IKONOS satellite image of the well-known Yongbyon nuclear facility, located about 100 kilometres north of Pyongyang, taken on February 18, 2003. REUTERS/Space Imaging Asia/handout
Posted on 02/10/2005 11:58:13 PM PST by F14 Pilot
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has sent a message of solidarity to Iran amid suspicions the reclusive communist state had boasted of having nuclear weapons to raise the stakes while U.S. attention is focused on Iran's nuclear programmes.
North Korea declared on Thursday for the first time it possessed nuclear weapons and pulled out indefinitely from six-party talks on its weapons programme, saying it needed a defence against a hostile United States.
The North's official news agency reported on Friday that two top officials had sent messages of congratulations to Tehran on the 26th anniversary of the Islamic Republic, which took power after the fall of the Shah's U.S.-backed government.
"The Iranian government and people have gained a great success in their work for defending the gains of the Islamic revolution and building independent and prosperous Iran, bravely shattering all sorts of trials and challenges in the past 26 years," said a message from the number two in North Korea's hierarchy, head of parliament Kim Yong-nam.
A second message from the North Korean prime minister, Pak Pong-ju, praised Iran's success in its work to defend its sovereignty.
"The friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would invariably grow stronger," the message said.
The administration of U.S. President George W. Bush now faces two nations he once named as part of an "axis of evil" being openly defiant about their nuclear programmes -- North Korea and Iran. He went to war with Iraq, the third of his "axis" nations.
IKONOS satellite image of the well-known Yongbyon nuclear facility, located about 100 kilometres north of Pyongyang, taken on February 18, 2003. REUTERS/Space Imaging Asia/handout
BUMP
The Axis of Evil.
While they're both in the crosshairs, might as well become friends.
Is Bush doing a feint, i.e., being misunderestimated? Intentionally or unintentionally, since this kind of situation has been recurring during his presidency, I would not rule it out.
I would not be surprised if Bush is initially outmaneuvered only to outmaneuver them eventually. I wonder what other cards he is hiding at this moment, besides Libyan uranium revelation.
Time to watch the show.
Ping!
Thank you.
North Korea has Japan, South Korea and Northern parts of Australia in its range of missiles.
North Korea needs to worry about feeding its own people and leave the rest of the world alone.
Oh yeah!...this is real shocking....the two ducks in the cross hairs are quacking to each other.....
"I would not be surprised if Bush is initially outmaneuvered only to outmaneuver them eventually. I wonder what other cards he is hiding at this moment, besides Libyan uranium revelation."
IMHO, Bush is holding two cards at the moment. The first is he knows where the Iraqi WMD are. The second is he knows that Israel will take out Irans nukes in a heartbeat.
Ignore NK is the best option. The Chinese have the border and Kim is truly isoloated.
Welcome CampDoha
That means allowing the problem to fester for decades more. With Iran, we could negotiate; with North Korea, we have no rational choice except regime change.
"With Iran, we could negotiate; with North Korea, we have no rational choice except regime change."
There is no negotiating with the regime; they have to GO
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