Posted on 10/11/2006 8:45:41 AM PDT by excludethis
WASHINGTON - President Bush called Wednesday for stiff sanctions on North Korea for its reported nuclear test and asserted that the United States has "no intentions of attacking" the reclusive regime.
In a Rose Garden news conference, Bush said the United States remains committed to diplomacy, but also "reserves all options to defend our friends in the region."
He also vowed increased military cooperation with allies, including bolstering ballistic missile defenses in the region and increased efforts to prevent Pyongyang from importing missile and nuclear technology.
As Bush spoke, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the United States to hold one-on-one talks with North Korea, something the U.S. has refused to do.
Bush rejected criticism from Democrats that his administration had not paid enough attention to the brewing North Korean nuclear crisis, saying that Pyongyang had turned its back on a 1994 deal negotiated by the Clinton administration.
"It is the intransigence of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, that led to the current situation, he said.
On Iraq, Bush acknowledged "tough times" in the wartorn country where sectarian violence has surged recently. But, he added, "It is in our interests that Iraq succeed."
Bush staunchly defended his Iraq policy, saying that he had adjusted tactics to reflect changing conditions on the ground.
He was asked about a recent comment by the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. John Warner (news, bio, voting record), that Iraq was drifting "sideways" and that the U.S. should consider major changes if Baghdad doesn't get the violence under control within the next few months.
"I appreciate Sen. Warner from going over there and taking a look," said Bush. "I completely agree."
Still, he insisted, "We're constantly changing tactics."
Yes, obviously the best way to deter your enemies is to give them exactly what they want...
Annan is an idiot of course.
Annan is conducting "diplomatic jihad" against America as he always has......pondering his relevance, I wonder if when he goes home to Ghana he will advocate the use of toilet paper?
I think he's trying to do it as diplomatically as possible, without doing something serious that will cause Ms. Kim to throw a tantrum and start chucking rockets at Seoul and Tokyo. When that happens... well, let's just say it won't be pretty.
Theres nothing surprising about this. The only way that there will be military action is if NK launches an attack first.
Maybe we should just ignore 'em. Something to the effect of:
"The gub'mint of North Korea has failed to negotiate in good faith. We are discontinuing any aid to that benighted nation and will have no further contact with them until they, through extraordinary actions, demonstrate sincere, good intentions."
"Until then, let 'em starve and freeze in the dark."
Bolstering defenses is telling the enemy you have no offense.
Bush is frozen, he should be promising sure and swift destruction of North Korea.
Kicking Annan and his gang of goons out of New York.
Withdrawing all diplomats and letting other countries deal with meanfaced angry Air Force and Army Generals.
Im sick of all this crap.
Hey Kofi.........screw you.
I really don't think it would be wise for our President to come out and disclose a all out war or even a threat of it, with NK at a " news conference" . A war of this nature would be well underway before we would have a press conference announcing it!!......I would expect if this is the case, President Bush would come out and just make a statement. " We are dropping bombs as I speak"!!!!
Maybe Koffi Annan should hold 1 on 1 talks with N. Korea.
ROTFLMAO!
North Korea has supplied causus belli for using reactors we allowed to produce fissile material.
Bingo....you are correct, and I wish you weren't.
Actually, and this may sound ridiculous, is they are making plans to ban all booze imports to this freggin` midget. Kim Menatlly Il if you haven`t heard is a raging alcholic, he spends over half a million a year on booze, and to suddenly cut him off is going to drive him into seizures. This is why he declared a ban on imports "a declaration of war"...There was a story in the NY Post yesterday about this guy and his booze, he drinks 14 glasses of wine in one sitting, goes through cases of Cognac, I mean imagine cutting off a Kennedy, it would kill them.
What a fool. Why don't we just disband the U.N. if countries are supposed to have one-on-one talks.
When DOES Annan leave?
"U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the United States to hold one-on-one talks with North Korea"
Kofi needs to show his financing docs or shut the hell up. He needs to have a one-on-one talks with an IRS agent and Assistant Attorney General.
And do we really expect the President to telegraph his every move?
Did I miss anything?
Congressman Billybob
Latest article: "An Open Letter to President Bollinger"
Please see my most recent statement on running for Congress, here.
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