[MadIvan]

Hadn't seen this posted anywhere else. As per usual, Rumsfeld is right - destroy "Little Kim" (not the one that sings).

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[ThinkDifferent]

wants the United States to team up with China in pushing for the collapse of Kim Jong-il's bankrupt but belligerent regime

Kim has to go, but I don't see China helping us out here.

[Asclepius]

In a sign that Washington is girding itself for a repetition of the bitter rows that preceded the Iraq conflict, the memorandum was leaked on the same day that a senior State Department negotiator flew to Beijing for three-way talks with China and North Korea.

Brilliant. Good cop, bad cop. Our diplomats on the scene offer concessions even as our Pentegon "leaks" documents suggesting a far more proactive course of action. When did we get so good at psyching out our enemies?

[BunnySlippers]

Rummy is so cool. Anyone hear of the latest Bush approval figures?

[AdamSelene235]

The neo-cons just want San Fran to get nuked.

Hey, I'm not objecting.

[A CA Guy]

Maybe that leak was on purpose to just scare them. After all they are launching test missiles everywhere.
One even landed in Alaska!

[math=power]

Do you have the latest approval ratings for Mr Blair? I would love to see them.

[Question_Assumptions]

I know people think that Powell and Rumsfeld genuinely hate each other and that may be true, but I can't help but thinking that they make the best good cop/bad cop foreign policy team that the U.S. has ever had and the pure genius of it is that Bush can sit back and takes no direct blame for it so he can come in for either side as the situation warrants. Basically, Rusmfeld gets to scare the bejeebies out of North Korea while Powell gets to come in and say, "Can you help me out here? Because if you don't, Bush might listen to Rumsfeld..." Good stuff.

[Russell Scott]

Rummy to Ill: "GIN!"

[Jhoffa_]

Shhhhh! Shhhhh!!

No so loud!

Let's finish Iraq first, then we can get round to all these other despots.

If we start in chanting "regime change" now it's only going to drive the economy into the tank.

Let's clean up what's on our plate first, let the economy rebound a little and then head over to NK and get our boat back.

[Mr. Silverback]

War with Iraq was not my desire (if Hussein had gone into exile, I'd be just as happy) but it didn't worry me. I knew we would win, and though the swiftness of this victory surprised me, I found all the dire predictions of the Left to be completely ludicrous. War with North Korea, however, that worries me. Again, I'm certain we'll win, but the cost may be horrific, especially for the people of South Korea.

In the end, though, it will probably prove as necessary as war with Saddam was.

[CrosscutSaw]

The North Korean regime is an even greater threat to US security and world peace than the Iraqi regime was.

[ModernDayCato]

First off, Ivan, I enjoy your posts.

Second of all, I just had to say that while I am not the biggest GW Bush fan (I most likely won't vote for him again), I have to admire the way he does business.

Yesterday the Treasury Secretary said that the Bush administration was willing to compromise on tax cuts. Today a spokesman for the Secretary said that the administration is committed to a jobs and growth package of at least $550 billion in tax relief that includes all of the elements the president has proposed....

I think the State/Defense stuff is just another example of the way this President keeps his enemies (and his friends) off guard.

I LOVE IT, and I have to admire the man for it.

[Dark Glasses and Corncob Pipe]

Hold a "Coalition of the Willing" conference in New Europe (Warsaw will do nicely). Open discussions on who will lead the post-Kim Jong-il, government.

Issue a new card deck...with Kim the Joker, of course. Agonize over the burning question, "After North Korea, will we do Libya or Yemen next?"

Indignantly denounce, but in reality dupe Hollywood leftists into cruising Pyongyang hoods, ostensibly comforting, but more likely confusing hapless Kim-Joker. Drop tons of public service leaflets and food rations on the populace. Drop thousands of cans of orange paint and body bags on top of troop bunkers. Complain noisily that Kim-il's digs are puny and cheap compared to Sadam's, and hardly worthy of the waste of our powerful, sophisticated munitions.

Speculate that the NK Street is not nearly so crafty, clever, urbane & street-smart as the Arab Street. Bait & panic Kim-Joker into thinking about doing something really stupid, but with ears on the ground and Predators, Hawks, SF, Carriers, Boomers, Bombers, Fighters, Tomahawks, Screaming Eagles & Airborne, and 15 Marines at the ready. Prep South Korea military to breach the DMZ, make pre-emptive shock & awe strike before K-J has time to decide what stupid thing he is actually thinking about doing.

In other words, cut to the chase. The New York Times will hardly know what hit them.

[Henchman]

I agree with Rummy! Now we need Baby Bush to call for a regime change in Syria. Who makes "Depends"? Think I'll buy the stock, even in this market.

[goldstategop]

Get rid of Communism and a flash point in East Asia will be removed forever.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

[Mr. Mojo]

Mr Bush has said that he "loathes" Kim Jong-il

Jong is not long for this world.

[Brimack34]

Just proves how out of touch Sen. Heinz is!! He should look for other regime changes then our own. We are not the evil ones Kerry.

[paul51]

calling for regime change

Oh oh Kim. I think we all know what that means