Pyongyang Undaunted And Defiant
But of course they are. They announced today that they will continue to test their missiles no matter what the West, the EU or the UN has to say about it.
As the United States and its allies sought to impose punitive measures on North Korea for launching a series of seven missiles on Tuesday, North Korea responded defiantly today, saying it would continue to test-fire missiles as a deterrent to military action against it.
"Our military will continue with missile launch drills in the future as part of efforts to strengthen self-defense deterrent," said a North Korean Foreign Ministry statement published by the country's official news agency. "If anyone intends to dispute or add pressure about this, we will have to take stronger physical actions in other forms," said the statement.
U.S. officials have emphasized that diplomatic measures with the communist nation should not be abandoned and yesterday U.S., British and Japanese officials attempted to increase pressure on North Korea through the United Nations, presenting the Security Council with the draft of a legally binding resolution demanding that the North Korean government immediately cease the development, deployment, testing and proliferation of ballistic missiles. Separately, Japan imposed limited economic sanctions on the North, including a measure prohibiting its officials, ship crews and chartered flights from entering Japan.
In Moscow, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that concern about North Korean missile launches should not trigger an emotional reaction "that would drown out common sense," wire services said.
In a televised webcast, Putin, who expressed disappointment at the launches this week, also said Russian experts felt North Korea was a long way from being able to launch a long-range missile, the Reuters news agency reported.
"According to our experts, in order to increase the range of the missiles that North Korea has from 1,000 km to 3,500 km or 6,000 km, they need to take those missiles 600 km into outer space and that's impossible, considering the level of technological development in North Korea, at least for the foreseeable future," he said.
I believe Japan has the right idea. Isolate them. Starve them. Do this to the North, as well as any nation we catch helping them. And that includes China and Russia, who have been the mom-and-pop to the uppity North. Not serious sanctions for its supporters, but enough to let them know that "Hey, we are watching you." It could be something as simple as a travel ban as Japan has done.
But the idea the North can get away with flouting the rules that other nations agreed to abide by is preposterous. And they are doing this deliberately to intimidate Japan over there, and to provoke action from the United States. Only the North wants military action. I have heard many analysts warn that Kim Jong-Il knows how to play chess on a global scale. Really? From my point-of-view, he seems rather obtuse at times, and openly predictable other times. We knew he was going to launch his missiles soon, and Thomas even speculated to me that it might happen on the 4th of July.
Cue ominous cinematic music, and the sly, North Korean commander telling his men that the United States would "tremble" at the sound of their missiles being launched. Yes, yes, all the while we were watching the successful launch of the space shuttle after a year-long hiatus. Who was trembling on Tuesday? It was not the United States, nor do I believe that Japan was quaking in their boots either. Japan's reaction, thus far, has been stronger than any other nation, and rightly so as they were buzzed by the little runt from North Korea.
The North needs to be taught a serious lesson. And that lesson should originate in silence from all other nations. This is not about running away and ignoring the problem. This is isolation of another nation until it learns how to live within a civilized society. And the strategy is no different than the one employed by the United States during the Cold War. This time around, if North Korea really wants to make some headway, they must come back to the six member negotiations.
And I am positive that our stance will not change regarding these missile launches: What goes up must come down, and we will only be too happy to oblige them in that regard.
Marcie
But of course they are. They announced today that they will continue to test their missiles no matter what the West, the EU or the UN has to say about it.
As the United States and its allies sought to impose punitive measures on North Korea for launching a series of seven missiles on Tuesday, North Korea responded defiantly today, saying it would continue to test-fire missiles as a deterrent to military action against it.
"Our military will continue with missile launch drills in the future as part of efforts to strengthen self-defense deterrent," said a North Korean Foreign Ministry statement published by the country's official news agency. "If anyone intends to dispute or add pressure about this, we will have to take stronger physical actions in other forms," said the statement.
U.S. officials have emphasized that diplomatic measures with the communist nation should not be abandoned and yesterday U.S., British and Japanese officials attempted to increase pressure on North Korea through the United Nations, presenting the Security Council with the draft of a legally binding resolution demanding that the North Korean government immediately cease the development, deployment, testing and proliferation of ballistic missiles. Separately, Japan imposed limited economic sanctions on the North, including a measure prohibiting its officials, ship crews and chartered flights from entering Japan.
In Moscow, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that concern about North Korean missile launches should not trigger an emotional reaction "that would drown out common sense," wire services said.
In a televised webcast, Putin, who expressed disappointment at the launches this week, also said Russian experts felt North Korea was a long way from being able to launch a long-range missile, the Reuters news agency reported.
"According to our experts, in order to increase the range of the missiles that North Korea has from 1,000 km to 3,500 km or 6,000 km, they need to take those missiles 600 km into outer space and that's impossible, considering the level of technological development in North Korea, at least for the foreseeable future," he said.
I believe Japan has the right idea. Isolate them. Starve them. Do this to the North, as well as any nation we catch helping them. And that includes China and Russia, who have been the mom-and-pop to the uppity North. Not serious sanctions for its supporters, but enough to let them know that "Hey, we are watching you." It could be something as simple as a travel ban as Japan has done.
But the idea the North can get away with flouting the rules that other nations agreed to abide by is preposterous. And they are doing this deliberately to intimidate Japan over there, and to provoke action from the United States. Only the North wants military action. I have heard many analysts warn that Kim Jong-Il knows how to play chess on a global scale. Really? From my point-of-view, he seems rather obtuse at times, and openly predictable other times. We knew he was going to launch his missiles soon, and Thomas even speculated to me that it might happen on the 4th of July.
Cue ominous cinematic music, and the sly, North Korean commander telling his men that the United States would "tremble" at the sound of their missiles being launched. Yes, yes, all the while we were watching the successful launch of the space shuttle after a year-long hiatus. Who was trembling on Tuesday? It was not the United States, nor do I believe that Japan was quaking in their boots either. Japan's reaction, thus far, has been stronger than any other nation, and rightly so as they were buzzed by the little runt from North Korea.
The North needs to be taught a serious lesson. And that lesson should originate in silence from all other nations. This is not about running away and ignoring the problem. This is isolation of another nation until it learns how to live within a civilized society. And the strategy is no different than the one employed by the United States during the Cold War. This time around, if North Korea really wants to make some headway, they must come back to the six member negotiations.
And I am positive that our stance will not change regarding these missile launches: What goes up must come down, and we will only be too happy to oblige them in that regard.
Marcie
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 10:29 AM
1 Comments:
I well remember the "peace" talks over the 38th parallel. Their attitude and conduct should have told us then, after the second time they walked out, not to trust the sewer slime but our politicians wanted to accommodate them to stop the fighting. Appeasement has never worked. For prove of what I say, contrast North and South today! Rawriter
Post a Comment
<< Home