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Subscribe to RSSThe United States warned North Korea on Friday its plan to launch a satellite with a long-range rocket could violate its February agreement on a nuclear moratorium and scuttle U.S. plans to resume food aid.
The State Department swiftly condemned Pyongyang's announcement of plans for the satellite launch next month, which it said could torpedo nascent efforts to restart broader nuclear negotiations with the secretive state.
"If they were to go forward with this launch it is very hard to imagine how we would be able to move forward with a regime whose word we have no confidence in," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.
Discussions on returning International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to North Korea, and on the implementation of the food deal, were on hold, she said.
"We're going to take a pause here," Nuland said. "We need more reassurance now."
North Korea said on Friday it will launch a long-range rocket carrying a "working" satellite to mark the centenary of founder Kim Il Sung's birth next month, sparking condemnation from the United States and others that it was in breach of a U.N. resolution.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the announcement was highly provocative and called upon Pyongyang to honor its obligations including U.N. Security Council resolutions banning ballistic missile launches.
"Such a missile launch would pose a threat to regional security and would also be inconsistent with North Korea's recent undertaking to refrain from long-range missile launches," she said in a statement.
The North, which said recently it would suspend long-range missile testing as part of talks with the United States, pledged that next month's launch would not impact neighboring countries.
N. Korea agrees to nuclear moratorium, UN inspections
Experts said the launch was clearly another long-range missile test, and could be seen as an act of brinkmanship to pressure Washington into more talks in return for aid.
South Korea, which is still technically at war with the North after signing only an armistice to end the 1950-53 Korean War, and Japan said the ballistic launch threatened regional security.
Any launch by North Korea, whether for a satellite or not, that uses ballistic missile technology violates Security Council resolutions, the Japanese government said.
"We urge North Korea to exercise restraint and refrain from the launch," said the top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura.
Elizabeth Dalziel / AP
From work to play, see pictures from inside the secretive country.
China, the reclusive state's only main ally, was more restrained in its response, but stressed on maintaining peace on the divided peninsula.
"Protecting the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and North East Asia suits the joint interests of all parties and is the consistent expectation of the international community. This requires that all relevant parties take a constructive role," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters at a regular news briefing.
In April 2009, the North conducted a similar ballistic rocket launch which resulted in a new round of toughened U.N. sanctions, squeezing the secretive state's already troubled economy and deepening its isolation.
That launch, dismissed as a failure after the first stage fell into the Sea of Japan without orbiting a satellite, provoked outrage in Tokyo which had threatened to shoot down any debris or rocket that threatened its territory.
Another test failed in similar circumstances in 1998.
'Indigenous technology'
Washington says the North's long-range ballistic missile program is moving ahead quickly and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last year that the American mainland could come under threat within five years.
"The DPRK is to launch a working satellite, Kwangmyongsong-3, manufactured by itself with indigenous technology to mark the 100th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung," the North's official KCNA said, quoting a spokesman for the Korean Committee for Space Technology.
How muscle cars help US spy on North Korea
The launch will take place between April 12-16, KCNA said. It is scheduled to occur at around the same time its foes in the South hold a parliamentary election, and just over three weeks after a global nuclear security summit in Seoul.
Pyongyang has been planning massive celebrations for years to mark Kim Il Sung's birthday on April 15, and has boasted the occasion would also mark its emergence on the international stage as a "strong and prosperous" nation.
Analysts said the launch was designed to boost the country's new leadership and to pressure Washington into making concessions.
"For the outside world this is the same as a long-range missile test," said Park Young-ho of the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government affiliated think tank.
"This can interpreted as a means of applying pressure on the Americans in negotiations, and is a celebration of the founder's birth as well as an opportunity for the new leadership to celebrate the beginning of a new era," Park said in Seoul.
Report: Kim Jong Il's eldest son falls on hard times
The state's new young leader Kim Jong Un, who became the third member of the Kim family to lead the state after his father Kim Jong Il's death in December, has presented a militaristic image to his countrymen since taking power.
He has visited several military sites and been seen mixing with top brass in what analysts say is a move designed to win the all-powerful army's backing for the succession process.
