President Obama Condemns North Korean Weapons Test

And what, Mr. President, are you going to do about it? The UN did nothing after the ballistic missile test several weeks back.
What kind of message does US/UN inaction send to Iran?
The world is entering a very dangerous phase of history as a nuclear arms race builds among developing nations.
Prepare to see the ME and Japan go nuclear over the next decade, in response to NK and Iran.
Jimmy Carter revisited.

But, but, if we are nice to everyone, won’t they be nice to us? Clearly, it more important to be liked than to be respected. Surely this can not be hard reality’s response to soft power. Send them some DVDs, make nice, and crisis resolved.

You take ‘gravely concerned’ away from Obama, he has no foreign policy.

Diplomacy doesn’t work with NK or Iran. Once they have nukes, they have the advantage.

“I mean, think about it. Iran, Cuba, Venezuela — these countries are tiny, compared to the Soviet Union. They don’t pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us”
Obama’s words were clear, no? Tiny countries are not a threat. NK and Iran= tiny countries=no serious threat.

Yet another mess Obama has to clean up as a result of the previous administration. In 2003 experts across the globe warned Bush the status of N. Korea was a bigger threat than Iraq and that is where our attention should be focused. N. Korea took full advantage of our non-involvement and even bragged about it.
The Congressional Research Service estimated that the number of simple fission-type nuclear weapons produced by North Korea prior to 2001 was between 0 and 2 – by 2006 it had become an estimated 9 nuclear weapons.

Sigmonde:”"I mean, think about it. Iran, Cuba, Venezuela — these countries are tiny, compared to the Soviet Union. They don’t pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us”
Obama’s words were clear, no? Tiny countries are not a threat. NK and Iran= tiny countries=no serious threat.”
First off, Obama’s words were clear and it’s a bit embarrassing to watch you so clearly misunderstand such basic concepts. The FACT is that no, North Korea is not the same level of threat as the Soviet Union, who had a space station and MORE (and larger yield) nuclear weapons than we did. Get a grip.
And did I miss Obama deploying the Navy to NK? Raising the defcon level? Recommending people prepare for a military campaign? Having the chiefs of staff develop mobilization plans?
No. Obama gave a speech. Seems about right.

The Soviets had an estimated 8000 nukes on us and we had about 10,000. Don’t you remember MAD?
Mutual Assured Destruction.
You can not even put the Soviet Union in the same category as these countries.

Ranger,
I hadn’t seen those comments — you’ve convinced me Obama is an absolute lunatic. Seeing the finding of “other areas of potential common interest” as a way to stop madmen is adolescent and foolish. I think what we have is a self-delusional madman in the White House. A pox on all of you who put him there (in your abject ignorance)!

Perhaps Kim Jong Il just wants Obama to live up to his campaign promise to meet with him in the first year, with no preconditions.
After all, Obama said it was a “disgrace” we don’t talk to him (and a few others).

Concerned in Ohio – A reasonable persons “rationale” regardless of ideology would be to realize the destruction of one city, while absolutely horrific and unacceptable, is not the same as the destruction of the entire planet which is where we were during the cold war.
Perhaps if the previous administration had focused on the country that actually had nuclear weapons , it would not be to the point it is today.

“The FACT is that no, North Korea is not the same level of threat as the Soviet Union, who had a space station and MORE (and larger yield) nuclear weapons than we did. Get a grip. ”
Obama said tiny countries pose no serious threat. It seems to me that a tiny country such as Iran or NK can pose a serious threat with nuclear weapons. Wouldn’t you agree?

“Obama said”
Sigmonde
on who says what…
Bush said he consulted with invisible beings before actually starting a war

Yeah. One’s clearly serious. The other is more like just a joke. It’s so unserious.
Posted by: Concerned in OH | May 25, 2009 1:16:44 PM
No one is laughing and to suggest they are makes you the joke. You are the one pushing the political talking points over the realities of the situation which could be quite different had Bush actually listened to the experts about which country was the greater threat in 2003.

so even this has deteriorated into Right vs Left, Bush vs Obama?? Come on people. North Korea has been moving towards this and playing the same games before either administration. Let’s try not to destroy ourselves.

