"Congratulations, Kim."
Posted on 10/09/2006 1:04:02 PM PDT by familyop
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush, facing a new election-year foreign policy crisis, condemned North Korea's reported nuclear test on Monday and vowed the United States will respect its security commitments in Asia.
Democrats eager to oust Republicans from control of the U.S. Congress wasted no time in accusing him of being in a "state of denial" about North Korea for several years as he pursued war in Iraq. They demanded a change in strategy.
In his first reaction to the North Korean test, Bush said he talked by phone with the leaders of China, South Korea, Japan and Russia and all agreed it was unacceptable and deserved an immediate response from the U.N. Security Council.
Security Council representatives were discussing a U.S. proposal for international inspections of cargo going in and out of North Korea to check for weapons of mass destruction and related materials, diplomats said.
Other proposals include a total arms embargo and a freeze on assets associated with Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction.
U.S. officials were hoping countries that have been cool to sanctions like China and Russia now would be more accepting.
While stressing his commitment to diplomacy, Bush said he had told South Korea and Japan that "the United States will meet the full range of our deterrent and security commitments" in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sounding an ominous note, Bush said North Korea has been a leading proliferator of missile technology, including transfers to Iran and Syria, and warned Pyongyang against a transfer of nuclear weapons, saying it would be considered "a grave threat to the United States."
QUESTION ABOUT TEST
U.S. officials were cautious about whether North Korea had in fact detonated a nuclear device. The apparent small size of the North Korean blast made it difficult to assess whether the explosion was nuclear, a senior U.S. defense official said.
"We can't rule out the possibility it's faking out the world," one official said.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said it could take as many two days for experts to reach a conclusion.
Regardless, said Bush, "Such a claim itself constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The United States condemns this provocative act."
North Korea's atomic test presented the Bush administration with a new challenge as it already seeks to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions and prevent all-out civil war in Iraq.
The crisis revived security concerns that plays to Bush's strengths in the runup to America's November 7 congressional elections, as the president seeks to help Republicans retain control of the U.S. Congress amid a scandal involving a gay Republican congressman's sexual messages to teen-age aides.
Democrats were reluctant to cede him that ground.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said that under Bush's watch, North Korea's nuclear arsenal had grown to as many as 12 bombs.
"Distracted by Iraq and paralyzed by internal divisions, the Bush administration has for several years been in a state of denial about the growing challenge of North Korea, and has too often tried to downplay the issue or change the subject," Reid said.
With Reid and other Democrats calling for a change in course, Snow said Washington was pursuing exactly the type of diplomacy needed for success by working with North Korea's neighbors in the region.
"When you have more people with a direct interest, you have a much better opportunity to have a united front. You're not going to be standing out there by yourself," Snow said.
(Additional reporting by David Morgan, Tabassum Zakaria, Kristin Roberts )
"Congratulations, Kim."
Iran military engineers on hand for N. Korea missile launch
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1664760/posts
10 Iranian Missile Engineers Visited N. Korea:Sankei reports(check on NK's Chinese equipments)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1658850/posts
Aw the hell with the rest of the world, just nuke them both now.
and not even a breath after the first period Reuters turns it into leftwing propaganda.
Rooters is a joke.
...a bad one.
What hell is with this buzzword "provocative"? Magazines are provocative. Nuclear tests are "huge mistakes". Quit with the diplo-speak, Mr. President. You're not dealing with a willing partner, and the mealy-mouthed response is less than reassuring.
It was a setup by Rats back to the Truman administration to impede American patriots ability to fight communism.
GWB: "I am now wrapping you up in this wet paper bag... now you will never hurt anyone again..." /s
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said that under Bush's watch, North Korea's nuclear arsenal had grown to as many as 12 bombs.
"Distracted by Iraq and paralyzed by internal divisions, the Bush administration has for several years been in a state of denial about the growing challenge of North Korea, and has too often tried to downplay the issue or change the subject," Reid said.
The RATS really are in a state of denial, arnt they? Hey Harry - if it were not for your esteemed colleagues Klintoon and Jimmy, the North probably wouldnt have the weapons in the first place!!!
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush, facing a new election-year foreign policy crisis, condemned North Korea's reported nuclear test on Monday and vowed the United States will respect its security commitments in Asia."
I must have been asleep for the last six years. Is Bush up for reelection?
One or the more disgusting pictures coming out on Fox News was the one showing Madeline Halfbright on this dictators reviewing stand applauding those goose stepping morons who would like nothing more than to kill her and the rest of us. Thanks to Clinton and Carter NK has an atomic device which is a short step away from a deliverable bomb at the worst or the sales of nuclear material to the terrorists at the least--God Help Us
We need to just pull out. Pull out of Germany, S. Korea, Iraq, etc., etc. Announce to the world, we would love nothing more than to be economic partners with everyone, free trade (yipee), but we are taking our military strength and fortifying the home front. Build up a defense, focus on our own, and let each country take care of themselves. This is truly our only option. Any other way and we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. Our forefathers were wise beyond their time.
It might break a lot of Asian hearts if the US sat it out behind Star Wars. Probably some French ones too.
Historically, we were never established to become the world's policemen. I am not saying that we do not back our allies, but I am saying that we only do it when they are attacked. Not to "prevent" a possible attack. If the world is so worried about rogue regimes, let them deal with them (which we will support). If we seriously fortified the U. S. no one could penetrate. We live our lives the way we choose, if you like that and want to be a part of it, great do X, Y, and Z and you will be one of the X amount of people that we let in per year.
The U. S. is such a great country and has such strength because we earned our freedom ourselves. No one gave it to our forefathers. If they had, they would not have known how to use it, or keep it for that matter. You do not respect that which you do not earn.
We see it in children given things by their parents, in Iraq, and even in our government. The people leading us did not earn our freedom, therefore, they take it for granted and do not understand what it costs to keep it. The further away from our founding we get, the worse it becomes.
It is funny, people (on a whole) are the same. When I was in college, I joined a fraternity that had just gotten back on campus after 20 years in abstentia. We wanted to make it work, so we worked our tails off, changing the rules (no hazing, etc.), and within three years we were one of the top three by anyone's standards. As the new guys came in and they were handed this status, they did not respect what it took to get there, thought they were smarter than us, changed what had gotten us there and within five more years they were kicked off campus.
Boys will be boys...
And BTW, go ahead and give these folks the surprise: what Pakistan would really likely use to deliver the weapon.
Probably plutonium and a mid tech implosion device, lighter than you think.
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