KCNA said the launch would be conducted from a base near its border with China, indicating it would take place at a newly constructed missile testing site believed to be larger and more advanced than the site used to launch previous rockets.
The launch will be made southwards and debris generated from the flight will not impact neighboring countries, it said.
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Looks like N Korea is still banging war drums. Whatever!
North Korea has openly flouted the international community by producing (apparently successfully) its
own nuclear weapons----and also by profiting from their dissemination"-------and I am quoting from
Foreign Affairs
From the article:
"Pyongyang ..., and has boasted the occasion would also mark its emergence on the international stage as a "strong and prosperous" nation.""
Does anyone see North Korea as a 'prosperous nation? I think not!
The whole nation of N. Korea is a shanty town, built upon lies of it's leaders and deranged dictatorial rule.
Yeah really.
It will fall into the Pacific Ocean like the other "NK Satellite" did. But they do make great dancers and human bilboards. They have us beat on that.
"At some point, its unpredictabilty could precipitate the first
use of nuclear weapons in anger since 1945."
Foreign Affairs
September/October 2009
What Next fo NATO?
"At some point, its unpredictabilty could precipitate the first
use of nuclear weapons in anger since 1945."
Yeah, it could. And then that would precipitate the SECOND use of nuclear weapons in anger since 1945. Goodbye, North Korea.
It would be an ugly, but final, end to what has been a ridiculous standoff.
Fter seeing what the UNITED SNAKES (US/Israel/NATO <in Iraq, Libya and now Syria>) are capable of doing - "Wouldn't you?!!!
BTW, the article is still revelant because of the upcoming NATO Summit in May in Chicago. "What
Next for NATO?" A good question!
North Korea possessing the technology to launch ANYTHING reminds me of what Bob HOPE said after the Russians launched Sputnik in the late '50's. I'd like to congratulate the Russians on launching Sputnik, but I can't speak German.
Why do we care about this pissant country? Let China feed them, if they so desire, while we defend S. Korea from the fallout of the north's inevitable collapse. Nuclear talks? Food aid? Why?
Now, the North Koreans will probably launch FIVE long range missiles, 4 with dummy satellites, just to prove they continue to be defiant.
Guess we will have to wait and see next month what the N.K.s do.
Light bulb: Send the SofS to North Korea to "talk" with them.
Let them pretend they are a strong and prosperous nation.
They can also pretend their people are eating food.
We gave it an effort.
Stupidity reigns.
Exactly what does a country that 1. cannot feed itself. 2. cannot provide 24 hours a day electricity to it's people (even it it's cities) 3. has only four TV stations and a handful radio stations that do not even broadcast 24 hours a day. North Korean state TV only broadcasts after 5 pm during the week and from 6 AM on Sunday unless some major event occurs that the government wants the people to see. 4.Does not allow any internet private use. need a satellite for?
I don't understand what the big deal is. Russian rockets can't hardly make it to space half the time, so what makes them think they can. Besides, Us watching them launch would give us a better understanding of how much progress they have made as far as technology goes.
Why are we still sending them food? It is most likely being used to feed the army anyway. Our government seems to be permenantly committed to distributing tax dollar funded aid to people that hate us.
What's truly ironic is the same federal government that sends aid to our adversaries in North Korea doesn't think victims of the recent midwest tornado disasters are entitled to any assistance from FEMA. Big government throwing the little people under the bus as usual.
What are we going to do about it? Scold them, yell at them, we cannot spank them!
AG99,
You are exactly right on point! DunkinH makes some viable points as well in post #1.14, and #1.15.
