Posted on 02/02/2002 7:49:21 PM PST by ATOMIC_PUNK
WASHINGTON: North Korea yesterday blustered that it was on the brink of war with the US after President George W. Bush renewed his attacks on the "axis of evil" of so-called rogue states.
Mr Bush again labelled Iran, Iraq and North Korea the world's most dangerous regimes, warning they could face US action and prompting speculation about where the war on terror would lead after Afghanistan.
His warning, raised first in his State of the Nation address on Tuesday, drew an angry reaction from Muslim countries throughout the Middle East. But the most blunt message response came from North Korea. A spokesman for strongman Kim Jong Il said the nation was ready for war and had been wise to develop "powerful offensive and defensive means". We are sharply watching the disturbing moves of the United States that have pushed the situation to the brink of war," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
As the secretive communist regime's propaganda machine went into overdrive, North Korean state media said US warplanes had carried out scores of reconnaissance flights in recent weeks in preparation for an attack. The spokesman said Mr Bush's speech was "little short of declaring a war".
Undaunted by the strength of the reaction in the Middle East to his speech, Mr Bush reiterated his accusations against the three countries and warned that Washington was ready to act. He said all three nations were developing weapons of mass destruction. "They need to know our intention is to hold them accountable and the rest of the world needs to be with us, because these weapons can be pointed at them as easily as at us," he said. Iran, which Washington describes as the main state sponsor of terror ism, called Mr Bush -thirsty for human blood", while the Iraqi regime of Sad Hussein branded him "stupid, arrogant and irresponsible".
Former secretary o state Madeleine Albrigh also condemned the "axis of evil" speech, calling it "big mistake". She said many in the international community believed the US h "lost its mind" because of the way Mr Bush handled foreign policy. "I think it was a big mistake to lump those three countries together," she said. "They are very different from each other." That warning risked alienating foreign allies she said. We know that they are (already) not supportive of what we are doing in lraq or Iran or North Korea, so I don't know what the value is." But US officials said there were no plans for, any military action against the three countries. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the US was not about to open three more fronts in the war against terror now centred on Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, in New York, US Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday urged world leaders to crush the cause of terrorism by stamping out poverty. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Mr Powell said' We have to go after poverty, we have to go after despair." AFP
I just checked out a fuller story, and it looks like you are right. The headline was 'Biased'. (Now there's a surprize). Some longer quotes:
Powell, speaking at a panel on building a coalition for a stable world, said the United States is just beginning its campaign against terrorism and will "make sure we root it out, wherever it exists."
But America will also help countries solve problems that make them hotbeds for terrorism, Powell added. He cited Afghanistan, where he said the United States will continue humanitarian efforts to rebuild the shattered country.
Anything is possible.. But I wonder after being courted for Prez and all the media hype if maybe Powell thinks he's untouchable.
Heck, maybe it is good-cop bad-cop..
I just have to wonder when I see everyone else aligned with Dubya and then.. there's Powell.
Like a fly in the soup.
DamdifIknow! But they are sure a bunch of sharp cookies there in the administration. It is nice to think that Powell is just playing the left for the idiots they are. The Gulf War strategy was one of total misdirection, you may remember (feinting at the beaches, then sweeping around the Iraqi rear!)
Check out my post a little above, with more quotes from Powell, it appears that the headline was 'a little misleading'. Surprise Surprise.
Very true. The horror that is N. Korea cannot be understated. Those poor people don't even know that they are more savagely treated than anyone else in the world (including the Sudan, and that is saying something). N. Korea would fold like a bedsheet in the wind if attacked, and its people shown that they really don't have to eat babies. I suspect that communists have their own special wing in hell.
|
Hit & run I suppose.
Oh, now THERE'S a surprise!
She said many in the international community believed the US h "lost its mind" because of the way Mr Bush handled foreign policy.
<sarcasm> I'm sure they miss the steady hand of Bill "Let's see, what should our policy be this week?" Clinton.</sarcasm>
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.