North Korea: U.N. resolution a 'declaration of war'

[ECH1969]

Blaming the United States for instigating U.N. Security Council sanctions against it, North Korea on Tuesday called the resolution approved over the weekend a "declaration of war."

The North "vehemently denounces the resolution, a product of the U.S. hostile policy toward (the North) and totally refutes it," the statement said, according to a report from The Associated Press.

Japan said it had received information on possible second North Korea nuclear test, according to the Kyodo News agency.

A South Korean government official in Seoul said his government had received intelligence reports about preparations for a possible test but it was unclear how reliable they were.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/17/nkorea.sanctions/

[lvx35]

1. Things are starting to get really hot.

Looks like China is not on the same page...which means things could go south fast, with dumbya in charge.

[twaddler01]

41. I almost feel it's all to turn attention away from what is

going down in Washington. Some messed up repugs out there....

[lvx35]

50. Yeah, I can't figure it out...

If what's going on in Washington is to turn our attention away from this, or vice versa. But wherever I look, something bad is going down.

[hogwyld]

2. Goodbye planet Earth

It was nice knowing ya.

[savemefromdumbya]

31. that's why Bush is buying land in Paraquay?

maybe out of the nuke zone?

[PerceptionManagement]

42. How is it that a country can be ruled by a single a******, oh wait....

[Eugene]

3. NK's statement was even more bellicose.

Associated Press
NKorea: Sanctions Are Declaration of War
10.17.2006, 02:51 AM

-snip-

The ministry warned that if anyone used the U.N. resolution
to infringe on the country's sovereignty, North Korea "will
deal merciless blows at him through strong actions."

-snip-

http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/ap/2006/10/17/ap3096077.html

If this were any other country this could be dismissed as bluster,
but North Korea is now backed into a corner and has a track record
for absolutely crazy actions.

[Toots]

9. has a track record

Maybe you could give us examples of this so called track record.

[Eugene]

10. The Korean Airlines bombing.

Raids into South Korea in the 1990's. Numerous abductions.

[Toots]

11. The Korean Airlines bombing was done by the Russians

and I have never heard of these real crazy actions of raids into South Korea you say took place. You stated the North Koreans have a track record of really crazy activities. I think you are spreading false impressions just like the GOP does. I admit Kim has said some crazy stuff but I do not know of any crazy actions on the world stage.

[enigma000]

13. Korean Air Flight 858 was bombed in 1987

Korean Air Flight 858 was a flight that flew from Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq <1> to Gimpo Airport near Seoul, South Korea via Abu Dhabi and Bangkok. On November 29, 1987, it mysteriously disappeared.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KAL_858

The North Koreans are also implicated in a bombing in Burma in 1983 that killed 4 South Korean cabinet ministers.

[Eugene]

16. Two NK agents were caught in the 1987 bombing of KAL 858.

In 1996, submarine based North Korean commandos came ashore
in in South Korea with casualties on both sides. North Korea
apologized claiming it was an accident. There was another
incident in 1998. These incidents were all headline news
when they happened. The details are still out there on the web.

The right wingers hate and fear North Korea, but that doesn't make
them the good guys.

[MrPrax]

25. True about KAL 007

but wrong about North Korea flight 858 or the other stuff...

Among many of the things North Korea does, which really are unacceptable, regardless of what Mr. Sulphur thinks (he's an idiot, ignore him)

N Korea confesses to kidnappings

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has admitted that his country kidnapped Japanese citizens - and that at least four were still alive.

Eight Japanese nationals, who were abducted in the 1970s and 80s, are confirmed dead.
BBC

________

South Korea alone complains of over 4000 kidnappings in 480 separate cases...there isn't anything defendable about North Korea; it's Leader or the type of ghastly society it has created. The GOP didn't invent any of this...I've been reading about it for years.

It's a bit of a dilemma for sure -- to promote a dialogue means giving extension to a society and country that in all rights should be liberated.

While taking a punch at Iraq and Iran is ridiculous, I am not at all convinced that this would be a 'wrong' strategy for this regime. Maybe the People of North Korea should be shown that their little NK 'sun god' is NOT all-powerful and can't protect them. That might be the only real de-stabilzation needed...rather than prepare for war, we should be preparing for a humanitarian crisis from what might be simply a muntious collapsed state.

The Koreans want to be unified -- it's the various players that don't want it to happen for various side issues that have little to do with the health and welfare of North Koreans.

[melm00se]

26. please thumb

thru this document:

http://www.fas.org/man/crs/RL30004.pdf

[progressivebydesign]

18. Oh, like the raids into Lebanon by Israel??

Or perhaps some of America's abductions, assaninations, and killings, in South and Central America?