I’m kind of surprised that everyone on here seems to be underestimating the threat that North Korea poses to the rest of the world. North Korea concerns me substantially more than the Middle East does. It just goes to show you how right MacArthur was when he said that "appeasement but begets new and bloodier war". And now we just might have that "bloodier war". If the government had not tied his hands way back when than there would be no North Korea today and we would not have to worry about it. I understand that they were afraid Mao would use the A-Bomb but that was actually highly unlikely, despite what he may have told people at the time. And even if they had used it the casualties would likely be much less than those should we go to war with North Korea today. Now even with short range nuclear missiles North Korea could easily knock out both Seoul and Tokyo, which, in addition to the millions of lives lost, would have a devastating affect on the world economy. And as the article says they may soon have intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to cities in the USA. Of course I realize that people with the mindset of the North Korean government normally only want nuclear weapons so that they can intimidate and manipulate other governments but its still scary to think that people who are that psychologically unstable have these kinds of weapons. In fact, the psychological strata that they occupy is only a few notches above that of a suicidal maniac who wants to take everyone else down with him so it wouldn’t take much of a backslide for them to want to start a nuclear war. All we can do now is hope for the best I guess.
Bull ..it; no mater what they do we will keep them supplied in food, so they do not invade the south, they know it, we know it and the world knows it; without U.s. aid there would be mass starvation in North Korea !
If this country can afford to maintain a standing 2 million man army it doesn't need food aid from the US. What Washington booble head is keeping this going?
It will bring black and white tv to the North Korean masses. They can now finally watch "I Love Lucy" reruns.
They would think it was a sci-fi show about the future!
apparently obama thought direct negoications with north korea ( appeasement ) worked. after all north korea has dont in past year from killing south koreans to sinking a sub and still our ally didnt get any american protection which treaty we have with them states america will protect them. Obama in past has thrown allies under the bus example eastern europe to the russians over missle defense and we got nothing out of it and still russia thinks obama is weak cause now they pressing us again. And obama thinking about giving them secret info on missle defense which they can make counter to it if they see this secret. and russia will sell this counter to all nations that hate us. Obama your appeasement of russia has major effects. senator wants to put sanctions on weapons compnay that providing training to syrian government on how to use Mines and other weapons against civlians and obama is afraid of putin cause he wont go after russia for what they doing in syria. Not saying what bush did was good either going around attacking countries but atleast russia feared bush but russia doesnt fear obama they know he weak
I think the meds have really kicked in big time....you should go lay down, and dont run any heavy machinery
It's not about 'appreasemnt' Bubba. It's about financing state terror in Irrael, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. We never seem to have a (moral) problem with arming the lowest of the low, from apartheidnik Israel to thug regimes made up of 'rotten-to-the-core' Arab kings where our 'war profiteers' can make Billion$, huh?.
Right. Because President Bush II did *so* much more to curb North Korea. Not.
What's your solution, Krazy? Bomb everyone but the US back to the Stone Age, and hope they don't do the same to us? Smooth. Your conflict resolution skills must be a real hit with the ladies.
What a great strategy: The carrot and .... the carrot and .... the carrot and ....
One must keep in mind that President G.W. Bush removed North Korea from the list of terrorist nations.
So, Obama... You cut a deal with the North Koreans to send them food and they'd behave so you'd look like a great statesman going into the election. Uh huh.. Doesn't seem to be working real well. In fact, you fell for the same old bait-and-switch con game that North Korea has been playing for years: "We'll behave and come back to the negotiating table if you'll just send us some aid". However, they are a little off their game. Probably because their new fat-boy beloved leader is inexperienced. Usually they wait until the aid has been delivered before they go back on the deal. Or maybe they have so little respect for Obama's backbone that they figure we'll cave in and deliver the aid anyway. If so, they are probably right.
OH, and let's not forget... The Iranians will be watching this very closely. After all, we are doing the same sort of dance with them right now.
Deerslayer, let's not forget that on 10/11/2008 President G. W. Bush removed North Korea from the terrorist blacklist, and that prior to and after that date did absolutely nothing to contain or take action against the country.
Same old, same old conservative hypocrisy, double standards and usual bull@!$%#.
And your better answer is what? War? Or actions leading to war? I've been there and done that. Attempting negotiations... as difficult and often and fruitless as they often are with NK... is the only way. A war leading to the leveling of one of the most important industrial nations in the world economy is not a realistic or moral option. Millions could well perish. So what does that leave us with? "Appeasement" is a loaded word used by people who are frustrated with negotiations that seem to leed to humiliating or seemingly false conclusions. However, if it saves millions in an attempt to keep wacko NK from doing something stupid... then I'm down with that. It costs us little compared to a full scale conflagration in Korea. Let me know when you have a better idea.
