North Korea provokes global outcry with rocket launch

[Felix The Assassin]

There is no doubt many here have different views about this situation. However, one of my main concerns is highlighted within the article, and sheds light on the overall aspect of what can happen when liberal politicians are in charge. In this instance, liberal being one who will talk until blue in the face, but only act as a last resort, because it's ok, really.

It wins North Korea the attention it has sought as the new U.S. administration wrestles with recession and the war in Afghanistan, and it could strengthen Kim's hand in using military threats to win concessions from global powers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090405/...korea_north_72

[Cerek]

North Korea is a piss-ant country with a piss-ant dictator and should be treated as such. I especially loved this line in the article;

The talks stalled in December and Pyongyang has threatened to quit them if the United Nations imposes any punishment over the launch.

In other words, we broke the rules, but if you try to punish us, then we won't talk to you anymore.

You know what? FINE. Screw NK. They need us, we DON"T need them. Cut off ALL talks and enforce existing sanctions. Sure, China will try to apply some pressure, but even they realize the tenousness of the situation. They don't want new restrictions on NK? Ok. We will just enforce the ones already in place and we will cut off NK from ANY international communications till they decide to play nice for a change.

[Felix The Assassin]

Update:

The United Nations failed to agree a response to North Korea's rocket launch despite pressure from Washington and its allies for action, showing the reclusive state had succeeded in dividing the international community.

It appears the "piss-ant" has bulked up a bit.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090406/...korea_north_79

[Cerek]

Council members "agreed to continue consultations on the appropriate reaction by the council ... given the urgency of the matter," Mexico's U.N. Ambassador Claude Heller, who holds the body's rotating presidency, told reporters.

Due to the "urgency of this matter", the UN has determined they really ought to sit down and.....talk about this situation. Geez - does the UN do anything OTHER than sit around with their thumbs up their asses all day???

And I love all the cautionary talk evoked by the different sides. Sheesh. Just cut the bullshit people. NK is a piss-ant country. But they got China and Russia backing them up (especially China). And their piss-ant leader has made a career out of rattling his military sabers when he wants attention and concessions. Now he is trying to get OUT of concessions he agreed to earlier. And what is the UN doing about this? Are they enforcing the sanctions they imposed and NK agreed to? Uhm....hmmm...wait a minute, let's switch thumbs and talk about this some more. The whole thing makes me sick. If it weren't for China, I would say we pull a Reagan and do bombing run on Kim's palace, office and weekend vacation spot - just to show him we don't like his attitude. But we can't do that.

So, the next best thing is what I said earlier, enforce the restrictions already in place and simply cut NK off from ANY international talks. China will gripe and try to apply pressure, but since we aren't asking for new sanctions or taken any action against NK, their really isn't much they can oppose. If China insists NK be allowed to join talks, then the UN tells China "As soon as you can get your little brother to behave, we'll give it some thought. Until then, he isn't allowed to play with us, period."

[Chewbacca]

I'm more afraid of another George W Bush or Dick Cheney getting their hands on our vast and most powerful armory again than I will ever ever ever ever ever ever ever be of North Korea.
It only makes sense to be afraid of a real and proven threat rather than yet another boogie man who can only be defeated by more defense spending welfare.