US 'accepts' idea of nuclear N Korea

iafrica.com ^ | 3/5/03

[Heartlander2]

The United States and its Asian allies have begun to accept the idea of a nuclear-armed North Korea and are turning their attention to preventing Pyongyang from selling nuclear material to the highest bidder, US media reported on Wednesday.

Citing unnamed officials and analysts, The Washington Post said that envoys for the new South Korean president, Roh Moo Hyun, shocked Bush advisers in Washington recently when they said they would rather have a nuclear North Korea than a chaotic collapse of its government there.

In Japan, officials feel their neighbour cannot be stopped from producing a bomb, the newspaper said.

According to The Los Angeles Times, administration officials said in closed briefings and private conversations with members of Congress over the last several weeks, that they expected North Korea to begin reprocessing its plutonium stockpiles perhaps within a few weeks.

Once reprocessing begins, North Korea will be able to produce enough plutonium for one nuclear weapon a month.

"The administration has acquiesced in North Korea becoming a nuclear power," The Post quoted a well-informed US Senate source as saying.

According to the paper, US officials have begun to contend that a decision by North Korea to begin reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods into weapons-grade plutonium will represent a diplomatic opportunity to swing international opinion to its side.

The administration thinks the shock of a decision by Pyongyang to export nuclear materials would force Russia, China, South Korea and other nations to drop their reluctance to confront the communist state, The Post pointed out.

Responding to questions from The Times, Senator Joseph Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the reports, if true, are "disturbing."

"I'm amazed that we would sit back and let North Korea become a plutonium factory churning out the world's most dangerous material and possibly selling it to the highest bidder," Biden said.

[prairiebreeze]

**Citing unnamed officials and analysts, The Washington Post said that envoys for the new South Korean president, Roh Moo Hyun, shocked Bush advisers in Washington recently when they said they would rather have a nuclear North Korea than a chaotic collapse of its government there**

Fools. I have been reading about the appeasement approach of the new S. Korean govt. This seems to be evidence of it.

Prairie

[DoughtyOne]

We simply cannot allow North Korea to have nuclear weapons. Proliferation, activation and use are the only two reasons we need. A war with North Korea might not be pretty, but it'll be a whole lot neater than it would be in ten or twenty years. One or two nuclear strikes is better than twenty or fifty.

[DuncanWaring]

"The administration has acquiesced in North Korea becoming a nuclear power," The Post quoted a well-informed US Senate source as saying.

Someone needs to tell these guys that Clinton ain't president anymore.

He doesn't even live there.

[EternalHope]

Since South Korea seems to so heartily dislike the U.S., perhaps they should defend themselves.

[onedoug]

"Appeasement begets new and bloodier wars." --Douglas McArthur

[ffusco]

something fishy here. Is the whole thing with NK really a well orchestrated ambush of China, with our tacit support?

[Just mythoughts]

Why do you think China, how about Russia?

[vannrox]

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[paul51]

US 'accepts' idea of nuclear N Korea

For about two more months

[GOPJ]

Sounds like misinformation. Maybe the real message is we can't take them on until we're done with Iraq.

[GOPJ]

Sounds like misinformation. Maybe the real message is we can't take them on until we're done with Iraq.

[stimpyone]

This is unbelievable. According to this article, Bush is going softer on North Korea than even Clinton did. Clinton threatened war over reprocessing plutonium, Bush will allow it so long as they don't export it. How the heck are we supposed to be 100% certain that it isn't smuggled out of the country?

Bush needs to re-read his 2002 state of the union address: States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic.

We will work closely with our coalition to deny terrorists and their state sponsors the materials, technology and expertise to make and deliver weapons of mass destruction.

We will develop and deploy effective missile defenses to protect America and our allies from sudden attack.

And all nations should know: America will do what is necessary to ensure our nation's security.

We'll be deliberate, yet time is not on our side. I will not wait on events while dangers gather. I will not stand by as peril draws closer and closer. The United States of America will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons.

------

The stage is rapidly being set for the emergence of another Steve Forbes or Pat Buchanan to challenge Bush in 2004. Bush is selling us out.

[TADSLOS]

I accept the idea of a Nuclear North Korea also. The mushroom clouds over Pyongyang would send persuading smoke signals to China, Iran and Pakistan. The added benefit would be its U.S. designed glass bowl, glow in the dark properties as a night time navigational aid for shipping and aircraft.

[CyberAnt]

"The administration has acquiesced in North Korea becoming a nuclear power"

Which admin are they talking about - S.Korea or U.S. ...??

[CyberAnt]

But ... never forget what the President said, "those who KNOW aren't talking".

[tonycavanagh]

re :Citing unnamed officials and analysts, The Washington Post said that envoys for the new South Korean president, Roh Moo Hyun, shocked Bush advisers in Washington recently when they said they would rather have a nuclear North Korea than a chaotic collapse of its government.

A collapsing North Korea will not aid the South Korean economy in fact it could very well drag the South down, this is what a lot of the South Korean political and business leaders are worried about.

What is the point of a reunited Korea that has collapsed financially.

This also leads to the next question.

While many Americans would not like to see there tax dollars going to aid the South in reconstruction of the North, if America does not step into that void, China will be only to happy to.

You could see a united Korea linked very closely to China.

Tony

[L,TOWM]

My BS Meter redlined while reading this screed.

[Grig]

"Citing unnamed officials and analysts..."

That about as far as I needed to read. This is bunk.

[Kay Soze]

Given the erratic behavior of North Korea this does not make me and my children any safer.


This nuts.