Bush rules out nonaggression treaty with North Korea

Associated Press | October 19, 2003

[HAL9000]

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- President Bush, gathering with Asian leaders, said Sunday the United States has no intention of invading Noth Korea but he ruled out signing a non-aggression treaty to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions.

Bush said he would talk with Asian leaders about how to defuse nuclear tensions on the Korean peninsula.

"We think there's an opportunity to move the process forward and we're going to discuss it with our partners," Bush said. "We will not have a treaty, if that's what you're asking. That's off the table."

Bush said perhaps there were other ways, however, to convince North Korea that the United States would not attack.

The president made his comments as Asian leaders gathered here for economic talks and discussions on the war on terrorism. North Korea's nuclear ambitions and its standoff with the United States promised to be a major topic as Bush arrived from a visit to Manila, where security concerns were high amid terrorism threats.

Meeting with Thailand's prime minister, Thaksan Shinawatra, Bush discussed his approach to North Korea.

"We have no intention of invading North Korea," Bush said. "We expect North Korea to get rid of her nuclear weapons ambitions."

As Bush arrived for talks with Asian leaders ahead of an economic conference here, protests were light, partly because of unprecedented security and government pressure against demonstrators.

Several hundred protesters gathered at a Bangkok university Sunday to demonstrate against the summit, calling Bush "the world's real terrorist."

The president was also expected to announce an upgrading of U.S. military ties with Thailand.

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai told reporters Saturday that Thailand has kept terrorism at bay on its own and needs more intelligence, not U.S. military assistance.

High on Bush's agenda is persuading China to stop keeping its currency artificially low to boost exports, a practice Bush says is hurting American sales overseas.

However, Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday defended his country's policy of keeping its currency low against the U.S. dollar. He told a gathering of international business executives that China's policy on the yuan "serves Chinese economic performance and conforms to the requirements of economic development in the Asia-Pacific region and the whole world."

Focusing on terrorism during an earlier visit to the Philippines, Bush said the United States and the Philippines have suffered heavy losses. "The terrorists will continue their missions of murder and suicide until they're stopped, and we will stop them," Bush told Philippine lawmakers.

[MJY1288]

"Several hundred protesters gathered at a Bangkok university Sunday to demonstrate against the summit, calling Bush "the world's real terrorist."

One on-looker noticed that the placards were provided free of charge by a western company who placed their call letters on the back of the placards that read: "Paid for by the DNC"

[MEG33]

LOL!

[af_vet_1981]

"We have no intention of invading North Korea," Bush said. "We expect North Korea to get rid of her nuclear weapons ambitions."

We had better have a solid plan for a first strike in case "Plan A" fails to persuade NK to give it all up. It is reckless to let NK get anything in or out without rigorous inspections. They are a direct threat to our nation.

[Mo1]

So how long before Jimmy Carter flies back to North Korea again?

[BulletBobCo]

Shouldn't take long for North Korea to have another hissy fit and threaten to blow up the world for the megaton time.

[4MORE-YEARS]

Good. Any agreement with the North Koreans would be twisted by them to show American "weakness" and we would lose any leverage we have to contain them. We just need to be patient and wait things out and let the clock run out on this despotic regime...

[John123]

Good. Any agreement with the North Koreans would be twisted by them to show American "weakness" and we would lose any leverage we have to contain them.

I have been thinking about why would NK want a non-aggression treaty too. It seems to be a get-out-of-jail card if NK sold WMD (chemical or biological to terrorists or suspect countries) and got caught. Or commit any heinous acts such as kidnapping our citizens or invading SK.

When we threaten them, they would just trot out the non-aggression treaty. If we choose to punish them, NK could claim we do not honor our agreements in the court of the world's opinion. Either way, it would handcuff our ability to protect American citizens and does nothing to prevent NK from future mischiefs.

[txrangerette]

Exactly.

[b4its2late]

So how long before Jimmy Carter flies back to North Korea again?

Tomorrow? And maybe this time, they'll keep him.

[Southack]

"High on Bush's agenda is persuading China to stop keeping its currency artificially low to boost exports, a practice Bush says is hurting American sales overseas."

So much for the NY Times editorial today that "Bush only talks about terror now"...

[sheik yerbouty]

Maybe this time the little weasel will stay.

[Imal]

Considering North Korea's track record for keeping such agreements, I am sure leading Democrats are "deeply concerned" that Bush is choosing not to trust them.

In other news, a bill endorsed by leading Democratic legislators calls for a full and unconditional surrender to Al Qaeda, and the transfer of administrative control of the United States to Osama bin Laden.

Democrats say they are willing to do "whatever it takes" to ensure that the surrender becomes law.

[pawdoggie]

Realizing that "the devil is in the details", and assuming that from our point of view a "non-aggression" treaty would have to be written to a) preclude the NKs from fomenting internal unrest in the ROK (while denying that they are "violating the treaty) and b)allow for external intervention (i.e. from ROK) should the Kim Jong Il regime collapse from a popular revolt or coup, I'm wondering what the objection to a conditional treaty saying "you don't act up, we won't invade" might be?

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[hchutch]

"I know what you're thinking, Kim Jong-Il. You gotta ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"

[Poohbah]

Dubya on AF1:

"Hey, y'all watch my Vic Deakins impression.

"**** 'em if they can't take a joke!"

(Bush opens football, presses buttons boop-BEEP-bip-boop)

[hchutch]

"What the f*** are you doing?"

*racks slide of shotgun*

"Shut that sumb**** down NOW! This ain't what I signed on for. I'm nor ready to die. Not for you..."

[Grampa Dave]

[Poohbah]

"Everybody dies, Kim. I'm as good a reason as any."