Resolution 1718 at the UN states:
“2. Demands that the DPRK not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile;”
But they went ahead and launched a missile anyways and what does the UN do? The same crap they did with Saddam….talk talk talk talk and more talk….and then nada, zip, zilch. NOTHING!
An emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council concluded Sunday without an official reaction to North Korea ignoring repeated international warnings and launching a long-range rocket, the council president told reporters.
“Consultations will go on among members to see what is the appropriate position that the council will take,” said Claude Heller, the current Security Council president, and Mexico’s U.N. ambassador. When the council would reconvene wasn’t clear, but Heller said it would be “as soon as possible.”
“I think that there is a very strong call for dialogue, to reconvene, and I think there is consensus in saying that the Security Council regretted the government of [North Korea] disregarded the call by [the] international community to suspend the launching,” he said.
What does Obama want to do? Well, after some tough talk:
“Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something. The world must stand together to prevent the spread of these weapons. Now’s the time for a strong international response,” the president said during a speech before a huge crowd in Prague.
(kinda like the rules from 13 resolutions against Iraq eh?)
He wants……wait for it…….another resolution:
“The launch constituted a clear-cut violation” of the resolution, said Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. North Korea’s action “merits a clear, strong response” and in the U.S. view, that would come in the form of a council resolution, Rice said.
Pathetic with a capitol P.
Meanwhile Bolton has some strong words:
Prior to North Korea’s launch yesterday of a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile, President Barack Obama declared that such an action would be “provocative.” This public statement was an attempt to reinforce the administration’s private efforts to urge the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea (DPRK) not to fire the missile.
That effort failed, as have countless other attempts to deal softly with Pyongyang. Incredibly, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea Stephen Bosworth revealed — just a few days before the launch — that he was ready to visit Pyongyang and resume the six-party talks once the “dust from the missiles settles.” It is no wonder the North fired away.
Once the missile shot was complete, the administration’s answer was hand-wringing, more rhetoric and, oh yes, the obligatory trip to the U.N. Security Council so that it could scold the defiant DPRK. Beyond whatever happens in the Security Council, Mr. Obama seems to have no plan whatever.
In 2006, when Pyongyang last lit off a volley of missiles and then exploded a nuclear device, the Security Council responded unanimously with Resolutions 1695 and 1718, which imposed extensive military and some economic sanctions. Unfortunately, the impact of these resolutions was dramatically undercut by subsequent Bush administration diplomacy, which effectively let North Korea off the hook. By re-engaging Pyongyang diplomatically rather than increasing the external pressure, George W. Bush relegitimized the North and gave it yet more time to bargain.
Yesterday’s launch is attributable to prior failures, but the global consequences now unfolding are Mr. Obama’s responsibility. In fact, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is expected to announce today deep cuts in the U.S. missile defense program, an extraordinarily ill-advised step.
The initial draft Security Council resolution responding to yesterday’s missile launch, written by Japan and the U.S., is weak. It essentially only reaffirms Resolutions 1695 and 1718, and minimally tightens existing enforcement mechanisms. Moreover, China and Russia made it plain before the launch they had no interest in stricter sanctions — even arguing with a straight face that Pyongyang was only interested in peaceful satellite communications.
He scolds Bush as well as Obama….rightly so. No negotiations should have resumed, but now the North Koreans have launched their longest flying missile to date and it’s Obama’s crisis to solve. And so far it’s just more of the same. At least with Bush the world knew he was capable of pulling the trigger. Not so with this weak gollum we have in the White House today
Iran has carefully scrutinized the Obama administration’s every action, and Tehran’s only conclusion can be: It is past time to torque up the pressure on this new crowd in Washington. Not only is Iran’s back now covered by its friends Russia, China and others on the U.N. Security Council, but it sees an American president so ready to bend his knee for public favor in Europe that the mullahs’ wish list for U.S. concessions will grow by the minute.
Israel must also be carefully considering how the U.S. watched North Korea rip through “the international community.” The most important lesson the new government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should draw is: Look out for No. 1. If Israel isn’t prepared to protect itself, including using military force, against Iran’s nuclear weapons program, it certainly shouldn’t be holding its breath for Mr. Obama to do anything.
Russia and China must also be relishing this outcome. They will have faced down Mr. Obama in his first real crisis, having provided Security Council cover for a criminal regime, and emerged unscathed.
Well, as Biden said would happen….Obama has been tested and failed completely.
UPDATE
Brian T. Kennedy at The Corner:
…does anyone seriously think it is possible that the North Korean missile test was not designed to embarrass Mr. Obama? While he is preening about a world without nuclear weapons, and beginning his justification for doing away with our rudimentary missile defense systems, the North Koreans launch a missile that further demonstrates their intention of being able to attack the United States or Japan.
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