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."
He's not going to return home to Ghana after parading around in the US media spotlight. He'll live in NYC. (Where there is modern plumbing and places to spend his Oil-for-Food money on.)
"And do we really expect the President to telegraph his every move?"
Mr Bush needs to grow a big pair of you know what, this is turning into the biggest joke ever. The psycho in North Korea just tested a nuclear weapon and our response is "We won't attack you". Mr bush please pull our troops out of Korea, they don't need to be sitting ducks to this mad man.
Close 'em off. Completely. Get Japan and South Korea on board (shouldn't be hard) as well as China (might be tougher.)
When was the last time we attacked anyone for testing a nuke?
That is probably waht we will do.
Any military action by us first will be World War III or VI, whatever you want to call the next massive world conflict.
It would be horrific.
Bush knew it then...of course, the focus has been the WOT in Iraq since then (aside from the multilateral talks with NK) , but now they're raising a stink about Bush "ignoring" NK?
How pathetically typical of the left! If these people weren't so dangerous if they ever regained complete power in this country, it would be laughable to even consider them seriously.
Sorry friend, but no way will Annan and his white wife return to ghana for any more than a visit.
Now to the point of this Post:
How come all of a sudden the UN wants the US to have face to one on one talks with n Korea. Arent they the ones who say we do things without their permission? Arent they saying we act on our own too much. Is Annan that frightened of Kim Jung that he has to agree with the craziest bastard to ever lead a country??
IMO the UN should not wait to elect a new leader, they should ship kofi cakes out with tar and feathers.
"When was the last time we attacked anyone for testing a nuke"
Where did I mention anything about attacking the North? Pull the troops out, let the south deal with this mad man. Maybe your in favor of psychotic morons with nuclear weapons who knows.
I doubt you really mean that...but just in case you do, that certainly isn't going to fly either. The perceived weakness of that move by our enemies, the ChiComs, is reason enough to disregard any pullouts.
Once the ChiComs act on our perceived weakness, what then? Send the troops back in?
If we listen to Annan about ANYTHING, we will have to replace those who listen!
I will probably be flamed for this, but why not go ahead and talk with Lil'Kim one on one? Why not have a bourbon and rice and lay out the true picture for Kim? Man to man, mano a mano. It's like this, Kim. You starve your own people and now are destabilizing the region. We have no desire to kick your ass, but rest assured we can and we will if you push this too far. Have another spring roll there Kim, I'll have one too. So you like fast cars and James Bond movies? Well Kim, it's been nice but I gotta go. Don't forget, we have missiles targeted on you at all times. Anything flies over Japan or South Korea, we might just get twitchy. Thanks for the good time.
That's what he's doing now...That's why folks are complaining...
Bush could invite Kim Jong Il to the White House for 1 on 1 talks.
What liberals really want is situations where the US is at a disadvantage, but they're not honest enough to say that.
Because China holds almost all the leverage here. Which means one-on-one talks would be all carrot and no stick for NK, which is exactly what Kim wants.
"...why not go ahead and talk with Lil'Kim one on one?"
Yeah, why not? We could meet with kim jong il and kofi annon at the same time.....at Gitmo /s
Wonder how the UN will go once a South Korean is the head, come this January....
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