Posted on 07/09/2006 12:27:53 PM PDT by wagglebee
CANBERRA, Australia -- North Korea's ambassador to Australia warned Sunday that international attempts to halt his nation's missile tests could lead to war.
In a letter to The Sunday Herald Sun newspaper in the southern city of Melbourne, Ambassador Chon Jae Hong defended last week's missile launches as "routine military exercises" aimed at increasing the nation's "capacity for self-defense."
He said North Korean's missile program and tests were key to keeping the balance of force in northeast Asia.
"It is a lesson taught by history and a stark reality of international relations, proven by the Iraqi crisis, that the upsetting of the balance of force is bound to create instability and spark even a war," Chon said.
North Korea "will have no option but to take stronger physical actions of other forms, should any country dare take issue with the exercises and put pressure upon it," he added.
The tests have rattled the region and beyond. One of the missiles was believed capable of reaching U.S. shores, while the others could easily reach Japan.
North Korea stunned Tokyo in 1998 by firing a missile over the archipelago.
Prime Minister John Howard has condemned the seven missile tests as provocative and endorsed calls for the U.N. Security Council to take action.
Japan has proposed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for sanctions against Pyongyang's missile and weapons of mass destruction programs. The United States, Britain and France support it but the other two veto-empowered members of the council, China and Russia, are opposed.
Diplomatic efforts to broker a breakthrough gathered speed Sunday, when Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso saying Russia may abstain from voting on the resolution, isolating China as the sole country voicing opposition.
"China will be backed into a corner," Aso said on the TV Asahi morning talk show Sunday Project. "It's only common sense not to do that."
Nine of 15 votes on the Security Council are needed to pass the resolution.
Supporters decided at a meeting Friday afternoon not to call for a vote over the weekend after some council members asked for more time to consider the resolution.
The Russians and the Chicoms both have nukes in this region and as unpleasant as that is, at least they aren't in the control of an insane midget with a chip on his shoulder.
Is their rhetoric usually this ratcheted, or is this kind of talking the norm there? That's what I want to know.
As far as I can tell, they always talk like this. What amazes me is that North Korean ambassadors to places like Australia don't defect -- he has to know (even if he won't admit it publicly) that his country will be destroyed if they continue on the course they're on.
They always talk like this.
Their negotiation technique is similar to China's. Prior to trade negotiations, China usually imprisons a bunch of dissidents with ties to America, and buys a bunch of European stuff.
During negotiations, a big deal is made of releasing some prominent dissidents, and then several visible contracts are thrown to an American company.
They're running exactly the same game - and we're probably once again falling for it.
As far as I can tell, they always talk like this. What amazes me is that North Korean ambassadors to places like Australia don't defect -- he has to know (even if he won't admit it publicly) that his country will be destroyed if they continue on the course they're on.
That's the thing about the Soviets - they were cool and calculating, there was never going to be nuclear holocaust because the Bolsheviks didn't want to lose their iron-grip on the USSR.
Whereas, there is no logic whatsoever with Kim Jong Il - he's capable of anything!
They probably have his whole family in jail until he returns.
This may be one of those occasions that we just bomb the crap out of the country and step back to let the survivors sort it out. If they behave in a civil manner we help. If not, we let them fight it out some more.
At the height of the Cold War, we at least had the knowledge that the Soviet dictators were reasonably rational. They didn't want a direct war with the US anymore than we wanted one with them -- Kruschev, Breshnev and the others wanted the power that came with ruling their Evil Empire, they would "push" us when they could, but never to far. And I think the Chicoms have basically the same mindset as the Soviets.
Kim Jong Il, however, is truly insane, I think he actually believes he can win against us. I have a feeling that the Chicoms are horrified that this madman, who they believed was just their puppet, cannot be controlled.
Ah.. that would explain why China isn't exactly backing NK in this.
The Chicoms view the region as THEIRS, they are not about to share it with anyone.
It's the ultimate form of totalitarianism - many a man would sacrifice his life in the name of freedom - but no one would sacrifice their families in the process - state-backed ransom basically!
I agree.
At this point, I have a feeling that if the Chicoms were to invade North Korea, we wouldn't make too big a fuss over it.
War with who?
I assume he means the United States, but with these lunatics you never know.
He's so ronery.
"Is their rhetoric usually this ratcheted, or is this kind of talking the norm there? That's what I want to know."
I'm thinking they're sending a message from the Communist Chinese.
Yeah.. sit back and enjoy the fireworks! ;)
Mom and pop are probably held somewhere.
I don't think the Chicoms want any part of this. The Chicoms have become a major economic power and they know that they need the participation of the United States to continue this. They view Kim Jong Il as a huge obstacle to their own best interests.
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