|
Some nobody says what everybody already knows about NKor
SEOUL, South Korea â North Korea (search)'s reported claim that it has nuclear weapons could backfire on the Stalinist state by alienating China, a Korean War-era ally that is a major provider of food and fuel, some analysts say.Wow. Newsflash. "They have a choice between joining the international community and getting development aid, and becoming a garrison state with nuclear weapons," said Timothy Savage, a Northeast Asia security analyst in Seoul (search). "Unfortunately, they seem to have chosen the latter." I guess lawn clippings isn't a "Brain Food" The most benign interpretation of North Korea's statement is that it is staking out a tough bargaining position as a prelude to more talks. But if North Korea has no intention of dismantling its nuclear facilities, Washington might eventually push for economic sanctions in the U.N. Security Council. The North, which wants a nonaggression treaty with the United States, has said sanctions would constitute a "declaration of war." Actually, in the sane world, it's more like a "declaration of sanctions" Methinks Kimmie slept to close to the furnace when he was young. The claim could be a tactic to extract concessions, but U.S. officials say intimidation won't work. President Bush told NBC anchor Tom Brokaw: "See, they're back to the old blackmail game." Even Bush can figure that out. Why can't Carter, and all his Comrades figure it out? True or not, the statements seem to reflect North Korean thinking that Washington, fresh from a successful campaign in Iraq, would balk at invading a nuclear-armed nation. U.S. officials say they want a peaceful solution to the nuclear problem, but have not ruled out a military option. One analyst said North Korea may have miscalculated because its belligerence will encourage China and Russia to fall in line with the United States in pushing hard for an end to the North's nuclear ambitions. Don't count on the ChiComs, and Russia being much help. sure would be a nice though. "North Korea fell right into a trap and did what the (U.S.) administration expected it to do," said L. Gordon Flake of the Mansfield Center for Pacific Affairs, a Washington-based public policy group. This could have been an attempt at a trap. Whether or not it was, it worked. Flake said North Korea's claim would strengthen the hand of any U.S. officials who believe the North has no intention of giving up the nuclear card, and that a change of government in Pyongyang is the only way to resolve the crisis. Posted by: Mike N. 2003-04-25 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=13481 |