North Korea nuclear test

China joins U.S., Japan in condemning North Korea nuclear test

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/12/us-korea-north-idUSBRE91B04820130212

OK, NOW HERE’S MY OPINION

If China, one of North Korea’s few real friends, pronounced themselves “strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposed” to the nuclear games played by its psychotic leader, then they may have gone a bit too far this time.   The Chinese are even talking about withholding food assistance, which is bad news for a deranged tyranny that can’t feed itself. 

North Korea is like an undersized spoiled brat trying to be the playground bully.  The longer they get away with it, the more empowered and aggressive they become.

It actually began back in the 50s, shortly after the Korean War cease fire treaty, and just kept escalating.  They became so bold and defiant that in January of 1968, they captured a U.S. Navy ship, the USS Pueblo, even though it was beyond the 12 mile limit in international waters.

This is the point where one of the “big kids” on the playground should have put the wanna-be-bully in his place.  Unfortunately, the then President Lynden Johnson did nothing.  I still find it difficult to accept the fact that we caved to the communists of North Korea and let them capture, beat and torture some of our sailors? 

 

Finally, after 11 long months, in December of that year — the United States issued a written apology to North Korea, acknowledged that the ship was spying and promised that it would not happen again.  In truth, it was spying.  Not on North Korea, but on Soviet Union Naval traffic.  But the fact remains, it was outside the 12 mile limit.

On Dec. 23, 1968, the crew of the Pueblo was taken by bus to the demilitarized zone separating Communist North Korea from the South, where the men were permitted to walk across “the Bridge of No Return” into South Korea.  Once the officers and crew reached safety in South Korea, the United States retracted its admission, apology and assurance.

The Pueblo subsequently was taken to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital where it remains on display to this day, as a trophy.  It is in fact the most popular tourist attraction in the city.  

Does anyone think that they would have gotten away with that if Ronald Reagan had been President?  Does anyone think that Iran and North Korea would be as threatening as they are today if Ronald Reagan were President?  I don't think it was a coincidence that the Iranians freed their American hostages just hours before Reagan took the oath of office.

You can rest assured that Iran is watching closely how to see President Obama reacts to North Korea’s latest provocation.  Will he ask the United Nations to send them a harshly worded letter of disapproval, or will he finally confront the rogue nation whose possession of nuclear arms poses a danger to all of humanity?  Allowing North Korea to have nuclear arms is like allowing a six year old child to have a loaded gun.

On an added note: Most Americans probably don’t know about North Korea’s prison camps.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57556662/north-korean-prisoner-escaped-after-23-brutal-years/