President.


https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-09/intelligence-contractors-make-second-attempt-one-week-provoke-tensions-north-korea

[Swordsmyth]

In the aftermath of the Hanoi Summit, President Trump has been barraged with attempts to undermine his confidence in the good faith of Kim Jong Un and his intentions to deal fairly with the United States in the negotiation process concerning denuclearization and de-escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula. One of the primary causes of concern has been a series of reports (http://archive.li/iyOra) from NBC News (http://archive.is/sHj1Y) claiming that "commercial" satellite footage shows that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been engaging in fresh construction at their Sohae Launch Facility in preparation for an alleged missile launch or test.

Not only is the use of the term "commercial" misleading in nature, but analysis of the photos indicates that the activity at the Sohae facility is related to deconstruction. The reports are driven by a number of entities with connections to the Central Intelligence Agency and a number of other special interests which call into credibility both the veracity of the reports and the journalistic integrity of NBC News.
I. Satellite Footage Of Sohae Launch Facility Is Misrepresented The NBC report, written by Courtney Kube, Carol E. Lee and Andrea Mitchell, concerns satellite imagery released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) purported to have been taken on March 2, 2019. The imagery suffers from two defects - the fact that the images show two different facilities being attributed as one by the media, and that the purported construction activity indicates dismantling of the Sohae site rather than fresh additions or repairs. Side (https://archive.is/sHj1Y/b2dcda83efcde1b2703ddb6ebd356ccb0c9fafcc.jpg) by side (http://archive.fo/ENU2I) comparisons of the photos show that they are in fact taken from two different locations. This discrepancy might be apparent to an analyst with knowledge of North Korea's Sohae Launch Facility, but not to an average member of the public.
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Analysis of the photos indicates deconstruction for a number of reasons which are outlined below:


The positioning of the two cranes in the photo is not advantageous for construction of a tower since they cannot efficiently raise material to it from the ground level. The cranes are so close together that their arms are at risk of colliding during construction.

The image shows that materials are in fact being moved from the towers into a paved area in the center of the facility where they can be more easily removed by vehicles.

Tire skid marks on the pavement in the facility appear to show that vehicles were loaded with heavy materials before leaving rather than entering with large amounts of freightage on board.

Buildings at the facility are in a state of partial dismantlement or have otherwise been untouched. If the facility was being rebuilt, all surrounding buildings would be refurbished before work began on the tower.

The crane closest to the tower has been outfitted with a shorter arm. This is a strong indication that it is bringing tower segments down to the ground level rather than raising them. The second crane is outfitted with a longer arm to take pieces disassembled by the first crane and lower them to the ground level in the center of the facility where they would be stacked for removal.

The photo even appears to show a flatbed trailer near the central paved area which may have been used for the purpose of removing disassembled materials. The activity in the photos has been totally misrepresented with the intent to cause viewers to interpret the activity as construction. This analysis is consistent with a report from the Washington Post (http://archive.li/9Kx0x) in July 2018 labeling similar behavior at Sohae Satellite Launching Station as dismantling of a rail-mounted processing building.
Additional footage released by CSIS (http://archive.is/t3Q1T) which was purported to have been taken on March 6, 2019 shows imagery where the photographed facility displays apparent distress or overgrowth on the pavement in the center, while solar glare obstructs an optimally clear view of the buildings that are claimed to be under "construction." Structures that appear in the supposed March 2, 2019 photos are also mysteriously missing less than one week later. Considering the analysis mentioned above, these defects do not create confidence in the veracity of the claims being presented to President Trump and the public.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-10/heres-why-media-lying-about-reconstruction-north-koreas-sohae-launch-facility

[Zippyjuan]

Well, if Zerohedge says so....

[Swordsmyth]

Well, if Zerohedge says so....
It's more trustworthy than the MSM.

[acptulsa]

It's more trustworthy than the MSM.

Oh, yay.

[Swordsmyth]

Oh, yay.
Do you have anything to say about the articles in this thread or are you just here to help zippy promote war with N. Korea?

[acptulsa]

Do you have anything to say about the articles in this thread or are you just here to help zippy promote war with N. Korea?

Indicating "better than the MSM" ain't saying much is the same thing as promoting war?

Now there's some partisan "logic".

[Swordsmyth]

Indicating "better than the MSM" ain't saying much is the same thing as promoting war?

Now there's some partisan "logic".
Coming into a thread and saying something to indicate that zippy has some credibility in casting doubt on the articles while ignoring the articles is supporting zippy's goal of discrediting the articles and promoting war with N. Korea.

If that wasn't your intent then maybe you should think before reflexively posting just to oppose me.

[acptulsa]

Coming into a thread and saying something to indicate that zippy has some credibility in casting doubt on the articles while ignoring the articles is supporting zippy's goal of discrediting the articles and promoting war with N. Korea.

If that wasn't your intent then maybe you should think before reflexively posting just to oppose me.

No, that run-on sentence does not describe my intent. Assuming I deciphered it correctly.

That doesn't imply either NBC or Zerohedge has any credibility.

