The LA Times’s Barbara Demick writes that the Bush administration has limited options to stop North Korea from testing a long-range missile said to be capable of hitting U.S. territories.
I’m not necessarily sure if I agree with her—the U.S. has options. They just aren’t pretty. I do, however, agree with Dr. Lankov’s suggestion at the end of the piece:
Andrei Lankov, a North Korea scholar based in Seoul, notes that North Korea’s missile-testing moratorium has since expired and that there may be little in international law to prevent Pyongyang from doing a test launch. He advises that the Bush administration’s best bet in a no-win situation might be to “ignore the North Koreans.”
“Too much of a fuss will only make things worse,” Lankov said.
The funny thing is, as few as the options available to the Americans may or may not be, it’s not like the North Koreans have a world of options. Even if they do test a missile, there isn’t a whole lot they can do with it. Nor is there a whole lot potential buyers of the missile could do with them without being turned into a sheet of glass courtesy STRATCOM.
22 Comments
You’re right, and the norks limit their options even further with a missile launch since Japan will probably sanction them and cut off aid, and push to build up their own military, which would bother China, the norks’ last real ally (outside of the Uri Party) and put more strains on that relationship.
So far the U.S. has been handling this quite well.
I take issue only with the good Dr. Lankov’s use of a geographical qualifier in his advice.
The Democrats in the Senate don’t seem to have taken Lankov’s comments to heart. According to Reuters, Senators Reid, Levin and Biden have succeeded in obtaining Senate approval of an amendment to the latest defense authorization bill that would
In other words, they are trying to compel the Bush Administration into convening a new Perry Commision, just the sort of thing that is probably on KJI’s wishlist (albeit not at the top therteof).
An interesting development, coming as it does the day after Perry himself issued a call for a pre-emptive strike on the NORK’s missile launch site.
It’s nice to get these little reminder/confirmations from time to time about why I parted ways with the Democrats.
The amendment still has to get passed the House.
whoops. forgot to close that blockquote. NTS, everything beggining with “In other words, is yours truly.
I think Dr. Lankov summerizes the general wisdom, minus a few editorials.
If the media in the states paints a picture for the citizens about missiles pointed at them, then there would probably be a large concensus to blast NK away and that would be the end, one way or another.
Dude, not only did you swallow up your own comment, but even Elgin’s!
…GAH!!
Fixed.
THE KING’S MAN
what are these not so nice options the us has against north korea? is one of them the option to speak directly with them? why isn’t that the option of choice? i don’t why i’m asking since i’m talking to you, expat. the option of direct dialogue doesn’t suit your man, does it? no, no, what suits your man is to ‘blast north korea away’.
i suppose you don’t see the mess you’ve made in iraq. but of course you don’t! you’re not over there. you’re in korea, the land of whores.
the expat conservative (ex-con) offers us nothing but endless war and hostilities, even in the face of his obvious failure in iraq. doesn’t matter, the ex-con has soft hands as he’s never done anything for america except offer empty words. it’s easy for him to want war and destruction as he lives unshaven in korea.
trust the ex-con at your own risk.
OUR KIM JONG-IL, OUR COOL
pawikirogi—Who said direct talks weren’t an option? Certainly not I. I don’t favor direct talks (and I don’t favor “blasting North Korea away,” for that matter), and I sure as hell don’t favor paying the North Koreans off, but I never discounted them as options. As I think I’ve made perfectly clear on a number of occasions, I’m perfectly willing to live with a nuclear North Korea. If they wanna build them, that’s fine with me. I’m not sure if they’ll do the North much good, and personally, I’d think the resources would be better spent revamping the country’s infrastructure, but hey, it’s their money.
Just for the record, I’ve never made a mess in Iraq. My apartment, on the other hand, really is a disaster area, and for this, I take full responsibility.
You said it. Not me.
Again, who is advocating war and hostilies with the North?
That’s a blatant lie! I shave every morning. Wait, no, you’re right. I shave every second or third day. I guess guilty as charged.
I guess this is where, had I possessed as stark a world view as you, I would make some sort of crack about “shifty” gyopo/Robert Kim. But alas, I don’t, so I won’t.