More ballistic launches more food from the USA. Frees up more NK funds to built more missiles rather than producing more food for it's starving population. NK monarchy motto is let the west feed it's people and armed forces and gain more concesion. pretty soon NK will deliver it's nuke bomb to get bigger concesion. The US never learns that Nk never kept it's promise or pledge. Are our leaders and negotiators still dumb not able to see what NK Kim dynasty clique is up to? Is not US responsibility to feed other country's people while they are building more weapon arsenal.
Deerslayer, I agree. For those saying Bush did the same thing, he's not in office anymore. He's been gone for 3 years. Try to keep up.
@Glock: But did you complain about Bush's policy toward NK while Bush *was* in office?
I doubt it.
OK... The drift I get from some replys is that some of you are upset that I take issue with Obama's handling of this (and just about everything else while we are on that subject). Fine. I obviously have absolutely no use for the man but take any reference to him out of my post and tell me: Do you think that continuing to play this idiotic bait-and-switch game with North Korea is working or has ever come close to working? Really? How? Is it working because they haven't actually launched a nuclear missile at anyone yet? Whoa... There's a great measure of success.
What aid are you talking about? The US hasn't sent any aid to NK for the last 4 years. And for talks its true we've been trying to get the NK's to the table, but we havn't yet during this presidents term.
Brian, do a little research. We do send aid to N. Korea.
Well AZ Cowboy if you do not like the US then pick a country that you do like and move there as we will mnot miss you one bit. I can not remeber one president from any party sense the 70's that has done anything to curtail N. Korea's nuclear quest. So if Obama is so great let him be the first to do something to stop the song and dance that they employ to get our funds whether it be food aide or anything else lets just stop giving and start taking. Since China has so much riding on this country then they should want to protect their major asset the U.S.A. and should shoot the rocket down and tell N.K. to put a lid on it or else they will see further problems. It is time to cut the purse strings to the U.S.A. haters and put that money back into our own nation. And if all of you U.S.A. haters would look at the good of this country and start showing pride in it other than letting the politicos getting you to hate it perhaps it would start coming back to be a better place for all and not just for one side or the other. And AZ Cowboy I am sure Mexico would love to have your American hating self.
HAHAHAHA - another Obama "success story," dealt the death blow. I don't blame the N. Koreans - they're just acting as they always have for the past 5 decades, but it's sad (and funny at the same time), that this moron administration, really believed they had prevented a nuclear build-up by them. Oh and by the way, the Iranians are taking notes.
Hope and Change....hahahhahhaha.......priceless....
JJA, Deerslayer, Get your brain out your arse! This is the same thing "every president" has done since the armistice was signed!
So Unraveling....just because every other President has done the same thing makes it right? Remember, doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome is call 'insanity'. I thought O'bama was bringing 'hope & change'??
Only a teabagger would look at "starving people getting food aid" as a failure...
Unraveling: I was hoping to keep it civil but if you insist on lowering the bar...
Bite me.
Toasty...get off your absurd comments. First, I'm a Independent; not a member of the tea party. I believe in helping people which the US has done over and over again in many countries. But it's people like you who make these 'wild generalizations' in order to promote your own liberal agenda. Typical liberal AH.....anytime 'anyone' makes a negative reference to the great one...you guys get your panties in a twist! GFY!
Gee John, why would I ever make that assumption based on your post...?
Toasty, the aid goes directly to the military first. The civilians have and always will be starving. We feed their military. Look at the healthy ones and the not so healthy. We feed their military machine and send money so they can further their nuclear ambitions. Don't we have homeless starving vets right here in the USA? Who should we help? BTW, I'm no teabagger. Know what you're talking about. I'm just anti this, "hope and change". The next time they need more, they'll just threaten us and our administration will send "AID".
Gee Toasty, frankly I don't know 'why' you would make that assumption since I didn't say anything about not helping people in need. Gee Toasty, can't you read the post, seems like you've got a problem with understanding written words.
