Comments on: New Sanctions for North Korea

By: An Interested Party

An Interested Party — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:04:06 +0000

Perhaps Obama should give a speech telling NoKo how much we appreciate and admire them. That should fix it.

Complete nonsense which no one is arguing for...instead of this, perhaps you could point to what military actions would be effective against North Korea...

By: whoaskedmike.com

whoaskedmike.com — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:06:58 +0000

The possibility that someone may push play on the war paused in 1953 is becoming more real every day. Perhaps Obama should give a speech telling NoKo how much we appreciate and admire them. That should fix it.

By: An Interested Party

An Interested Party — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:13:28 +0000

Why do you say that? Right now, none of the above countries has the political will to act against an aggressor, even a nuclear one.

This is so typical of the complete irrationality that exists on certain parts of the right...how many people really believe that the president would let an attack on this country or its interests just go by without any kind of forceful response...

By: The Glittering Eye » Blog Archive » Foreign Policy Blogging at OTB

The Glittering Eye » Blog Archive » Foreign Policy Blogging at OTB — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:18:51 +0000

[...] New Sanctions for North Korea [...]

By: North Korea Responds

North Korea Responds — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:08:35 +0000

[...] reaction to yesterday’s UNSC resolution North Korea has vowed to throw off the restraint it has shown so far in its nuclear weapons [...]

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:38:01 +0000

I won't comment about domestic politics in South Korea or Japan, about which I suspect you know even less than I do, wolfwalker, but any imaginable U. S. president will respond forcefully to a nuclear attack against the United States or its interests (like U. S. military bases) overseas. There is no doubt whatever in my mind that President Obama would do so (hint: he wants to stay president).

By: wolfwalker

wolfwalker — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:31:42 +0000

Using their nuclear weapons against Japan, South Korea, or U. S. interests would be suicidal.

Why do you say that? Right now, none of the above countries has the political will to act against an aggressor, even a nuclear one.

By: anjin-san

anjin-san — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:35:49 +0000

We have to consider the possibility that China cannot reign NK in. It would certainly seem to be in their best interest to do so. N Vietnam was willing to take aid from China, but when we withdrew from indochina and China tried to be a little too assertive, Vietnam told China to piss off and proceeded to slap them around in the 1979 border war.

By: G.A.Phillips

G.A.Phillips — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:58:04 +0000

Remember what happened last time......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0hk9vaqWUg

By: charles austin

charles austin — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:05:19 +0000

Ooooooo... double secret probation.

By: steve

steve — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:19:52 +0000

China not vetoing is pretty interesting. I keep waiting for the Chinese to rein in N. Korea, and they do not. I can see some advantage to China in the threat of NK having nukes. It leads to the West financing NK so they do not have to do so. What possible advantage could there be for them in NK actually having nukes? Don't they risk Japan wanting to more strongly assert itself?

Steve

By: The Strategic MC

The Strategic MC — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:52:34 +0000

"If we can prevent their trading nuclear weapons and nuclear technology with a robust apprehension and search regime, doesn’t that accomplish enough?"

Yes, but...

I would argue that the "caveats" will ensure that these new sanctions will be less than robust. It should be noted that the Russians and Chinese, while voting for the sanctions, also ensured that the resolution was made less effective than it could have been.

I still believe that China will do do little more than pay lip service to the PSI. A truly effective enforcement regime is not in their interest.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:39:23 +0000

“Using their nuclear weapons against Japan, South Korea, or U. S. interests would be suicidal”

So would a shooting at guards at a D.C. government building by an 89 year old. Assuming people or regimes will act logically is a risky proposition. That said I think you have about a 85% chance of being right.