Perhaps if the previous administration had focused on the country that actually had nuclear weapons , it would not be to the point it is today.

Would that be the Clinton administration or the Bush administration.
Both tried the diplomatic route. Both failed to achieve any meaningful reduction in NK nuclear program.
If you are complaining about what Bush didn’t do, Obama has a chance to correct that. Have at it.
Incidently, every President inherits the results of all the previous President. I don’t recall Richard Nixon whining about the mess that Lyndon Johnson and JFK left him in Vietnam.
Obama’s complaining about what he was left is just whining. An attempt to avoid taking responsiblity.
You the man, Obama! Act like it.

Hmmmmmmm………sounds like Joe Biden was right when he said that Obmam would be challenged on the international scene within the first six months of his presidency. And he also said it would “appear” that he may not be handling it properly.
Change we can believe in????

Wow I bet the North Koreans are
shaking in their boots! Not!
Neither the North Koreans nor the
Iranians will be persuaded to give
up their nuclear programs by the
presidents blah, blah, blah foreign
policy.
A quick, hard shot to the ribs will
stop any bully in his tracks.
Action is needed in both cases not
empty threats!

N. Korea is making Obama snippy and grumpy again.
How dare N.Korea distract Obama from focusing on his favorite subjects–tax and spend.
Obama is much happier when he can bully investors and breech contracts.

nd he also said it would “appear” that he may not be handling it properly.
Change we can believe in????
Posted by: socialism101
quick, hard shot to the ribs will
stop any bully in his tracks.
Action is needed in both cases not
empty threats!
Posted by: reaganfan
so what’s your plan, there Big Boys, since this just happened, should we nuke em now or wait until tuesday? why not let Rush decide

Obama was harsher with his condemnation of the auto industry than he was with North Korea. I’m sure Kim is shaking in his boots right about now.
Posted by: BigSky1970
actually, the folks who brought on the financial crisis have done more real damage to America than North Korea…..

I guess it’s time for Obama to announce a cut in missle defense?

Looks like a unified response against North Korea from all the major powers in the world.
Of course all of those powers already have nuclear weapons and delivery capabilities.

The UN Security Council is meeting in emergency closed session over this nuclear test.
The condemnation of North Korea is unanimous with even its allies joining in on the condemnation.

John Bolton predicted this. He nailed it.
Get Ready for Another North Korean Nuke Test
“The curtain is about to rise again on the long-running nuclear tragicomedy, “North Korea Outwits the United States.” Despite Kim Jong Il’s explicit threats of another nuclear test, U.S. Special Envoy Stephen Bosworth said last week that the Obama administration is “relatively relaxed” and that “there is not a sense of crisis.” They’re certainly smiling in Pyongyang.”
It’s nice that Obama is relatively relaxed and has no sense of crisis.

I’ll repeat it again, for all you ‘right wingers’, I see a lot of Obama has to do something…. but none you say what….
so why don’t you ‘step up to the plate’ and tell us all what your ‘strategery’ & solution is…..

Obama bowed down to a Saudi King:
drjohn
careful now Doc…
given the very long relationship between the Bush’s and the Saudi royalty, I’m sure there are some very familiar images of Bush’s ‘interacting’ with the Saudis and doing their bidding here in America.

“given the very long relationship between the Bush’s and the Saudi royalty, I’m sure there are some very familiar images of Bush’s ‘interacting’ with the Saudis and doing their bidding here in America.”
What “long relationship”?
You won’t find Bush bowing to any Saudi King. Or any other King.
US Presidents don’t bow to anyone in submission.
Except for Obama.

“You won’t find Bush bowing to any Saudi King. Or any other King.”
There is so little truth in this post, it is apparent the poster is little more than a troll attempting to smear the President.
I’m afraid we all saw it quite clearly, as Bush and his family got into bed with the Saudis for Big Oil (and their own profits) while taking the lack of democracy in Saudi Arabia as a small inconvenience. Talk about butt kissing and prostituting your supposed principles.

Obama is risking our lives by cutting missle defense.
Kim Jong may actually be crazy enough to launch a missle toward the US.
So if we were able to stop a missle what would Obama do to retaliate?
He says he would do anything to protect us–but I wonder if he truly has the guts.

