Now Korea has fired it's third missle - the long-range one we've been "watching" - and, although early reports say the launch experienced "trouble", the REAL trouble appears to be with the policies of an administration as isolated and ill-consceived as those of the North Korean president!
As the Clinton administration left Washington, talks between North Korea and South Korea were (according to Madeline Albright) within weeks of reconcilliation. Then, Bush needed a bigger foil to couch his agression toward Iraq, and from the pens of his writers emerged the "Axis of Evil" (they needed a non-muslim country, according to one of the scriptwriters, David Frum).
And so, the Three Headed Hydra was brought to life! What happens now is anyone's guess - at least, until our own sorcerer's apprentice is removed from D.C.
please join me on the next page....
What concerns me most right now are the extended hostilities emerging from bush's shortsighted rantings and threats.
Now, Japan is justifiable alarmed and angered at a missle landing 600 miles off their coast. The ability of the major players for peace (ONCE the U.S., NOW, China, Russia and more) are in a difficult position of trying to re-establish the peace talks that bush has so categorically ignored.
North Korea is upping the ante in trying to obtain recognition, aid, food and "respectablity" for a nation with three exportable products: knockoffs, pornography and weapons. N.K. has nothing with which to bargain to obtain economic stability for his nation other than threats and the fear of what he might do.
Clinton's administration realized that blustering with the N.K. government was futile, so he re-opened negotiations to find a realistic solution to the N.K. problem: poverty and no economic viability. Bush, on the other hand, picked a fight and has stood behind his imaginary line while screaming "DON'T CROSS THIS!" He has backed himself, this nation and the North Korean nation into a corner that has no exit. So, we now have more missles, more anger, greater global distress and less safety for our troops in South Korea and elsewhere. According to one of the Clinton negotiators (she was interviewed on CNN (will update with name later), when Clinton realized that threatening N.K. had no effect, he changed his strategy and began to negotiate. Bush, on moving to D.C., immediately turned to blustering and threatening the N.Koreans with little understanding of the culture, history and economic situation of the country. The Clinton negotiator "hopes" that with these tests, Bush will rethink his policy and realize that, not only has it not worked, it has escalated the situation. She "hoped" that he would now reconsider his approach to this crisis. But will he? CAN he? Bush appears to continually paint himself into a corner that leaves only one escape - a violent and dangerous one. The bully picks fights that he "thinks" he can win, then is amazed when he gets his teeth kicked in.
Now, for Iran. Bush strategy seems to remain the same. The bully has drawn the line and screeched "DON'T CROSS THIS!!!" The problem with bullies is that there is always someone who recognizes them for what they are - and then cross that line. He is approaching the military with the "nuclear option" on the table - with the head brass saying "Take it OFF!" This is his "line in the sand" - again.
Iran has been "told" that they have to give up ALL nuclear development, even for peaceful means to supply power to their nation. As the rest of the world recognizes the diminishing oil supply, Bush stands and demands that another nation do nothing to find alternative means for supplying power to their nation. Yes, Iran COULD develop a nuclear weapon, however, with the European nations working to oversee the production of viable nuclear power, we are safer than without that oversight. And, furthermore, it was the "bully" that pulled out of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and opted instead for "newer and better nuclear weapon development") Is it any surprise that other nations feel it necessary to develop nuclear arsenals of their own to protect themselves against the ever-threatening bully? Instead we get that "line in the sand".
This administration shows no ability to engage in meaningful diplomacy with ANY nation, not even with our allies (what few that remain)! Bush has drawn a line in the sand!
Iraq: and this is the result of someone who put his foot across that line while saying "nyah nyah NAYah!". World chaos, world instability, loss of respect and exposure of the bully for what he is.
Unfortunately, THIS bully has made us all his victims - we are ALL suffering for his steadfast refusal to listen to people who know better. I can't help but wonder who, in his administration, was given the unfortunate task of taking him the cd showing that North Korea has joined the others in "stepping over the line in the sand". Who is telling him that Iranians will "rejoice" at our intervention? WHO is telling him what is really happening in Iraq and Afghanistan? Is ANYONE telling him how this country cannot sustain the massive debt his "line" has cost? What will it take to bring him down?
The collapse of the dollar?
Iran or North Korea striking at us first?
The collapse of our military?
Congress waking up and saying "no"?
Or, the American People FINALLY demanding accountability! IMPEACHMENT!
God help us all on this Fourth of July! America has lost her way when she not only doesn't stand UP to bullies - but let's them have free reign, unchecked to ru(i)n the country.
We are running out of time - this is OUR line in the sand!