HMM sounds almost like the start of Homefront....Korea Launches a satellite that turns out to be a weapon that knocks out the us power grid...
guess its time to put on the tin foil hat....
Seriously, that game had the most unrealistic plot ever. They were just too afraid to make china the Big Bad.
Sounds like a golden opportunity to do some more testing and development of the YAL-1 aircraft, with a live target.
The YAL-1 is basically a giant flying laser (so big they had to modify a 747 to carry it) that can shoot down launching rockets from hundreds of miles away. Although I dunno if the project is still going.
Using massive laser defense systems to shoot down North Korean rockets? Talk about techie overkill.
Like using a neutron bomb to kill spiders in your basement.
This is getting ludricous from the west.
They can not launch a sattelite? Get real here.
What is next take their chopsticks away because they are weapons of mass destruction?
The reason that other countries are so edgy about North Korea is that ANY sort of major technological hurdle being overcome in North Korea is military in nature.
The military is the ONLY institution in North Korea with anything close to the expertise or funding to launch a rocket or satellite. Granted, they usually cock it up, because their technology is decades behind everyone else's and their people are poorly educated and incentivized, but still, the launch of a military satellite is a relatively big deal. The only thing that keeps the region stable when you have a consistently starving, paranoid military dictatorship looking for a fight is the fact that their military technology is a joke (even if they have nukes, its debatable whether they have a delivery system to get them to any country that doesn't share a border with them). Thus, every hurdle the North Korean government passes on its way to 20th century (no, that is not a typo) military technology puts everybody in the region on edge.
Arkansas actually manufacturers and ships chopsticks to North Korea. What's up with that?
Or the sale of 'matches' to 'terrorist Iran that has not attacked anyone in 200 years!
SF accountant, the US and the west use all major technological advancements in military applications. NK looking for a fight? Sounds like their trying to deter a fight by building their defences. Their people are starving because of UN sanctions. If the West was not such a threat NK could use money to feed their people. In their situation defence is a must.
Dirty Dog, the North Koreans are starving because of their draconian government. What do you think North Korea did before there was a UN? You DID know there was a time not all that long ago when the UN did not exist, right? What do you think they did for food then Dirty Dog? They grew their own, just like any real nation. Its only after the Dictator For Life "government" got in there and started taking the resources away from the people that they began to starve.
Get your head out of your bum!
D Dirty, you would benefit from a little history on how NK came to be. We helped set that division up in the 50's as a result of our restrained assistance to the SKs that were being pushed into the sea. Since we just couldn't muster the homeland American political will to actually take all of our technological resources to the fight in the 50's, especially when China entered the war, we setlled on a division and a very bad choice of a leader. BTW, we actually did that with quite a bit of concessions to our friend, Mr. Stalin (remember him?). So, we not only aided the north then, including allowing them to duck our real military might, but we gave them half of the country. From there, they spent all of their money on the worlds largest manned army. That was their choice.
For you to infer that we are putting them in a position where their only option is to defend themselves? That is so far our of line with reality it is painful. How about they demilitarize by about, oh, 50% (or more) and shift the military savings to NK humanitarian ventures - like buying food for goodness sake.
The Japanese controlled the Korean peninsula until they were defeated in WWII. To the victor go the spoils so the US split Korea at the 38th parallel. This was not Korea's choice. The North became communist and the south was made a puppet of the US causing the two sides to start killing each other as the South was becoming westernized with capitalism. The US and UN were pushing north but with the help of China and Russia were pushed back to the 38th parallel where a stalemate ensued. Ever since then the US/UN has kept a presence on the peninsula and the war never actually ened in a peace treaty. Now the North, still in a state of war, is put in a situation where it still needs to defend itself. So Marty, I do a little about the history of the Koreas because my dad was in the Marines then and I wanted to know why we were at war with these people.
UDunnoBro, you really don't know, do you.
Dirty, the previous two posts have already articulated perfectly good counter-arguments to yours, although they're a bit complex. I find a much more basic problem with your logic.
