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July 6, 2006

Is North Korea Preparing To Launch More Missile Tests?

Topics: North Korea

As the United Nations Security Council considers its response to North Korea's missile tests, apparently there are signs today that the whacky regime may be preparing another test of its long-range Taepodong-2 missile. As the whole world knows by know, the Fourth of July actions by the "gang that couldn't shoot a missile straight" flubbed when "like a cheap Roman candle," their so-called "long range" missile fell into the ocean 40 seconds into flight and succeeded only in stirring the international community's unequivocal condemnation while angering North Korea's patrons, China and South Korea.

Meanwhile, diplomats are scrambling to come up with a formula to deal with the rogue regime. But why is it that we are even considering rewarding bad behavior with more candy? Aren't we "training" Iran at the same time - with the net result being two nuclear-armed nutcase terrorist-supporting anti-West regimes that are more radical and more powerful than when we started "negotiating" with them and offering endless gifts and opportunities to come back and haunt us - all the way to our own demise? And hasn't the consistent "handwringing" accomplished absolutely nothing - except to fuel more crisis and "no-response" juxtaposed with more and more development of nuclear arms by the rogue and insanely aggressive regimes of both Iran and N. Korea?

As Washington wrung its hands and worked the phones through Wednesday to rally international opinion against North Korea after the missile tests, and Japan banned the Mangyongbong 92 ferry from North Korea, the main communications link between the two countries, it is pretty clear that North-East Asia will remain on the boil for some time.

But that is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Beijing maintained a calm silence on the expected North Korean tests.

Despite UK and France rallying against the tests, South Korea, said sources here, would continue engagement of its estranged half and despite strong protests from Russia and Nato, nobody is likely to take them very seriously.

Meanwhile, the hand-wringing by the international community may have already had its own fallout: the other potential outlaw, Iran has postponed its nuclear talks with EU.

Although the ostensible reason seems to be Europe's courting of dissident Iranians, sources familiar with the Iranian system said Tehran would wait to see how North Korea was treated for its latest transgressions.

It was the global community's failure to go after Pyongyang effectively because of its nuclear weapons that many say, provided the inspiration to Iran in the first place.

Enough carrots already! It's time for both N. Korea and Iran to fall in line with the rest of the international community, or suffer severe and, if necessary - deadly, consequences from those nations that are willing to do something about it - while we still can. If not, the world will suffer drastic and deadly consequences from their inactions, and us along with them.

Posted by Richard at July 6, 2006 7:57 AM

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