[muryan]

28. whats it like being on such a high pedastool

i mean since all us lowly people that see north korea as being batshit crazy and absolutely dangerous are so stupid. Please trumpet more things that have absolutely nothing to do with the situation as a way of enlightening us to how benign north korea really is. Im sure its just a huge rove junta gop right wing plot meant to put diebold machines in south korea.

[progressivebydesign]

32. Pedastool? Is that a toilet that's really high up??

If NK is batshit crazy as you so eloquently wrote, then why the fuck is George Bush egging them on? Hmmm...?? I'm not the one that called them Axis of Evil and provoked them... I'm not the one that attacked 1 of the 3 A of E that Bush named, wasn't me, pal. You want to talk batshit crazy? look at the White House and the PNACers.

And.. while you're at it, why not see who allowed North Korea to get into this postion? It wasn't Clinton or the Democrats.

No one is saying NK is stable or safe, but it's total bullshit to buy into the PNAC/Bush tact of demonizing anyone they want to fucking attack.

[0rganism]

38. don't use the actions of W as a litmus for establishing sanity

> If NK is batshit crazy as you so eloquently wrote, then why the fuck is George Bush egging them on?

Do the words "Bring it on" ring any bells for you?

Bush's diplomatic motives, to the extent they can be rationalized at all, are concerned far more with no-bid contracts for his warmongering buddies than quaint niceties like peace and safety.

[muryan]

51. We get it, you hate bush

thats fantastic...get in line with everyone else. North korea has had a long history of unstable leaders and this being one of the worst. He tested one nuke, hes test firing long range missiles, and has enough artillery aimed at seoul to turn it into a rubble heap in less than half an hour. Also i never said clinton or the democrats allowed dprk to get into this position, im well aware of the shortcomings of this administration. The point is that this isnt some made up threat thats being trumpted on foxnews. Its real and its something democratic leadership will have to deal with when they come into power.

[daleo]

24. The U.S. blew up an Iranian passenger airliner

And has kidnapped and tortured thousands of foreigners. Kim is a pipsqueak compared to Bush when it comes to craziness.

[Phrogman]

4. I don't know why this is getting ignored...

They haven't bluffed yet, this is serious news. Expect something soon and it won't be good news.

[HuffleClaw]

8. i'd guess its because over the top propaganda is par for the course

when it comes to north korea. they routinely threaten doom and gloom.

[Phrogman]

49. Propaganda? Was their missile test propaganda? How bout that nuke test...

was it propaganda too?

[progressivebydesign]

20. Because someone found an obscure Indian news site with a Hillary quote..

so everyone has their panties in a bunch over that today. Nuclear war, shmuclear war... yawn. The DUers apparently have other priorites than.. say... escaping nuclear war. :crazy:

[inanna]

5. Recommended

My friggin' nerves...

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. Would someone please tell Kim...

...that dubya is actually crazy enough to pull the trigger on him if he doesn't stop? I don't think he understands that.

[savemefromdumbya]

33. I guess Cheney must be Paying Mr Kim to say that?

declaration of war where have I heard that before?

[Renew Deal]

7. Screw them

They claim to set off a bomb and whine when everyone reacts. I can't imagine they are so short sighted, so what's the real plan?

[Felix Mala]

12. I'd be in favor of bombing, if I though Kim would be the one to suffer

instead of his long-suffering people.

[dubykc]

14. This is sounding more and more like the book...

"The Mouse That Roared"

What better way to have a ton of US dollars pumped into your country than to have it half destroyed by the US?

[Felix Mala]

15. Except Grand Fenwick wasn't enriching plutonium...

Actually, it's looking more and more like the kind of sibling squabbling you see in a very large family. The nations with nukes are like the oldest kids who play a quasi-parental role (for better or worse) and the Kim's of the world, for better or worse, are like the younger kids, with juvenile fantasies of sometime having power over their elder kindred. And when one of those families gets very dysfunctional, a 12-year-old gets hold of a gun, for instance, things can get ugly. The truth is, the older kids (US) are not really as responsible as they pretend, either.

[progressivebydesign]

19. Don't you know? Only America is allowed to have nuclear weapons...

even though Bush has repeatedly threatened North Korea, they're apparently supposed to do nothing. I don't think NK is a good place, and the instability coming from NK frightens me, a lot. But... when America starts thinking that BULLYING, rather than diplomacy, is the way to live peacefully amongst its neighbors, what do you expect???

[muryan]

29. How are we BULLYING north korea?

Technically we are still at war with the country and so far the only course of action we have taken is to go to the UN. The US isnt the only country that voted for sanctions and i see them as a necessary step. Im not sure how that is bullying.