To put it simply, food and basic infrastructure are always more important than your military. No matter how warped your view of the West and South Korea that you think we're preparing to invade the moment their guard is down, a government that suffers frequent famines while holding grand military parades and missile tests is a wretched failure of a government. Compared to making sure your countrymen have enough to eat and drink to live, defending them from foreign invaders is a secondary or even tertiary concern.
With that simple point aside, you think the UN sanctions is why they're starving? You're wrong, but let's pretend you're not. If that's the case, then North Korea should do what the UN says to get the sanctions lifted. Nothing that the UN wants North Korea to do can be more important than making sure their people aren't starving to death.
SF, I never said I thought anyone would invade did I? Governments should see to their peoples need for food and drink , so why are we spending so much to oppress and kill people around the world when our own economy is in the @!$%#ter? Why do we have a bigger "defense" budget than the rest of the world combined when there is worsening poverty in our own country?
I'm right about the sanctions. With an aggresive West in the NK front yard, they need to provide for defense lest they lose their soveriegnty and it won't be "their" people to feed. Soveriegnty is most important.
A classic move, trying not to address my points about North Korea by pointing to my own country and trying to paint it of hypocrisy! Unfortunately, I don't care about what you think the problem is here in the United States, so you can take that noise somewhere else.
But anyway, you actually provided something kind of like a counterpoint! I'm proud of you!
"Soveriegnty is most important."
It kind of contradicts your earlier statement about government seeing to people's needs before oppressing and killing (or rather, it ENTIRELY opposes that admission), but I digress. That's actually a new one. I have never heard of anyone - I can't even CONCEIVE of anyone - arguing that maintaining national sovereignty is more important than feeding one's people. Following that logic, it's more important for North Koreans to be North Koreans than it is for them to survive, much less live happy and healthy lives.
I will respectfully disagree. I think it's way more important for North Korean citizens to be decently fed and minimally educated and have basic freedoms than it is for them to remain North Koreans. It's okay if they become South Koreans, or Chinese, or Japanese, or even American (though we don't really want them), so long as their most basic human needs are provided for. Nationalism is a poison that's killing them en mass.
Furthermore, if you don't think anyone will invade, then what makes you think their sovereignty is in danger? Just wondering.
AZCowpoke, why don't you move to Iran if you like them so much. They have provided lots of money for weapons for their freedom fighters to kill American soldiers so get a life and check the facts.
I don't understand communist countries? All they know how to do is make weapons and the hell with their people!
Reminds us of the Great Satan, huh? Arming terrorists 'all-over-the-planet' (Israel, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain for three) and making trillion$ while asking everyone else to 'be good little boyze' and let AmeriKKKa do the heavy killing... Oppps, I mean 'lifting.' :)
Well, to be fair North Korea is hardly communist any more. They're pretty much an ultra-nationalist military dictatorship.
TheAZCowBoy...this is the second time I have seen you list "terrorist" countries that we are arming or supporting. Are you just looking at a map and typing names that you see out of ignorance? Lets look at the countries you have listed. Israel...fighting for their very existance on this planet. You may not agree with their tacts, but when you are outnumber by about a million to one, you do what you have to. I have been there many times, and they are wonderful people. Saudi Arabia...used to be a terrorist country. But with a lot of support and help, they have become a great ally against terrorists in the region. Bahrain...far from a terrorist country. Our military has been based out of Bahrain for decades. I spent about a year in this country, and they too are wonderful people. They are no where near a terrorist country. kuwait...did you forget why there was a first Gulf War? They were overrun by the, "innocent" as you call them, country of Iraq for their oil. Kuwait is as far from a terrorists country as they get.
Keep in mind, that terrorists can come from anywhere. Lets not forget that we have home grown Americans that are terrorists. Does that make us a terrorist country? It is the stand that a country takes against terrorism that decides if they are a terrorist country or not. Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, to just name a few are terrorist countries.
Please try to educate yourself before you spout off with your crap. It would not suprise me if you have ever even stepped outside of our country. Maybe not even Arizona as I assume your name indicates.
pboles35, Israel is a terrorist country as is Saudi Aurabia. AZCowboy didn't mention Kuwait in his post. Terrorists can come from anywhere. The US has military bases in darn near every country in the world, striking terror upon innocent civilians who otherwise just want to live in peace and be left alone. Educate yourself on the definition of terror and those that use it.
