Mondale backs pre-emptive missile strike (against North Korean missile)

AP ^ | June 23, 2006

[West Coast Conservative]

Former Vice President Walter Mondale said Friday he supports a pre-emptive U.S. strike against a North Korean missile, saying the U.S. should tell North Korea to dismantle the missile or "we are going to take it out."

"I think it would end the nuclear long-range dreams of this dangerous country," said Mondale, who was the 1984 Democratic presidential nominee and a former U.S. ambassador to Japan.

The tensions are over North Korea's apparent preparations to test-fire a Taepodong-2 missile, which is believed to have a range of up to 9,300 miles. That would make it capable of hitting much of the U.S. mainland.

Mondale, 78, said North Korea already has nuclear weapons and its ambition to develop a long-range missile is "one of the most dangerous developments in recent history." It's so dangerous, he said, because of the nation's isolation from the international community and its unpredictable leader, Kim Jong Il.

"Here's this bizarre, hermit kingdom over there with a paranoid leader getting ready to test a missile system that can hit us," Mondale said.

Former President Clinton's defense secretary, William Perry, also advocated a pre-emptive strike in The Washington Post, but National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley brushed aside Perry's suggestion. Mondale spoke about a pre-emptive strike during an appearance on WCCO-AM in Minneapolis.

Mondale and President Jimmy Carter took office in 1976 and were defeated by Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980. Mondale lost as the Democratic presidential nominee in 1984. He was appointed ambassador to Japan in 1993 and is now practicing law in Minneapolis.

[tumblindice]

". . pacifist dems can egg us on to war, but not support . ."

You've got that right!
See JFK, LBJ: "We will pay any price, meet any foe, bear any burden (yadayadayada).........as long as........... we don't break a nail.

[RasterMaster]

"....or get a hair out of place!"

[n-tres-ted]

When Perry and another Dem proposed this yesterday in an op-ed in the Washington Post, Charles Krauthammer commented last night on Brit Hume's Special Report. CK says this is posturing by the same Dems who could have acted assertively back in the '90s when they were in power, but instead they gave North Korea aid and free rein to build their nukes. Now, says CK, if we strike pre-emptively, they have nukes and can attack South Korea with a ferocity that could kill hundreds of thousands. CK counsels that we build the missile defense system and wait for a future time to take NK down.

[tumblindice]

"hair out of place"
Particularly applicable to the `Breck Twins', JohnEffin & Mini-JohnF.

[winner3000]

Those Democrats become "real" hawks...when they're out of power!

[Tallguy]

What? Doesn't he (Mondale) know he's a democrat?

What GWB ought to do now is de-classify all the Carter Security Council Briefings in which Mondale urges (I am sure) that we do nothing about the Iranian hostage crisis. Publicly embarras this Jerk. He deserves it. Especially after the Wellstone "Memorial Service".

[Mr. K]

I dont think we would be 'attacking' N. Korea as much as we would be 'defending' the US, and if I am not mistaken that is the stance the Bush admin has taken with regard to them launching this.

If it were me I would blow it up on the pad

[Tallguy]

Mondale was the US Ambassador to Japan for many years and did a pretty good job. I am sure he know quite a bit about the far east. I would consider what he has to say carefully.

Hey Chuck, don't take this personally, but if Mondale is so smart why doesn't he make recommendation while standing in downtown Seoul?

[nkycincinnatikid]

Democrat's do have country loyalties and are capable of national patriotism, . Mr Ambassador to Japan, is ready for the U.S to take on N Korea , but I suspect this has something to do with his feelings for Japan. The only saving grace of the entire Carter administration was that his Natl Security advisor Bresinski was an ardent and comitted patriot to a nation whose goals at the time happened to coincide with our own.

[lesser_satan]

He apparently forgot the mantra of all good Minnesota leftists, WWWD (What Would Wellstone Do), when choosing a position. (Yes, there really are WWWD bumper stickers here.)

[USNBandit]

interesting post from the DU thread

As a pacifist I see stopping this missile from ever flying as the best way to nip-in-the-bud certain future horrors. We would be nothing more than destroying a machine. Think of the human lives in the balance.

This one is a no-brainer. North Korea does not need such a dangerous weapon. Neither do we, and I wish we would destroy our's at the same time.

These people evidently don't understand that would give Kim the excuse he's been looking for to run south. On the flip side, the wet season is coming up, bad weather for aircraft, but also for tanks.

[Nathan Zachary]

"There could be some consequences here that could get out of control. With a closed Society as North Korea are we sure who is really in control, what factions are sharing powers and if indivduals there can control them. I am sure the Bush admisnstration has their best minds on this but don't be suprised that we might have to suck this one up and proceed down other lines of engagement and stragety

What if the little fat lonly guy did something totaly unexpected, like launch his missle at Israel? He would become an instant hero among Islamists. (and some democrats) it would be hard to shoot down over China or Russia. Shooting it down while it is still in Nkorea may be the best option.

[maineman]

I'll never forget the time I saw old Fritz. I was a bellman at the Omni Shoreham Hotel (Wash. D.C.) IN 1988, an old Volkswagon Rabbit pulled up at the front door, I mean a rickety POS car...and out from the drivers side popped old Mondale. He came into the lobby, used the phone and left.

[AFPhys]

I believe it has been well established that NK can pummel Seoul with in excess of 300,000 artillery rounds within three hours. For example, from:

http://www.cuttingedge.org/news_updates/nz1138.htm

Global Security, Inc.

August 30, 2003

North Korea has about 500 long-range artillery tubes within range of Seoul, double the levels of a the mid-1990s. Seoul is within range of the 170mm Koksan gun and two hundred 240mm multiple-rocket launchers. The proximity of these long-range systems to the Demilitarized Zone threatens all of Seoul with devastating attacks. Most of the rest of North Korea's artillery pieces are old and have limited range. North Korea fields an artillery force of over 12,000 self-propelled and towed weapon systems. Without moving any artillery pieces, the North could sustain up to 500,000 rounds an hour against Combined Forces Command defenses for several hours.

[quesera]

My guess is the Dems want us to destroy the missile while it is still on the launch pad because they don't want us to use the missile defense system. if we destroy the NK missile in the air using missile defense then that would prove the system works and in turn make the Dems look bad for opposing it in the first place.

Imaging every incombent republican up for re-election using this against their dem opponent, in a close race something like this used effectively might just do it for the incombent.

[toddlintown]

Man. All these retired dems with big balls.

Who's next, Carter?

[Nathan Zachary]

"My guess is the Dems want us to destroy the missile while it is still on the launch pad because they don't want us to use the missile defense system. if we destroy the NK missile in the air using missile defense then that would prove the system works and in turn make the Dems look bad for opposing it in the first place."

And if it misses?

[hardworking]

I didn't know this old goat was still alive. Sometimes I think all the medical research to extend the average life span in this country is a big waste.

[quesera]

And if it misses?

These are dems we are talking about. They are incapable of three dimensional thinking.

I don't think it will miss, at least I hope not. They just tested a missile intercept yesterday, I think, and it was successful, I am hoping they can do it again for real this time. In any case if we are going to miss, better we miss one with no nukes then miss one with a nuke warhead.

[tina07]

Who? Oh him, who cares