[progressivebydesign]

34. Umm how about Bush's first act of naming them an Axis of Evil??

Hmmm?? How about Bush totally disregarding the agreement that CLINTON had forged with them, regarding nuclear weapons. I don't know.. maybe it's just me, but if I was a country and I was called out internationally as an "Axis of Evil", along with two other countries, and immediately one of those countries was attacked after fake intelligence was created, and the country is in shreds, and I hear Bush starting the same shit with the OTHER of the 2 remainining AofE countries and sending ships to the Persian Gulf, and then started posturing against my country, then I'd freakin' call it bullying.

[muryan]

52. nonsensical rant

Half the leaders in the world call our leaders/country every name in the book and we dont bat an eyelash at them. If anyone is bullying NK, point your finger at the UN.

[progressivebydesign]

17. Dear stupid republican fuckheads....

Your dear leader chose to call North Korea names, ignore their capabilities, and generally egg them on. Your dear leader was not intelligent enough to know that if you name 3 Axis' of Evil, and you attack one, the other 2 are going to get defensive. Or perhaps your dear leader is simply following the PNAC plan for world domination... which is dangerously designed simply for the enrichment of a few defense contractors rather than the safety and security of the world. Perhaps your dear leader is so fucking nuts that he believes that his god is actually calling on him to taunt and attack his so-called Axis' of Evil.

North Korea was dealt with CORRECTLY by MY dear leader, Clinton. We had an agreement back then, with North Korea, that resulted in NOT ONE procurment of nuclear weapons. So, stupid republican fuckheads, as we stare down the possibility of a war with a nuclear-armed country... can you tell me how many weapons NK got while YOUR dear leader (and his Daddy) are/were in power??? Take a guess.. well, it's wasn't FUCKING ZERO, that I can tell you. Get your head out of your ass and see what your dear leader and his greedy friends have done. And while your head is out of your ass, kiss it goodbye.. because your dear leader has provoked a nuclear-armed country. Good fucking job!! :grr:

[cliss]

27. I can't add anything

to your quote, Progressive ( a rare occurrence ).

I rest my case.

[progressivebydesign]

30. aw shucks.. thanks!!! n/t

[twaddler01]

43. agreed, well written

:D

[Strelnikov_]

21. The 5 Million South Koreans That Would Die In The First Day Salute You

the 101st keyboarders, in your display of bravado in the face of North Korea belligerence.

Oh, but fear not for who the bell tolls. Since every microprocessor based gadget today probably has a critical component manufactured within the range of the Koksun guns, the virtual weapon you are wielding will have to get you through the next five or more years until the manufacturing capability is rebuilt. And that assumes that the resulting economic depression, particularly considering our interdependent economies, does not result in a Mangareva-Henderson-Pitcairn style collapse (remember the concept of 'want in a time of plenty' and all that jive.)

Party on!!!!!

North Korean Guns, Clear And Present Danger To South
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2006/06/27/north_korean_guns_clear_and_present_danger_to_south/

The capital Seoul, only 60 km (37 miles) south of the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone that has divided the peninsula since the end of the Korean War in 1953, has long been within range of one of the world's most powerful artillery batteries.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said the North had amassed more than 13,000 pieces of artillery and multiple rocket launchers, much of it aimed at Seoul.

Jane's International Defense Review estimates that if North Korea launched an all-out barrage, it could achieve an initial fire rate of 300,000 to 500,000 shells per hour into the Seoul area -- home to about half the country's 48.5 million people.

. . .

Ordinary South Koreans appear to have become largely used to the threat, paying decreasing attention over the years to regular civil defense drills that were once mandatory.


Wanna read something really wild, check this out:

A Prudent Measure: Striking North Korea
http://www.stanfordreview.org/Archive/Volume_XXXI/Issue_6/Editorial/

Enter the savior of the ten million residents of Seoul: a preemptive tactical nuclear strike aimed at the North's widespread and entrenched artillery placements.

There is no other means to guarantee the safety of South Korea and of our brave fighting forces. A barrage of parallel tactical nuclear strikes delivered via cruise missiles is the only way to assure the optimal destruction of North Korean artillery. This is not another Hiroshima. No civilian body will be attacked; in fact, the only reason for their use is to save a large civilian body that the North intends to destroy.

Guess this asshole has never heard of radiation poisoning. Also seems to have a lot of faith in small nukes to destroy hundreds (1000's?) of hardened sites, which to my knowledge has pretty well been discredited.

Time to buy some iodine pills.

[maxsolomon]

22. everybody just calm down

NK is crazy - but they cannot touch america with a nuclear weapon. they CAN touch SK & japan. so the question is, are they JUST crazy, or suicidally crazy?

i believe they would use their nukes if invaded. beyond that, i think that there has to be, in the NK heirarchy, a basic understanding of the real balance of power between their army of 5 mini nukes & a million brittle-boned, malnourished munchkins, and our MIRV ICBMs.

i'm ok with a blockade, as long as china enforces it along their border. and i'd want UN observers verifying that nothing is getting through. i know that innocents will starve. i'd rather that than a nuke landing on Seoul or Hokkaido.

