16-01-2003 11:08									#1
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quote: North Korea pours cold water on U.S. offer Wednesday, January 15, 2003 Posted: 10:48 PM EST (0348 GMT) SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea has described a U.S. offer to revive aid as a "deceptive drama" even as its Asian neighbors are abuzz with diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff. While the deadlock received a boost of hope Wednesday when the two Koreas agreed to talk next week, a war of words continues to simmer between Pyongyang and Washington over the North's nuclear ambitions. In the latest diplomatic ***-for-tat over Pyongyang's alleged nuclear program, North Korea's foreign ministry released a statement pouring cold water on U.S. offers of aid in exchange for dismantling its nuclear hopes. "It is clear that the U.S. talk about dialogue is nothing but a deceptive drama to mislead the world public opinion," said the statement, issued late at night by the official Korean Central News Agency. "The U.S. loudmouthed supply of energy and food aid are like a pie in the painted cake sky as they are possible only after the DPRK (North Korea) is totally disarmed." White House spokesman Ari Fleischer dismissed the statement as unhelpful bluster. In the last few months, North Korea has embarked on a series of steps that have fueled concern over its nuclear ambitions, including reactivating facilities frozen under a 1994 pact with Washington. Last week, Pyongyang threatened to resume missile tests and vowed to destroy the United States in "a sea of fire." The crisis worsened on Sunday when North Korea -- labelled by the United States as part of an "axis of evil" along with Iran and Iraq -- withdrew from a global nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Washington accuses Pyongyang of covertly developing nuclear weapons, a charge the Foreign Ministry repeatedly denies. The United States insists North Korea abandon its nuclear program as a condition for further talks, and says it is waiting for Pyongyang to make an official response to its offers. But amid a barrage of anti-American rhetoric, Pyongyang has accused Washington of bad faith and insisted a non-aggression pact is the only way to defuse the nuclear crisis. Korean bid Meanwhile, North Korean officials are set to meet with their South Korean counterparts for four days of ministerial talks next week in the capital Seoul. While nuclear development will take center stage, reconciliation proposals for the two Koreas will also be discussed in the ninth round of such meetings. On Wednesday, China and the United States held talks in Beijing, and Japan and South Korea met in Seoul, working to build on Washington's offer to revive a program to give Pyongyang food and energy if it dropped its nuclear ambitions. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly met with China's vice foreign minister in Beijing, where Chinese officials hope to open a dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang. China, a longtime ally of Pyongyang, is urging the United States to hold direct talks with North Korea, and is offering to host those negotiations. Washington is also offering support for diplomatic efforts by other nations to resolve the dispute. An Australian delegation is now in North Korea and Russia has said it plans to send a special envoy to Pyongyang, Beijing and Washington to help find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. The head of the international atomic agency, Mohamed Elbaradei, is praising the Russian initiative, saying it could play a crucial role. In the strongest sign the White House had dropped a ban on incentives to resolve the issue, President George W. Bush said Tuesday he might revive his administration's one-time effort to aid North Korea if it abandoned its nuclear program.

Given the results the policy has given both Korean Peninsula and the world, is it time for the South to reasses its utility?

	16-01-2003 11:09									#2
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The short anwser is yes.

	16-01-2003 11:10									#3
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We are just going to putz along with this stuff until after the Iraqi War is over. Than it will get a lot easier to resolve these issues...

	16-01-2003 11:11									#4
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What he said.

	16-01-2003 11:12									#5
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Boy...you are kinda hot on my ass.

	16-01-2003 11:13									#6
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Grab-ass.

I am trying to turn this economy around.

	16-01-2003 11:17									#7
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I favor US withdrawl, and let the Southern Korean protesters handle the problem, since they say the US causes all the problems.

	16-01-2003 11:24									#8
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I agree with you too Chris.

They seem to be pretty good at fighting and throwing Molotovs around anyway.

