Posted on 10/05/2006 3:55:56 PM PDT by blam
Rumsfeld Ponders Nuke Test Ramifications
Thursday October 5, 2006 11:46 PM
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Thursday if North Korea successfully tests a nuclear weapon, it will show weakness on the part of the international community.
``And that failure ... is something that the international community would have to register and ask itself how comfortable are we being that ineffective in this situation,'' Rumsfeld told reporters at the Pentagon during a visit by Croatian Defense Minister Berislav Roncevic.
His comments came as U.S. officials warned North Korea anew not to test a nuclear weapon.
``It isn't in their interest and it isn't in anyone's interest,'' Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the top U.S. negotiator on the communist country's nuclear program, told AP Television. ``We will not accept a nuclear state.''
Rumsfeld also said that a successful North Korean test could prompt other countries to pursue nuclear weapons.
``Because of the ineffectiveness, and the lack of cohesion and the inability to marshal sufficient leverage to prevent North Korea from proceeding toward a nuclear program ... it will kind of lower the threshold, and other countries will step forward with it,'' Rumsfeld said.
He added that depending on whether the test is above or below ground, the United States has as good a capability of detecting it as any country. But he declined to say whether or not it would trigger any U.S. military action.
``I wouldn't be the person who would make a decision like that. That's a decision for the country, and a decision for president,'' Rumsfeld said.
The United States has sent a message of ``deep concern'' to the North through diplomatic channels at the United Nations in New York, Hill said Wednesday. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
"Should we use a high-yield airburst or a low-yield surface burst?"
Maybe the dear leader will set off an October surprise that will be more atomic than the Gay Foley bomb???
Let the locals deal with it. I'm fed up with Americ having to be the planet's policeman.
Exactly.
Even if they do manage to pull this off, they still can't get their nukes off the ground.
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