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Posted on 04/04/2013 8:36:33 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
This isn't merely a failure of nerve, it's a failure of intelligence and a failure to keep operational secrets. The White House had a "playbook," agreed to by O, Hagel, and John Kerry, on how to rattle its saber at North Korea during the next crisis without rattling it so much that NK would get spooked and do something rash. E.g., first comes some B-52 flights over South Korea, then the B-2s make a cameo, then the F-22s, and so forth. Problem one: Kim's gone further in his bellicosity than U.S. analysts expected and now they’re unsure if they know where his personal red line is. Problem two: The deployment of two destroyers last weekend to the Pacific wasn’t part of the “playbook” and wasn’t supposed to be publicized. That was a bona fide strategic move, not a show of muscle-flexing designed for North Korean and international consumption. But then the news leaked and the Navy confirmed it, which turned the deployment into an inadvertent, potentially war-sparking audible.
One screw-up on top of another, so now it’s time to cool things off before someone gets nuked.
Officials said publicizing the destroyers risked ratcheting up tensions with the North more than the White House had intended. Likewise, they said, White House officials became upset because the disclosure wasn’t in keeping with the orchestrated rollout it had sought to control.
The White House has put the next steps in the playbook on hold while it assesses the North’s posture, officials say, though the administration hasn’t ruled out future shows of force. On Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said the U.S. wanted to lower the “temperature” on the peninsula…
[W]ithin the administration, some officials voiced concern about unintended consequences of provoking North Korea [by following an escalation "playbook"]. Some of these officials questioned the faith the White House and Pentagon placed in the intelligence agencies, which have a mixed record of predicting North Korean behavior.
However, few objections were raised at the highest levels during the meetings, according to participants—unlike in other Obama administration deliberations about using military force abroad, including Libya, Northwest Africa and Syria, that have been marked by protracted debates. President Barack Obama gave the green light to proceed with the playbook, these people said.
The unspoken risk: What’s the effect on Kim’s already unpredictable behavior now that he knows the U.S. is willing to tear up its “playbook” for fear of pushing him too far? Does that encourage him to be bolder? Or is this Journal story the White House’s way of making it easier for him to climb down? The WSJ’s sources are “U.S. officials” — important ones too, if they’re privy to what went on during meetings “at the highest levels.” Could be that Obama wanted this leaked as an olive branch to NK: The U.S. will eat shinola publicly for having been a little too aggressive towards Kim, whereupon Kim can declare moral victory and step back from the brink with South Korea. It’s a way to let him save face while retreating. “Look how the Americans tremble!” We’ll see if North Korea’s propaganda mill has any fun with it today. They sure have been having fun lately.
Exit question: How long before China instigates a coup to put someone in the North Korean military who’s more predictable in charge?
Obam’s people are brain storming this right now to see how they can turn this into Fund Raising
I keep saying it; the DPRK crisis is getting in the way of the April 16 White House sequester concert. So rather than abandon the concert, Soetoro abandoned South Korea..
I would suggest he NOT head into the Korean community to do any fundraising. Er, perhaps he should go there...goodbye Obama, hello freedom.
PASS A LAW CONFISCATING HIS WEAPONS FOR GOODNESS SAKE! HELLOOOOO1
Obama has (or will) go ‘wobbily’.
Meanwhile Iran, the Chinese, Russians and Mexican Drug cartels are taking notes.
Russia KNOWS Kim is a nut...
Obama thinks Kim is a Republican...
I saw this at sodahead.com
The USS Barack Obama set sail today from its home port of Vancouver, BC.
The ship is the first of its kind in the Navy and is a standing legacy to President Barack H. Obama “for his foresight in military budget cuts.”
The ship is constructed nearly entirely from recycled aluminum and is completely solar powered with a top speed of 5 knots. It boasts an arsenal comprised of one (unarmed) F14 Tomcat or one (unarmed) F18 Hornet aircraft which, although they cannot be launched on the 100 foot flight deck, they do form a very menacing presence.
As a standing order there are no firearms allowed on board.
This crew, like the crew aboard the USS Jimmy Carter, is specially trained to avoid conflicts and appease any and all enemies of the United States at all costs. An onboard DNC Universal Translator can send out messages of apology in any language to anyone who may find America offensive. The number of apologies are limitless and though some may seem hollow and disingenuous, the Navy advises all apologies will sound very sincere.
In times of conflict, the USS Obama has orders to seek refuge in Canada.
Details are as vague as his past, his economic policies, and his credentials to lead. But don’t you worry, he has a plan!
“O blinks”
OP course; you were expecting something different ..??
Looks like a limp wristed sissy slap fight where neither limp wristed sissy comes anywhere even close to actually landing a slap.
Obama, Hagel and Kerry = Quisling, Benedict Arnold and Ephilates.
We are in DEEP trouble.
Only one way to fix it. The Zero should follow Dennis Rodman’s lead, travel to DPRK for a good will visit and BOW TO THE MAN!
Ephialtes not Ephilates.
The way OSlimeball has been handling the NK situation is very disturbing. They seem to want to pour gas on a fire. I’m glad they are racheting it down a notch. What they should be doing is backdoor calling the ChiComs and telling them to put their junkyard dog on a chain.
O needs to be removed from office, and right now. He has committed enough acts at this point that impeachment should be quite easy.
If the NK nuke any part of the US, you’ll see fast removal of those Obama stickers as cars that have them will likely get vandalized.
Just put up a sign saying “This is a nuke free zone”.
That is Obummer’s next step!
Little-fat-eyes has handlers, our own Great Leader has handlers. This is not brinkmanship between two men.
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