[Swordsmyth]

They must be doing something right:

Facebook Bans Zero Hedge (https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-11/facebook-bans-zero-hedge)

[acptulsa]

They must be doing something right:

Facebook Bans Zero Hedge (https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-11/facebook-bans-zero-hedge)

That doesn't mean they're getting it right. That just means they're keeping it right-wing.

[Stratovarious]

That doesn't mean they're getting it right. That just means they're keeping it right-wing.

Keeping it 'right wing' is worse than Socialist Globalism, 24/7 lies and deception, and lies through omission?
Did you believe MSM during the 2012 election, coverage of the 'smirking' Indian haters, Iraq war, Osama,
911?

Oh yea and grammar policing Swordsmyth? lol



:frog:

[Stratovarious]

Coming into a thread and saying something to indicate that zippy has some credibility in casting doubt on the articles while ignoring the articles is supporting zippy's goal of discrediting the articles and promoting war with N. Korea.

If that wasn't your intent then maybe you should think before reflexively posting just to oppose me.
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Swordsmyth again.

[acptulsa]

You consider right wing opinions "facts" and true, verifiable statements that right wingers would rather be in denial about "lies".

It's boring.

[Superfluous Man]

Coming into a thread and saying something to indicate that zippy has some credibility in casting doubt on the articles while ignoring the articles is supporting zippy's goal of discrediting the articles and promoting war with N. Korea.


Why do you think Zippy has a goal of promoting war with North Korea? I've seen no evidence of that.

[Swordsmyth]

That doesn't mean they're getting it right. That just means they're keeping it right-wing.
LOL
They have leftist content on Zero Hedge too.
They got banned for being a source of alternative news and opinions, even their leftist content is better than the MSM.


Now, how about you actually address the content of the articles?

[Zippyjuan]

Do you have anything to say about the articles in this thread or are you just here to help zippy promote war with N. Korea?

Link to Zippy promoting war with North Korea?

[Swordsmyth]

Link to Zippy promoting war with North Korea?

North Korea rebuilding Sohae rocket launch site, say observers (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?532201-North-Korea-rebuilding-Sohae-rocket-launch-site-say-observers&highlight=korea) Started by Zippyjuan (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/member.php?17293-Zippyjuan), 03-06-2019



North Korea nuclear: US intelligence report says regime to keep weapons (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?530943-North-Korea-nuclear-US-intelligence-report-says-regime-to-keep-weapons&highlight=korea) Started by Zippyjuan (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/member.php?17293-Zippyjuan), 01-30-2019

1080240049780940800

North Korea appears to be expanding missile base

New satellite images show that North Korea is expanding a missile base in a remote area near the Chinese border, and researchers say it's likely being used to house long-range missiles.

The images of Yeongjeo-dong show there has been construction not only at the existing facility, but also at a second site about seven miles away, NPR reports. The imagery was analyzed at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and senior research associate Catherine Dill said Pyongyang is "constructing hardened drive-through shelters for the vehicles that would carry long-range missiles, and they are also constructing tunnel entrances."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may have told President Trump during their meeting this June that he wanted to work toward denuclearization, but the images paint a different picture. "They started construction before the Singapore summit and they've continued it since then," Dill said.

https://theweek.com/speedreads/811146/north-korea-appears-expanding-missile-base



North Korea isn't going to give up their nukes anyways.

And that's only some of it, every time the MSM tries to derail the peace process you rush to post their lies.

[Stratovarious]

You consider right wing opinions "facts" and true, verifiable statements that right wingers would rather be in denial about "lies".

It's boring.
When has CNN ever lied to you //// ha ha :frog:
CNN cool aide.

[Zippyjuan]

North Korea rebuilding Sohae rocket launch site, say observers (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?532201-North-Korea-rebuilding-Sohae-rocket-launch-site-say-observers&highlight=korea) Started by Zippyjuan (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/member.php?17293-Zippyjuan), 03-06-2019



North Korea nuclear: US intelligence report says regime to keep weapons (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?530943-North-Korea-nuclear-US-intelligence-report-says-regime-to-keep-weapons&highlight=korea) Started by Zippyjuan (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/member.php?17293-Zippyjuan), 01-30-2019





And that's only some of it, every time the MSM tries to derail the peace process you rush to post their lies.

Stating what is going on is not promoting war.

[Swordsmyth]

Stating what is going on is not promoting war.
Stating lies designed to undermine the peace process is.

[Zippyjuan]

Stating lies designed to undermine the peace process is.

What peace process? Nothing happened at either of Trump's summits.

[Swordsmyth]

What peace process? Nothing happened at either of Trump's summits.
https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FlFbLKCN 7DarW8%2Fgiphy.gif&f=1

[Zippyjuan]

https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FlFbLKCN 7DarW8%2Fgiphy.gif&f=1

I was wrong. They did get their picture taken together. That did happen.

[acptulsa]

When has CNN ever lied to you //// ha ha :frog:
CNN cool aide.

Are you two sure you're not socialists? Because you both talk like socialists.


We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain.

Frederic Bastiat

[Stratovarious]

:radioactive:
Are you two sure you're not socialists? Because you both talk like socialists.:radioactive::upsidedown:

[Origanalist]

Are you two sure you're not socialists? Because you both talk like socialists.

