Posted on 10/09/2006 6:39:50 AM PDT by kellynla
President Bush addresees the nation from the White House 09:45AM ET
The history of NK has shown different. The famine of the nineties almost brought NK to its knees, but China and the US (including President Bush) sent them the food aid to brink their country back from the brink. I guess this Administration has to make a decision between starving this despicable regime out (and thus, allowing a lot of innocent people to die) or allow even more people to die when these maniacs nuke someone.
Tough choice that I would not want to make.
Old tradition of blaming current president for the sins of his predecessors has been taken to a new artistic highs by the current crop of dems and msms...
"Didn't really like all the crap about diplomacy, however."
well he isn't going to say 'we will bomb them' or anything provocative....and IF (big if) there is a chance of pending blockade or military action he isn't going to tell DPRK via this statement before the proper assets are all in place. speak softly and carry a big stick is in the end a better policy than bark loudly before stick is in place.
I still think the only goal the US can pursue at this point is assassination/destabilization of the DPRK government, with the alternatives being nuclear DPRK or a potentially VERY nasty regional conflict.
Ronald Reagan built up the military, especially the Navy. It is just possible that Rumsfeld's downsizing is in error.
/s/
there is a fine balance there we have to maintain, isn't there. A lighter, more mobile capacity and a heavy armor contingent. Air power is great, but it should be backed up with heavy armor capability.
Thanks you MN Johnnie, but I am not a Bush hater, much less rabid. I support most of what the President has done and said. I don't think he said that about N. Korea, because everyone knows that they had nukes a long time ago. I do believe he has said that Iran will not be allowed to get nuclear weapons. B. Netanyahu has said publicly that Bush has assured him privately that Iran will not be allowed to build nuclear weapons, which of course, they are doing in front of all the world to see. So, we shall just have to wait and see.
Poor baby, just didn't have the courage to finish the job.
Now he backstabs our President for having to clean up his mess.
Naval Blockade on its way. Japan is the target in all this and we know it.
Sure. Once North Korea goes nuclear, they're no long just a South Korean problem.
It's not 1950. Global communism isn't poised to take over the world, and we have no interest in defending South Korea vital to the United States. While South Korea may be happy to bow down and accept the North's leadership, we are not. What South Korea wants is no longer the primary consideration, when dealing with North Korea.
The dark secret of WMDs is that once the know how and technology passes between enough hands, there's no way we'll be able to track it back to Pyongyang. If Libya got the bomb from Pakistan and used it on Algeria, would Pakistan be on the hook? How about China, who gave Pakistan the bomb? Of course not. Politics don't work like that. Weapons sold are just that. Weapons sold. The only people who are held accountable are those who use them.
Same goes for whoever the DPRK sells weapons technology to. WMD proliferation will destabilize the entire world, so it's in our interest to combat it, whether or not the locals support us.
You're exactly right, but look at what you wrote: That we should threaten to end trade with China unless they put a stop to NK. But we have absolutely zero chance of making that threat. We are back in a pre 9-11 mentality. Threats are emerging but it would just be too "hard" and "radical" to actually eliminate the threats. Except a nuclear NK can wreck a lot more havoc than 9-11.
If you had kids in-theatre and still talk about "lack of stomach," then you've got NO excuse for the comment.
There's plenty that can be done w/ respect to NK, and it will be done. But -- of necessity -- it will be done quietly, and very likely not by us.
Both China and South Korea have been sending food and other supplies to North Korea. South Korean has unification in mind, China has war in mind. Harming the US in any way possible.
" but holding back while awaiting more information and world reaction."
and additional tests by DPRK probably.
And let's not leave out the Navy. The reality seems to be that we have not seriously re-armed following 9-11.
I'd make it without a second thought. Let'em eat cake.
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