[Strelnikov_]

23. I Agree. They Are Probably Not Suicidal. The Clinton Admin Approach

of dealing with them like the gun-loving freeper neighbor next door (keep em talking and buy a case of beer every now and then) is the only practical policy.

And if they are suicidal, what can really be done? Only a massive nuclear attack that would irradiate most of Asia will have any chance of preventing a North Korean counterattack against Asian population centers.

Definition of a Catch-22

[mc jazz]

37. they're paranoid

they think becuase they're in the axis they really will be attacked... just like being on drugs they are paranoid of losing their power. maybe this UN vote only legitimises the sanctions already in place, like the banking thing
the war on terror violates national boundaries and people like him can't rationalise this provocation. the fight against wmd has turned into a democratic crusade that will bring on the use of wmd

[K8-EEE]

35. Well this is going well....THANKS MR. PRESIDENT!

Good job, Condi!

[Megahurtz]

36. I don't understand why aren't more DUers

interested in this?:shrug: This is bad!

More War?:wtf: :scared:

The IdiotsInCharge refuse to handle this diplomatically.
They are just itching to push a button or something thinking they will get Raptured out of here.:eyes:
They could give a rat's ass what happens to all of us!

I wouldn't be surprized if they're trying to trigger an excuse for Martial Law.

Does everyone have a plan B ready? Passports?

[Stand and Fight]

40. I don't think it's because they don't care...

It is because they are, we are, tired of all of this nonsense. For the past five/six years since September 11, 2001, we have had all of these emotional events. Today our country legalized torture and now this... It's all very disheartening and sometimes it is very tempting to tune it all out. DUers care and we're reading this thread, but a lot of people are hoping that if Democrats win back Congress madness like this can be avoided and some real oversight can be practiced on the Crazies in the White House. At least that's my little opinion. :shrug: I could be wrong.

[twaddler01]

44. Agreed, at least how I feel n/t

[Megahurtz]

45. Well I hope Democrats win back Congress

before all Hell (War) breaks loose.:scared:

I can see what you mean, though.
I've had enough of the "Terra! Terra!" cry myself.

[Stand and Fight]

47. It got old very fast...

I know that I sometimes feel as if it is all so hopeless, but those moments are fleeting. Nonetheless, they carry great weight with them. This is counter-balanced by an optimism that Americans will do the right thing, but how long shall it take before we say collectively, "Enough is enough already!"

[badgerpup]

46. That's it exactly. I'm just friggin' TIRED.

I flipped out when the reports came out about N. Korea testing the bomb...figured Bush would take this as an opportunity to romp on their asses and it's Goodbye, Planet Earth as We Know It.

Nobody else seemed too upset...N. Korea has a bomb, big deal. It doesn't work like it was supposed to...Back to your regularly scheduled Outing Of the Republican Sex Crimes.

Now, thanks to Bush's fucked up to the moon famed "Cowboy Diplomacy", Mr. Psychopath who's in charge of N.Korea is ready to declare war...and THIS guy doesn't bluff.
And I'm supposed to do...what?

Like I said- I'm...just...TIRED.

[Stand and Fight]

48. I'm with you 100% on that.

Emotionally drained. My heart is heavy with all of the insanity that seems to have gripped our politics these last six years. I trace it back to the Clinton impeachment though... That's when it began. When the extreme right-wing really took over the Republican Party, and started practicing their form of perverted democracy.

I'm very fatigued. I know I sleep way more than I used to, and sometimes I sleep just to get away from trying to figure out what more can be done, what more that I can do... I ask myself that, you know... Am I being a responsible citizen? Is there anything that can be done to wake America up? Is it going to take tragedy? It's very draining when you actually love your country and the people who will come later...

Those sort of thoughts are something that I have found most on the Right utterly lack. Whereas, Democrats, whilst not perfect, think outwardly and for the greater lasting good, Republicans, a significant portion at least, seem to have motivations that are about the individual and only the here and the now.

[formercia]

39. We are still technically at war with North Korea

so their little outburst really doesn't mean much except for domestic consumption and Fox News.

[upi402]

53. Very good points

Thanks. I forgot about our conflict status with them.
Do you worry about alliances too?
I worry about the nuke states (Pakis, Iran? N Korea? Russia) and the petrol states (Argentina, Russia, Iran, Iraq) forming an axis of elbows to the face.

[formercia]

54. The way we keep pissing off countries

it wouldn't surprise me one bit. I think Fearless Leader's apocalyptic vision of the second coming/rapture is what drives his agenda. He's on a mission from God, or so his schizophrenic little brain perceives.