Friday, March 11, 2005

Typos of Mass Destruction

Sudan was alarmed to find out the US nuked it in 1962. Seems Rep Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) brought up a previously undisclosed atomic test in Sudan back in 1962. She mentioned it during a subcommittee hearing. And there it was, right in the transcript, "Sudan."

Sudanese leaders were freaked. Not only had they been nuked 43 years ago, they completely missed it, or forgot about it, or couldn't remember it, or something.

Not to worry. Uncle Sam never nuked Sudan. Just Nevada. The test in question was one letter and umpteen thousand miles off from "Sudan." It was an atomic test code named "Sedan." With an "e." Just a typo. Maybe that could explain the fact there were no WMDs in Iraq, but there is a nuclear program in Iran.

Meanwhile back in Nevada, tourists can even visit the impressive crater the Sedan test left behind. And you won't even need a passport to see it. (Al Kamen's In the Loop, WashPost)

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