Posted on 03/25/2008 7:52:03 AM PDT by Pyro7480
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that it mistakenly shipped non-nuclear ballistic missile components to Taiwan from a U.S. Air Force base in Wyoming.
Why would that be a mistake?
I hate when that happens. /sarcasm
As soon as Taiwan gets done copying it, we can get it back. Sounds like a plan to me.
“Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!!” ;-)
The Chinese will love this.
Yeah, it was a mistake. That’s what we’re telling the ChiComs and we’re sticking to it, too!
Personally, I think it is hilarious, but the contention is that it is going to make China mad.
Oops.
At least we didn’t ship them to China.
Just like we “accidently” bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade.
Our bad! So sorry.
right but giving the chicoms all of Loral’s missle targeting information under Slick Willie was never at question.
Pentagon Admits Mistaken Arms Shipment
By ROBERT BURNS – 14 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that it mistakenly shipped non-nuclear components for an intercontinental ballistic missile to Taiwan from a U.S. Air Force base in Wyoming.
It said the items have been returned to the United States.
At a Pentagon news conference, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said the misshipped items were four nose cone assemblies for ICBMs. He also said they were delivered to Taiwan in March 2005 and had been sent instead of helicopter batteries that had been ordered by Taiwan.
“This could not be construed as being nuclear material. It is a component for the fuse in the nosecone for a nuclear system,” Wynne said. “We are very concerned about it.”
Wynne said the matter is under investigation. He said the Taiwanese authorities notified U.S. officials of the mistake.
Neither the Chinese Embassy nor Taiwan diplomats in Washington immediately responded to requests for comment.
Ryan Henry, the No. 2 policy official in the office of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, said President Bush was notified of the mistake and the actions to recover the items. Henry called the mistake “disconcerting” and intolerable. He said the Chinese government has been notified of the error.
Henry said an examination of the site in Taiwan where the components had been stored after delivery indicated that they had not been tampered with. He said the components were “quite dated,” as part of a system designed in the 1960s.
I wonder if we used UPS?
Can we mistakenly ship tactical nukes to Tibet?
The free Chinese will.
The Red Chinese — not so much.
Shipping error. Gotta hate when UPS makes those mistakes.....
“He also said they were delivered to Taiwan in March 2005”
So they’ve had them for 3 years!!!???
This is going to make the ChiComs pee their pants.
We bombed the Chicom embassy because they where spying and giving signal intel to the serbs. That is a fact.Oh well nothing like toasted chicoms. Dont FK with the US silly commies.
I also had the "pleasure" of walking into the VP's office and announcing, "it's cheaper to scrap the steel at the sites and just ship again, instead of picking it up." He was not pleased.
The next announcement will be naming the replacement for the Air Force’s Chief of Staff
Ping
Or the head of DLA.
Absolutely.
BTW: Where are all of the people who now stationed who were involved/responsible for these high level inventoried items over the past 3-4 years?
They must use the same inventory system as “Service Merchandise”.
China must have been late with their payment to the Clintons that month.
“As soon as Taiwan gets done copying it, we can get it back.”
Hey, half the technology in it probably came from Taiwanese brain power.
They must use the same inventory system as “Service Merchandise”.
China is about to implode with Tibet and Napal.
Taiwan, Hong Kong are on the sidelines watching.
Myanmar will be coming into play again in the area.
Next mistake will be a Japanese Submarine off the coast of
Dalian.
China should have never been on the “List” for the Olympics. It's a police state at best and it's going to get a lot worse before the Olympics, IMHO.
Wonder what Obama and HRC would do?
Heads will roll, eh?
OH God that HOmer Simpson reset right there LOL!
The best one like this I heard was about a demo blast of a nuclear mine simulator... The sergeant didn’t like the serial number on the simulator and called it in, over the objections of the lt, who wanted the blast to go on schedule. Seems someone shipped out a live one...ooops - would have sure heated up Korea.
OOOPS!!! Sorry... (wink wink)
“Why would that be a mistake?”
I was stationed in Taiwan for 18 months while serving in the military in the early 1970’s.
I hope similar “mistakes” of this nature continue to occur and include state-of-the-art weapons systems.
EODGUY
Perhaps we mistakenly put some AR-75’s in them as well :) Keep cranking out the nukes boys, it seems we may need them in the next several years.
It was a mistake like the lead paint in our toys was a mistake. Like the poison in our pet food and toothpaste was a mistake. Oops!!! Real sorry about that and we will punish the person the same way china would.
;-)
;-)
I find it hard to spin this positively at all. If it is an accident (likely), it is pretty grossly incompetent. It deliberate, the way alliances shift in today’s world, giving another nation highly sensitive arms is a big mistake. Remember we used to thnk Saddam was our friend...
I am sure it was a mistake and just trying to make light of it. Sorry about that.
“China should have never been on the “List” for the Olympics. It’s a police state at best and it’s going to get a lot worse before the Olympics, IMHO.”
There are clear and strong, polically based arguements to be made for why China should not host the Olympics. Some will counter those arguement with ideals about the Olympics not being a political oganization. When done laughing, many will also argue that the simple pollution problem in Beijing should disqualify at least that city from playing host.
from : http://www.worldwatch.org/node/3881
comes:
I wouldn’t want to breath hard there.
Of course not, blueprints are more convenient.
"Hey Sparky, what's up with that last supply shipment? While we appreciate the missile cones, we really could use those Jeep batteries."
Oops.
Just keep them. We’ll send the toaster ovens we meant to send with our next FedEx pick up.
No charge.
Taiwan intercepting a clandestine shipment to Red China?
A warning to the Chicoms?
Who knows...?
Cheers!
I take it that this was before E-bay?
Cheers!
That this is made public is for purpose of communication with those who need to know.
Even now, made to order structural steel (30+ feet long with 1/16” tolerances) is tough to find on EBay. :)
THE STORY:
U.S. Regains Missile Parts; Gates Orders Investigation
By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 25, 2008 – The U.S. military has regained control of four non-nuclear nose cone assemblies for a Minuteman missile mistakenly sent to Taiwan in 2006, Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said during a news conference here today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates learned of the situation on March 21 and immediately ordered that the United States regain “positive control” of the systems, Wynne said. He also notified the president of the situation.
Pentagon Briefing ,
25 March 2008
LTG Carter Ham, Director for Operations, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne, and Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Policy Ryan Henry speak with reporters, March 25, 2008 Pentagon
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.