When did you stop beating your wife?

[acptulsa]

:radioactive::radioactive::upsidedown:

Well? How do you describe your alt-blight frog logic?


When has CNN ever lied to you //// ha ha :frog:
CNN cool aide.

So you're saying either CNN or ZH has to be accurate? They cannot possibly both be inaccurate? Do you stand by that?

[Stratovarious]

Well? How do you describe your alt-blight frog logic?



So you're saying either CNN or ZH has to be accurate? They cannot possibly both be inaccurate? Do you stand by that?

How you describe your personal attacks, name calling and insults ? You know, the ones that the moderators ignore?
Selective Censorship , that's what censorship is all about , never been any different.

[acptulsa]

How you describe your personal attacks, name calling and insults ? You know, the ones that the moderators ignore?
Selective Censorship , that's what censorship is all about , never been any different.

I assume that means you can't or won't answer the question?

[Stratovarious]

I assume that means you can't or won't answer the question?

''we don't negotiate with terrorists and coddled cucks''

[acptulsa]

''we don't negotiate with terrorists and coddled cucks''

So I ask why your false dichotomy looks quite a lot like the false dichotomy socialists like to use, and you call it a personal insult. But you call that debate.

Then you accuse the mods of maintaining a double standard?

That's funny.

[Stratovarious]

So I ask why your false dichotomy looks quite a lot like the false dichotomy socialists like to use, and you call it a personal insult. But you call that debate.

Then you accuse the mods of maintaining a double standard?

That's funny.:facepalm:

[Swordsmyth]

Just a few days after NBC News (https://disobedientmedia.com/2019/03/the-media-is-lying-about-construction-at-sohae-launch-facility/) and National Public Radio (https://disobedientmedia.com/2019/03/intelligence-contractors-make-new-attempt-to-provoke-tensions-with-north-korea/) (NPR) launched propaganda attempts to undermine the peace process between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United Nations has waded into the fray with a new attempt to build a case for retaining sanctions that have proven to be a sticking point between the negotiation teams.
Much like previous reports, the United Nation's Panel of Experts (PoE) on North Korea utilized misleadingly interpreted satellite footage provided by private firms who have contractual connections to the CIA and Pentagon. The panel's findings will ultimately be used to support policies that are aimed at playing on North Korean fears and make them more likely to withdraw or engage in counterproductive behavior.
I. Continued Misleading Interpretation Of Satellite Footage
The PoE's claimed that the DPRK has been using an "underwater pipeline" at an oil terminal in Nampo, North Korea to offload fuel it receives by sanctioned methods. Much like with previous attempts to "prove" North Korean behavior with satellite imagery that did not actually show evidence of claimed activity the UN's contentions are similarly based on shaky grounds.
https://zh-prod-1cc738ca-7d3b-4a72-b792-20bd8d8fa069.storage.googleapis.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/48c0211fd9d0fe14fc62e06907015f1e293f7619.jpg
A second photo run by NKNews.org (http://archive.is/ulU8d) from private defense contractor Planet Labs purports to also show the "underwater pipeline." NK News claimed that the underwater pipeline had been used since 2018 solely based on the fact that ships moved in and out of the area, which is obviously designated for mooring.
https://zh-prod-1cc738ca-7d3b-4a72-b792-20bd8d8fa069.storage.googleapis.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/6546286eadf06a35ff1ce251cd07ff590b411b60.jpg

There are a number of problems with both the photos provided by the Panel of Experts and the Planet Labs image published by NK News. These issues are outlined below.


None of the images shows where the "underwater pipeline" comes ashore. It is not visible under the water's surface, even where the shoreline is shallow.
None of the cables connecting to the ship are pipelines. They are cabling used to moor the ship in place.
All of the buoys are in place to mark either mooring cables or the ship's anchor which would have been dropped alongside it once it came to a stop. The UN PoE labeled the anchor buoy as an "offloading buoy" misleadingly in one of their images.
An "underwater pipeline" creates a huge risk for salt water contamination of gasoline being pumped through it. This is why all such transfers are done above the surface of the water.

Additional markings on the UN PoE's images discuss the storage capacity and location of the oil terminal in Nampo but provide no evidence of an "underwater pipeline." Even more damning, the image provided to NK News by Planet Labs shows a very clear shadow running down its center. This indicates that either two photographs were laid on top of each other and copied, or the original image was creased to hide some detail that would have otherwise been visible.
The use of an underwater pipeline is not the standard method by which ships refuel. Previous reports (http://archive.is/Dukyr) discussing sanctions evasion display photographs showing how ships will commonly lash together before exchanging gasoline above the water line. When ships to take on fuel from land, they will pull up along a dock. These kinds of details might be obvious to anyone with a degree of maritime knowledge but not a layman.
https://zh-prod-1cc738ca-7d3b-4a72-b792-20bd8d8fa069.storage.googleapis.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/215315c26cdf720c3b74fa08eddf39bb.jpg
More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-15/un-works-intelligence-contractors-destabilize-north-korea-dialogue