And Obama throws in his cards.
Posted on 03/02/2009 8:48:54 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
North Korea demanded Monday that the U.S. call off its annual military exercises with South Korea, a report said as rare talks between the North and U.N. forces ended without clear progress on defusing tensions.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the North made the demand during talks with the U.S.-led U.N. Command at the Korean border village of Panmunjom, held for the first time in nearly seven years. It came amid fears North Korea is gearing up to test-launch a missile believed capable of reaching U.S. territory.
Yonhap quoted an unidentified South Korean military official as saying the North warned that the upcoming maneuvers would "further stir up" tensions on the Korean peninsula.
The report said the U.N. Command insisted that the exercise -- involving 26,000 American troops, an unspecified number of South Korean soldiers and a U.S. aircraft carrier -- is purely defensive and not preparation for an invasion as the North claims.
North Korea has routinely condemned the regular U.S.-South Korea military drills as preparation for an invasion, although the allies have said they have no intention to attack.
Both the U.N. Command and the South Korean Defense Ministry said they couldn't confirm Yonhap's report.
The U.N. Command said only that the sides discussed "measures to reduce tension and introduce transparency" and agreed to further meetings during a half-hour of talks.
"The UNC welcomed this discussion with North Korea which holds the prospect for building trust and preventing misunderstandings between both sides," the statement quoted the command's chief delegate Maj. Gen. Johnny Weida as saying.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsvn.com ...
And Obama throws in his cards.
The NKs demanded something, again? Yawn... More empty bluster, starring in their own self-created drama. These people are like a bad caricature of 1950s USSR.
President Obama playing poker with Zot Kitty
Who knew LOL!
Let the exercises commence. Screw the Chia Head.
Exactly. He wants to try to stop it, step across that line and stop it, literally. It’s known as the 38th parallel...
Obama: Okay!
We should not discourage NK from making their little missile
launches . Use each one as a chance to hone our anti-ballistic defenses . I’m willing to bet that we can ace every one that they fire.
And we should say nothing about it ....Just do it .
Let them whine about it . Say nothing
Every year Team Spirit is held they demand that it be cancelled so this is the norm.
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