Because communism is so great right toasty, lets make excuses for it ..
I'm just pointing out an empirical fact, SD. Sorry if you feel offended by facts.
But S. Korea and the U.S. continue sending the North money and aid. Considering the atrocities this government commits against its people, it's no different than helping Hitler. I'm disgusted.
Atrocities?!! Seems to me that the US murdering 1.4m innocent civilians in Iraq was an: Quote: "atrocity," no?
Well Wyatt, why don't you run for president and do away with all of our inhumane programs?
TheAZCowBoy...how do you see that we "murdered" 1.4m "innocent civilians" in Iraq? The last time I checked in with reality, we engaged their military and terrorist organizations. And there was hardly anything "innocent" about Iraq. Whether they had WMD or not, they were as much of a Terrorist country as any with a dictator that was committing the same atrodities to his people.
What atrocities in NK are you taking about? What terrorist organizations in Iraq? US invasion of Iraq served to destablize the region and kill over a million people including innocent men, women, and children and thousands of young Americans. pboles your an ignorant hater. ahole35.
What atrocities in North Korea? Well, there's the torture, the political imprisonment, the crushing of any political opposition, and then of course the starvation, which is a direct result of the government's neglect and policies. And let's not forget the North sinking the South Korean's ship and shelling their island, though as the countries are (kind of) at war, that probably doesn't fit the technical definition of an "atrocity".
Really, you should know this stuff. The earlier post about North Korea's history shows you at least know a little about the place, how did the rest of this get by you? Do you only get your news from NK state TV or something?
AZCowpoke could you be from the middleeast yourself because you sure support them more then your countrymen and women that have died at their hands?AZCowpoke are you a collaborator?
No he's just one more libtard , you can always tell by theri anti-US libtard statements .
What would North Korea REALLY do if we just shot down their missile out over the ocean in international waters? Do you think they'd really know what happened, or would they just sing the praises of their elite scientists like they always do?
I think we should blow it up while it's on the launch pad, each and every one they try to launch, we hit it, poof, it's gone, no more food, no more nothing, but just don't do anything to make the big dog on the porch raise his head.
Even for the middle east, no more funds of the taxpayers back, and if one of there's harms an American, we take out 100 of theirs, and that would be 100 of ther corrupt politicions, military, soon the military wouldn't want to be there and no one would want to run the country.
Obama, quick, put together another huge aid package. let's keep them coming so they don't kick our butts!
Obama: I'm way ahead of you. Money and food for the military on its way!
Everyone last month told Washington right here on these postings this aid crap would not work, period! I was one of the many that stated so. Well my my how long did it take these cut-throats to break what they had promised? Others stated lets see if this new leader will work out to be a GOOD guy, LMAO! Folks! This has been going on for the past 50 years..... HELLO! NO MORE AID TO N.Korea!!!!! No more aid to those countries that hate us no matte if we give them aid or not, period! What is so hard to understand? Wake up!
Didn't everyone except our twits in Washington see this coming? Negotiations require a quid pro quo--something for something. Wheat for warheads, not wheat for a false moratorium.
Ironically, we support the North Korean regime with our food/financial aid which allows them to continue their military expansion and helps keep the people from getting angry/hungry enough to rebel. As far as China retaliating against us if we bomb N.K. for using nuclear weapons, very doubtful. They've gotten a good taste of capitolism and have no intentions of blowing themselves and the rest of the world to glow in the dark destruction over a nation run by second rate psycho's. Keep the millions here, let them fester in their own cesspool of idiocy and sooner or later the people will rebel against their government and we can start over.
China would only retaliate if we attack North Korea unprovoked.
Tru dat Guy, we would need another false flag.
Think about it for a little while, what does China get out of NK? At one time they had an aggressive military force they could proxy with, but Kim Jong Il was an uncontrollable madman. I'm really surprised China didn't have him assassinated years ago unless they couldn't get someone into power that they COULD control. At this point China would probably like to wash their hands of NK, and if the opportunity presents itself I think they would completely look the other way.
