Posted on 05/29/2009 10:58:23 PM PDT by prismsinc
SINGAPORE -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned North Korea on Saturday that the United States would respond quickly if moves by the communist government threaten America or its Asian allies.
"We will not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction on any target in the region -- or on us," Gates told an annual international meeting of defense and security officials from Asia and the Pacific Rim.
Gates called North Korea's nuclear program a "harbinger of a dark future" but said he does not consider it a direct military threat to the United States "at this point."
He also compared North Korea's nuclear program to Iran's, but noted that North Korea's program is farther along. Gates called for "genuinely tough sanctions" against both countries "that bring home real pain for their failure to adhere to international norms."
Gates offered no specifics on how the U.S. might respond to North Korea, militarily or otherwise, and has said there are no current plans to deploy more U.S. forces to the region. At the conference, concern over the nuclear threat served to unify the region's sometimes diplomatic adversaries.
Chinese Lt. Gen. Ma Xiaotian said Beijing is "resolutely opposed to nuclear proliferation" and called for nations to "remain cool-headed and take measure to address the problem." South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang Hee called the tests "a serious challenge to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty and has made a solution of the North Korean nuclear problem more difficult."
Gates' speech delivered his harshest words to date to North Korea since Pyongyang detonated an underground nuclear device Monday, followed by several short-range missile launches over the last few days.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Go away, yew empty-headed animal food trough wipers or I shall taunt yew a second time-ah!
My threat would be the second you launch a nuclear warhead you will face the full power of a Clevland class submarine and its Trident ICBMs.
Ohio class, sorry.
You’re breaking my bawrs Gratea your’re breaking my bawrs.
Was Gates shaking a UN Secretary General Moon voodoo doll when he made his threat??
I swear, between “Team America” and “Network,” I can only predict that “Red Dawn” is the next film to become a reality.
You mean really, really, really tough sanctions?
This is the same crap the Chinese have been pedaling for 15 years.
I think the Defense Secretary needs to go back to making software.
I’ve actually been thinking more along the lines of the cancelled CBS TV series “Jericho”
"Oh, herro, great to see you again Bob!"
"Mr. Il, let me look around to ease the UN's collective mind!"
"Let me see your whole palace, or else!"
"Or else what?!"
"Or else we will be very, very angry with you, and we will write you a letter telling you how angry we are!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b49Iwfp8U-U
Oh really? The North Korean people are already eating grass and dirt - except for the military plus Kim and his homies. What could we possibly do to Kim? Barring some high altitude EMP, zip, zilch, nada.
But have no fear! Super Barack is here!!!
If setting off a nuke, sending 6 missiles into the air and making threats of war to all who will listen... didn’t provoke the U.S.,—then tell me Gates, what in the hell will.
Perhaps if NK yelled out a few dirty words or perhaps called Obama a racist name.
I am having far to many doubts about Gates... I think he’s been Obamatized.
Sorry what would a dying dictator who starves his own people have to fear from a government with a record of appeasement and a ban on assassination???
That, or we take away Kimmy's porn DVDs and cancel all his subscriptions.
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