	16-01-2003 11:33									#9
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Skills they will need, as well as an ability to steal food, because starvation will soon follow the North's army into their friendly little land.

I would oppose risking even ONE American for those ingrates, let them protect their own country.

	16-01-2003 11:35									#10
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Yep, Doc Strangelove was saying how there is a large contingency in the south that actually wouldn't mind submitting to the North.

	16-01-2003 11:39									#11
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Fine, and when they are invaded, they can go to the UN for help.

Of course, it will take a year or more for "inspectors" to determine if they ACTUALLY were invaded, and of course, the French will vote against any sanctions against the North, in fact, they would probaly offer them materials to build more prisons for the influx of Southerners soon to be deemed 'a threat to the state'.

And I will laugh at the stupidity of people who fail to realize not everyone in this world is rational and can be reasoned with.

Adios Free Korea, we hardly knew ya.

	16-01-2003 20:08									#12
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Bump

	17-01-2003 04:02									#13
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*grind*

They had some counter protests, apparently, praising the American presence.

	17-01-2003 04:14									#14
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It was my understanding that the South has the military capacity to defeat the North even without American help.

	17-01-2003 04:26									#15
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quote: Of course, it will take a year or more for "inspectors" to determine if they ACTUALLY were invaded

its funny cause its true...

quote: It was my understanding that the South has the military capacity to defeat the North even without American help.

unlikely, i believe. IIRC, NK has the largest military per capita. The SKoreans would put up a fight, but they would be overwhelemed.

	17-01-2003 04:27									#16
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quote: Originally posted by Sandman It was my understanding that the South has the military capacity to defeat the North even without American help.

I think so. But the South understandably feels that they would take a lot less damage if we were involved. Especially the Naval and Air Force help.

	17-01-2003 04:32									#17
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It sounds to me like the administration successfully punted the ball to after Iraq.

Re the SK's abilities, you have to take into account their offensive capabilities, if any. Without the US nuclear deterrent, NK would only have to lob a couple of nukes into SK, after all.

	17-01-2003 04:36									#18
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quote: Originally posted by DanS It sounds to me like the administration successfully punted the ball to after Iraq. Re the SK's abilities, you have to take into account their offensive capabilities, if any. Without the US nuclear deterrent, NK would only have to lob a couple of nukes into SK, after all.

Exactly right. I think alot of the excitement and desire for toughness from the Democrats and left is faux. Wait until after Iraq and see how much stomache they have for Korea. Right now, they just want to prevent the war in Iraq.

	17-01-2003 04:43									#19
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On the other hand, the administration has been a bunch of faux peaceniks. We'll see what the real policy is post Iraq.

The timing could get tricky.

	17-01-2003 05:59									#20
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quote: Originally posted by DanS On the other hand, the administration has been a bunch of faux peaceniks.

	17-01-2003 08:24									#21
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I will be very delighted to see those ungrateful South Korean jerks starving to death in North Korean labor camps.

	17-01-2003 09:24									#22
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I'm sure they will say it's America's fault some how...

	17-01-2003 09:28									#23
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I know for a fact that we have posters living in/knowlegable about the area. Where are they? I'd like to have a serious discussion about the issue.

	17-01-2003 09:30									#24
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What!? My smilies aren't good enough Mississippi boy?

GO DAWGS!!!! SEC CHAMPS!

	17-01-2003 09:30									#25
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Seeker is over there.

	17-01-2003 09:34									#26
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quote: Originally posted by GP GO DAWGS!!!! SEC CHAMPS!

Wait until the upcoming season.

	17-01-2003 09:50									#27
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Yin?

	17-01-2003 09:52									#28
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quote: Originally posted by GP Yin?

He only shows up once in a blue moon.

	17-01-2003 10:11									#29
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quote: Originally posted by DinoDoc I know for a fact that we have posters living in/knowlegable about the area. Where are they? I'd like to have a serious discussion about the issue.

Unlikely, after it has been turned into a circle jerk.

You can check out some opinions here.