OUR NULJI, OUR FOOL
The current North Korea missile test fire debate is turning into the perfect issue for people to demagogue. Mostly Democrats so far are able to come out and act tough on the North Korea issue knowing full well that President Bush has little options on this issue and provoking a war is definitely not one of them.
Democrats are perceived by the American public as being soft on defense and this issue they can demagogue all day long on in order to show how “tough” on defense they really are. It must be an election year.
Pawi’s favored style of comment is the straw man argument, and yet he seems never to prevail over the straw men. I’m starting to miss the cogency of mahatir_fan.
“Even if they do test a missile, there isn’t a whole lot they can do with it.”
That is a point that most miss - because of the power of the ferver in the international community over a launch.
The every popular, “Something must be done.”
The thing to be done by the US is to turn the ferver away from, “Bush (president X) must come up with a plan that works” —– into “China and SK must do something” with that something being a strong behind the scenes and up front hints that they need to get tougher with NK for an extended, real period of time (5 years or so).
However, I do disagree about the market for the missiles —-
Oil rich Iran——–
If I were Europe, I’d be worried about where the proven missiles will be going next —- and that would be Iran - and what leverage that gives Iran.
Will Iran thus be moved a significant step toward becoming Europe’s NK?
NK’s style of dimplomacy is blessed by being in a neighborhood powerful nations care about.
Iran is situated in the oil heart of the world, but it does not have the same threat-factor NK does which NK has used well over the years.
If Iran gains the capability to hit Europe with a nuke warhead, how much does it matter?????
Go ahead North Korea and launch it. We’ll shoot it down and then drop one our PROVEN nuclear weapons on you.
–Remort
“limited options” I believe was the chosen expression for the US’ alternatives in dealing with NK’s missile/nuclear threat. The more I’ve thought about it the more I’ve come to agree with Dr. Lankov; however, I think that in “ignoring” the situation a host of alternatives will be presented. I’m trying to think of the last time NK was confronted with either a firm stance or with complete shunning. To break them out of their comfort zone when it comes to negotiations will at once present options that might not have been perceptible before. The North Korean leadership understands that it is entering unchartered territory and in the absence of a US administration that falls back on negotations I think the KN leadership will come up with options. Out of nowhere they will come up with ways to compromise…for survival’s sake.
ignoring the situation might not be the best way to put it… don’t give credence to the NK threat as they want it to be perceived. I think they know threats, carried out, carry consequences for their existence. The way to counter their threats is to assume, rightfully, that they are full of shit, or ready to meet their maker, without their citizenry’s consent.
The US should never, never talk to NK. As any gangsta knows there is nothing to be gained by talking to somebody’s bitch.
NK is China’s bitch.
Kick Hu’s ass. Don’t waste time talking to his bitch. The bitch don’t know nothing.
The US should make it clear to China that, if anything harm comes to the US due to NK’s actions, the US will hold China responsible.
Any pimp knows he is responsible for his bitch’s shits. Any pimp knows.
OUR BADUK, OUR PIMPIN’ FOOL
Sam woke up when he heard noise coming from his garden. “Poop”, “Poop”.. He instantly knew what it was. It’s that mad woman from Korea.
He shooed her away. But, damage was already done. The mad woman had pooped all over his house. She said she wanted to talk, but Sam wisely called her ex-hubby.
Sam: Your bitch was doing it again this morning.
Hu: She is no longer my wife and I cannot do anything about her.
Sam: Hey, where did that bitch eat yesterday?
Hu: My house.
Sam: Stop feeding the bitch. If she has nothing in her stomach, then she wouldn’t shit.
Hu: Why don’t you talk to her?
Sam: She is YOUR bitch. Stop feeding her. Talk? Does her behavior looks like some bitch you can reason with? You talk to her!
Hu: I have talked her several times not to go and shit on your house.
Sam: Obviously, you are not doing a good job. Why don’t you put your bitch on a leash. Next time, she shit on my house, I am going to shit on your house. Get that?
Hu: I have no control over her.
Sam: Funking don’t lie. You are feeding her. Isn’t that right?
Hu: Yes, but..
Sam: No buts. Stop feeding (sending oil) her!
Hu: I cannot do that.
Sam: You mean “you won’t”. Ok. Got it. I now know why that bitch was coming and shitting around my house. You are behind it all. I am going to shit all over YOUR house, you double-talking Chinese!!!!