“I’m afraid we all saw it quite clearly, as Bush and his family got into bed with the Saudis for Big Oil (and their own profits) while taking the lack of democracy in Saudi Arabia as a small inconvenience. Talk about butt kissing and prostituting your supposed principles.”
Point us to a picture of Bush bowing to anyone. You guys ceate pictures in your heads and then actually start to believe that your opinions are the same things as facts.
How’s Obama doing with China’s human rights?
Funny how both Hillary and Nancy refuse to press China on that since they desparately need China to buy Obama SuperSpending Bonds.

“So if we were able to stop a missle what would Obama do to retaliate?”
Obama would use his ego-shield to stop the missile and his hubris to render the North Koreans unconscious.

“President Obama has made great advances in shifting the damage done by the Bush administration to America’s relationship with its allies. This is most obvious in the universal condemnation of North Korea’s nuclear test by even its closest allies.”
Yes, this is exactly what I am saying. This is not about ‘the sale’ of weapons and this condemnation appears as if it will include both Russia and China as well as most other nations.
President Obama has ALREADY caused a major climate shift away from the terribly damaged relationships with other countries in the world, as provoked by the Bush administration.

Your use of the phrase “Obama’s friend Chavez” reveals that you are a troll with an agenda to smear the President and not reliable.

“You won’t find Bush bowing to any Saudi King. Or any other King.”
danita said:
“There is so little truth in this post, it is apparent the poster is little more than a troll attempting to smear the President.”
>> Come on, danita, show us that Bush bowed to anyone like Obama did. Show us that this troll lied.
“I’m afraid we all saw it quite clearly,”
>> If it’s so clear, then you cna easily prove it.
as Bush and his family got into bed with the Saudis for Big Oil (and their own profits)
>> Care to prove this?
while taking the lack of democracy in Saudi Arabia as a small inconvenience. Talk about butt kissing and prostituting your supposed principles.
>> Do you have the first idea what goes on in Saudi? Democracy? danita, sweetheart, the Saudi population consists mainly of Wahabbis, the most fundamentalist of Muslims. The royals are the lock on Pandora’s box.

“Your use of the phrase “Obama’s friend Chavez” reveals that you are a troll with an agenda to smear the President and not reliable.”
You’re a marvelously entertaining poster!
On one hand you are telling how Obama has gone around the world making new friends yet if someone suggests Obama is friends with Chavez you get all bent!
Did you not see smiling Barry posing together with smiling Hugo?

Yes, what I see here is trolling to smear the President. The relationship between the Bush family and the Saudis is clearly documented and to say that President Obama is “kissing the butt” of the Saudis is a plain and clear attempt simply to smear the President.
And you’re here almost every day doing the same thing.

“You won’t find Bush bowing to any Saudi King. Or any other King.”
Posted by: drjohn | May 25, 2009 5:57:47 PM
**********************************
hmmm…. Bush had to bow to accept the necklace the Saudi King put around his neck.
Bush kissed the man and held his hand.
drjohn let me introduce you to your alias; drhypocrite…

When Obama talks other countries listen! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

again, Republicans complain about Obama not solving the N.K. problem in 4 months, overlooking the fact that Bush policy towards N.K. was a failure for 8 years.
and, typically, republicans/conservatives and the wing-nut crowd offer nothing as a solution. They are good at posting inane comments about a supposed N.K. ballistic missile attack on America, even tho’ such a thing is not possible… but it sounds good to the ‘right wing’…. very ’24′.
I’m surprised that none of the ‘right wing’ here aren’t supporting a Bush & Cheney style foreign policy by advocating a pre-emptive attack on North Korea.
oh wait, Bush & Cheney could have done that but they placed America in danger by not doing it for 8 years
Why did Bush & Cheney surrender to the North Koreans?

Dear Libs, Please keep up your good work defending all the idiotic things that I do and say. Please keep telling them how important it is to send strongly worded speeches and stern looks towards N. Korea. We will make believers out of them yet! Thanks for carrying the water for me. Sincerely, Pres. Obama

again, Democrats complain about Bush not solving the A.Q. problem in 8 months, overlooking the fact that Clinton policy towards A.Q. was a failure for 8 years.