If you launch missile, NO SOUP FOR YOU!
Would someone please explain to me why this is such a big deal? Screw them, let them do it as long as they don't launch it to the U.S. who cares. And what is this "aid" everyone is posting about? Did this JUST start happening or has it been going on for years and years (before President Obama)?
As you can see, it's apparent I don't understand all of this mess so I'd appreciate any replies but damn, don't be mean. LOL.
It's been going on for years, off and on. The North Korean government likes to throw a fit every once in a while to try and convince the world that it's scary and important, in order to get food to feed its military. They don't grow enough themselves to avoid regular famines.
This isn't Obama's fault, and his engagement isn't necessarily a problem or a mistake, and even if it was, he's definitely not the first. This isn't really a partisian issue (though some people will turn EVERY issue partisian).
As for launching stuff at the US, they'd have better luck delivering their nuclear warheads via catapult than with the glorified bottle rockets they call ballistic missiles, so no worries there.
Why should we care about these crazy people anymore????
Don't talk about them , do not mention about them. Don't give them any food, any fuel, ignore whatever they said. This nation is just a card played by the China to bargain with the West no more or less...
We care mostly because of South Korea, which is important and has hundreds of artillery pieces perpetually aimed at its capital. If an important ally of ours wasn't within easy shelling range, we probably wouldn't give a rat's behind.
Well, that didn't take them long. If we still give them food aid we are idiots.
Well, see the problem there Leroy is the population of NK. I for one think we should just accept that they are collateral damage, but there are enough people in this country who feel differently and NK knows they can leverage the artificial plight the government has inflicted on the people to get whatever they want from the USA and other nations.
We should keep the aid and put it to good use here! They are just going to screw us over and we let them!
Have we already given them the ransom? I thought they would lay low for at least 6 months.
This is "laying low" for them. Notice how they actually tried to pass off the missile test as harmless rather than talking up how it's going to make their military all-powerful and allow them to wipe us from planet Earth?
That's quite a distinct change in tone. Normally they'd never seek to portray themselves as peaceful or compliant.
North Korea continues the campaign of extortion for foreign aid by the continued research, development, and testing of potential weapons and delivery systems. We should not succumb to these actions and in fact sanctions should be tightened instead of decreased. The North Koreans are playing us for all they can reap.
I don't really think sanctions can be tightened anymore...
I mean, what are they still receiving from us, anyway?
The advantage of North Korea in negotiations has always been that they've got nothing to lose.
China is in charge in more ways than one...they are also involved in the middle east and Africa. We have to deal with them before we deal with any thing else.
If the DPRK does fire a missile next month I wish the Japanese Defense Force the best of luck in shooting it down. Sincerely.
Like father, like son.
Let them go ahead and fire the missile. Enough with caving in a providing them food if they won't fire a missile. Let them explain to their people why they don't have food because they thought building and firing a missile was more important. Cruel, mean, sure it is but how much longer are we and other nations going to have to put up with these antics? It has been going on for years now and there is no end in sight for it to end. It is really up to the people of NK to make the decision, food or missiles!
Personally I think for every missile they fire we should halve our aid. Lies can't feed a nation, and it will get to the point where the population will stop accepting the lies and demand an end to the militarization. And if that doesn't work then NK will flip out and actually try a real attack, and that will be the end of it. As it is now though we are just the enablers of oppression there, and the oppression will continue on for as long as we support it. We aren't doing the population of North Korea any favors.
The population at large doesn't accept the lies. They are, however, scattered around rural areas, starved, incredibly poor, lacking communication, and constantly surveilled by the regime.
NOBODY is better at suppressing their people than the North Koreans, because even the most brutal regimes aren't willing to go as far. The government has a massive military that has been totally brainwashed, and the government controls nearly every aspect of civilian life that it can. An uprising is impossible, as is civilian-led change.
The only thing that can end North Korea's plight is when the leaders decide that maybe they have more to gain from stopping this charade. Unlikely, but it can happen. Look at Myanmar.
I agree, once the handouts stop perhaps NK citizens will have had enough and do something about their plight.