Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Powell to Stephie: Your Boss, Not Mine, Let North Korea Have Nukes
newsmax ^ | Dec. 29, 2002 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 12/29/2002 7:55:34 AM PST by TLBSHOW

Powell to Stephie: Your Boss, Not Mine, Let North Korea Have Nukes

Appearing on ABC's "This Week" Sunday morning, Secretary of State Colin Powell challenged host George Stephanopoulos over the former Clinton aide's contentions that his old boss had managed to keep the North Korean nuclear crisis in check while the Bush administration had bungled the situation.

The exchange went like this:

STEPHANOPOULOS: In fact, the Clinton administration said that if the spent (nuclear) fuel was reprocessed that would be a red line that couldn't be crossed.

POWELL: It was crossed. During the Clinton administration the North Koreans had nuclear weapons. That was our intelligence estimate then, it's our intelligence estimate now. And in fact, the Clinton administration did have a declaratatory policy that if anything else happened at (North Korea's nuclear facility at) Yongbyon they would attack it. (End of Excerpt)

Moment earlier, Stephanopoulos cited complaints that Bush's hard line towards North Korea had contributed to the crisis.

STEPHANOPOULOS: I want to show something that Sen. John Kerry said the other day about the administration's policy. What he said (was), "What happened in North Korea is predictable and totally anticipated based on this administration's complete avoidance of a responsible approach to North Korea in over a year and a half. It is the absence of diplomacy, it is the absence of common sense that has brought this on." How do you respond to Sen. Kerry?

POWELL: Well, John Kerry is running for office. And I disagree with the senator as much as I respect him. The fact of the matter is that this (nuclear) program was not started during the Bush administration. It was started during the previous administration. Back in 1998 and 1999, the intelligence shows clearly that North Korea had embarked on a program of enriching uranium. And so, we inherited this problem. (End of Excerpt)

In fact, a November 1999 congressional report warned that the "Agreed Framework" negotiated with North Korea by the Clinton administration had given Pyongyang the capacity to produce 100 nuclear bombs per year.

The study was undertaken by the House North Korea Advisory Group, chaired by Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman, R-N.Y. Members of the panel included Rep. Doug Bereuter, R-Neb., then chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Rep. Porter J. Goss, R-Fla., chairman of Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Christopher Cox, R-Calif., then chairman of the Republican Policy Committee.

With more than a year left in President Clinton's term, the Advisory Group cautioned that the deal that was supposed to derail Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program had instead backfired.

"Through the provision of two light water reactors [LWRs] under the 1994 Agreed Framework, the United States, through KEDO, will provide North Korea with the capacity to produce annually enough fissile material for nearly 100 nuclear bombs, should the Democratic People's Republic of Korea [DPRK] decide to violate the Nonproliferation Treaty [NPT]," the Advisory Group warned.

The report explained:

"If the 1994 Agreed Framework is implemented and two LWRs are eventually built and operated in North Korea, the reactors could produce close to 500 kilograms of plutonium in spent reactor fuel each year; enough for nearly 100 bombs annually if North Korea decides to break its obligations and reprocess the material."

Officials in Pyonyang acknowledged in October that North Korea had indeed broken its obligations under the Clinton accord and are now rapidly proceeding with a full-blown nuclear weapons program.

The Advisory Group further cautioned:

"Although the 1994 Agreed Framework was essentially aimed at eliminating North Korea's ability to make nuclear weapons, there is significant evidence that nuclear weapons development is continuing, including its efforts to acquire uranium enrichment technologies and its nuclear-related high explosive tests."

In one of the Advisory Group's most chilling observations, the report warned that since the implementation of the Clinton accord, North Korea had made significant progress in developing an intercontinental ballistic missile fleet capable of targeting the U.S. with weapons of mass destruction:

"In the last five years, North Korea's missile capabilities have improved dramatically. North Korea has produced, deployed and exported missiles to Iran and Pakistan, launched a three-stage missile [Taepo Dong 1], and continues to develop a larger and more powerful missile [Taepo Dong 2].

"Unlike five years ago, North Korea can now strike the United States with a missile that could deliver high explosive, chemical, biological, or possibly nuclear weapons. Currently, the United States is unable to defend against this threat."

The report also featured a bar graph that shows a direct correlation between increases in Clinton administration aid and North Korea's enhanced ICBM capacity.

The Advisory group also contended that the "Agreed Framework" had made North Korea "the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid in the Asia-Pacific region."