Obama will try to pay off the North Koreans just like the money he gives away to terrorist in Gaza.Barry you cannot buy friendship with money you have to borrow from someone else to give away,it’s a great plan anyway, NOT.

Obama will try to pay off the North Koreans just like the money he gives away to terrorist in Gaza.Barry you cannot buy friendship with money you have to borrow from someone else to give away,it’s a great plan anyway, NOT.
Posted by: Johnny L | May 26, 2009 10:33:16 AM
——-
You said it. Let’s not forget that is what Clinton did and how this all got started. He gave them a nuclear reactor if they promised to use it just for “energy”.
They promptly began the conversions required to weaponize it.
Also along with the reactor he gave them the ability to study the workings of the thing and later duplicate it.
Just like the missiles and satellites Clinton gave special permission to give to China (after massive donations of course, remember Loral)

I’ll repeat it again,
for all you ‘right wingers’,
I see a lot of Obama has to do something….
but none you say what….
so why don’t you ‘step up to the plate’ and tell us all what your ‘strategery’ & solution is…..
N.K. tests a nuke on it’s own soil, what do Republicans want to see happen….?

Give them an ultimatum, release thier nuclear weapons to the international community for disposal or risk military strikes on their ballistic missile facilities and infrastructure, and give it with a deadline. Notify NK that the next ballistic missile test will be shot down.
KR
so.. your advocating war with N.K….
as S.K. would be the primary damage zone, maybe Japan….
OK that’s an honest answer.

I’ll repeat it again,
for all you ‘right wingers’,
I see a lot of Obama has to do something….
but none you say what….
so why don’t you ‘step up to the plate’ and tell us all what your ‘strategery’ & solution is…..
N.K. tests a nuke on it’s own soil, what do Republicans want to see happen….?
Posted by: Mr. Strategery | May 26, 2009 11:44:58 AM
———-
Bush was successful with sanctions until the dems took congress and blocked that forcing “diplomatic” means only.
Clearly that did not work.
OBAMA’S DO NOTHING WON’T WORK EITHER
We hired them to figure out what to do. I thought he was supposed to be sooo brilliant. Well regale us with your Obama brilliance and fix the problem, or at least slow it down
We forget it is not just missile distance to us that we should worry about but the sale to others of the same technology.
Don’t forget that they were accused of setting up the Nuke facility in Syria that was quietly taken out by Israel.
Combine that with the active Iranian nuke and missile program, warships sent out including to the gulf of Aden, and the willing complicity of Venezula and Bolivia helping Iran build nukes and their combined association with Cuba, all in plain striking distance of the US.
Little mentioned is the 200 Billion they have agreed to spend in South American fomenting anti-americanism, never reported in the mainstream media.
“As allies against the U.S., Ahmadinejad and Chavez have set up a $200 billion fund aimed at garnering the support of more South American countries for the cause of “liberation from the American imperialism,” according to the report.”
So Mr. Brilliant Obama does need to do something. The wolf is at our door and he does not care to be bothered He is busy golfing and pillaging from the people in this country that work for a living.

kr
you imply that n.k.’s military and political structure is equal to sudan, libya and iraq and the results would be the same?

And if they don’t change their course, you remove their means of delivering nuclear weapons at range, thus thier ballistic missile facilites which are difficult to create. Not sure how many launch areas they have, but I doubt its that many. Its very expensive as is the equipment and materials. If destroyed, you could effectively remove the most efficient delivery system, making them have to deliver through more conventional means and drastically reducing the range in which they could deploy it. You also have a far better chance of intercepting a nuclear payload that is being delivered through conventional means (aircraft).

Oh Yeah:
Blah, Blah, Blah is not an effective
foreign policy!
While President Obama sends love notes
to North Korea and Iran their
leaders continue to pursue nuclear
policies that are dangerous for the
U.S. and our allies.
Endless talk accomplishes nothing.
The European trip in which Mr Obama
trashed the U.S. to our allies has
yielde no positive results.
Only one country, France, has agreed to take one Gitmo prisoner.
It’s clear that the president needs to
put a little muscle into his
foreign policy agenda.