"In an astonishing reversal of nine previous U.S. administrations, the Clinton-Gore administration, in 1994, committed not only to provide foreign aid for North Korea, but to earmark that aid primarily for the construction of nuclear reactors worth up to $6 billion," the House report noted.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: clinton; northkorea; nukes; powell
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-44 next last

1 posted on 12/29/2002 7:55:34 AM PST by TLBSHOW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
Bill Clinton, the greatest President ever, so far. /sarcasm /utter scorn
2 posted on 12/29/2002 8:04:14 AM PST by Clara Lou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
The nuclear club spread far and wide during the Clinton-Gore-Clinton administration. In my opinion, it's no accident.

I believe that the spread of NBC weapons across the globe is part of a plan to re-create the balance of terror in the world. The U.S.A. must be contained at any cost, and not be allowed to spread it's version of Democracy.
3 posted on 12/29/2002 8:08:20 AM PST by jimtorr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clara Lou
Speaking of Senator Kerry, where was the Senate during all of this? Is the Senate suggesting that the fact that North Korea was abrogating its agreement is/was news to them? Why was the Senate so quiet up till now? Inquiring minds want to know....
4 posted on 12/29/2002 8:08:26 AM PST by mewzilla
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
Leave it to Stephanoupolos to continue his life quest, which is to obfuscate the wrong doings of that slimy bastard for whom he once directly worked. Even today his "reporting" is charaterized by a pathetic, synchophantic, almost Goebbels like disregard for the truth.
5 posted on 12/29/2002 8:10:59 AM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Clara Lou
ABORTION? ISN'T IT SOMETHING ABOUT, IF THERE IS A DANGER TO MOMS HEALTH AND OURS?


6 posted on 12/29/2002 8:11:21 AM PST by TLBSHOW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Mia T
PING.........
7 posted on 12/29/2002 8:12:32 AM PST by TLBSHOW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
Sec. Powell has established the counter to the dems talking points on Korea, it made my morning to see that little weasle slapped down.
8 posted on 12/29/2002 8:14:38 AM PST by Semper Paratus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
I'd like to point out that Stuffedwithit did not argue with Powell's response that the problem was inherited from the Clinton administration. Powell was more than ready for George. Democrats are disgusting.
9 posted on 12/29/2002 8:14:44 AM PST by Clara Lou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
"the Clinton administration did have a declaratatory policy"

"A Declaratatory Policy" -- wonderful euphemism for it. "It" being declaring anything as long as it sounds good and gets good coverage. Completely empty of intent, void of commitment, antithetical to action, just a sound bite with absolutely no regard for reality. Pathological lying.

10 posted on 12/29/2002 8:15:45 AM PST by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bvw
Oh, Sens. Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman et. al...: What did you all know and when did you know it...?
11 posted on 12/29/2002 8:17:32 AM PST by mewzilla
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: mewzilla
The senator from Alberto Balsam.
12 posted on 12/29/2002 8:23:08 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
This bastid should have been aborted!

Raised by his mom and granny... not man, not woman... a freak of nature.

He will be remembered as the traitor president.

13 posted on 12/29/2002 8:24:32 AM PST by johnny7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: johnny7
bttt
14 posted on 12/29/2002 8:38:20 AM PST by TLBSHOW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
Well, this explains the lens covers on the binoculars! Can't be responsible for what you don't (want) to see!!
15 posted on 12/29/2002 8:51:54 AM PST by SAMS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
Powell really made me proud. He never says much, but when he does, people listen. Why? Because he is not a political being with bias rulling his every thought. He just wants to do the job he was put in there to do and has made it clear he has no political ambitions.

I have more respect than ever for this man.

16 posted on 12/29/2002 8:53:55 AM PST by CometBaby
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
That little worm Stephanopoulos is still shilling for the Lewinski job with the Billious.
17 posted on 12/29/2002 8:58:22 AM PST by hgro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks
The senator from Alberto Balsam.

Don't I wish! Howie Carr calls him "Live-Shot Kerry" because when Howie was a TV reporter, Kerry was something of an abulance chaser, running after remote news cameras to appear on the evening news.

18 posted on 12/29/2002 9:08:54 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: TLBSHOW
I don't like Colin Powell and as a general rule I don't agree with about everything he says, but I am glad he actually came out and set the record straight on this.

He didn't say "Bill Clinton" but he let it be known that that's where the problem started. Thanks to Mr. Powell, I am glad he didn't duck that one and instead just met it head on.

"Listen shorty.. that was your boss. You dig?"

LOL!

19 posted on 12/29/2002 9:10:55 AM PST by Jhoffa_
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CometBaby
Ditto your post regarding Powell.
20 posted on 12/29/2002 9:14:25 AM PST by Clara Lou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-44 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson