Barack Obama incites the world to declare war on North Korea

By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | FEBRUARY 13, 2013

If anyone doubts whether the nuclear test carried out by North Korea is real, simply look at the reaction from Western nuclear powers, such as the United States and several European nations.

The nuclear test that North Korea conducted on Tuesday resulted in many reactions in the international community, which showed its concern by the new challenge of the Pyongyang regime.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that the “provocation” carried out by North Korea needed an immediate international response that was “fast” and “credible” to the North Korean regime. “The United States will continue to take the necessary steps to defend itself and its allies,” he said in a statement. Although this is clear recognition that the test was real and that the United States is worried about it, it is difficult to remember such a weak answer from a U.S. president. Besides inciting conflict, Obama has no idea how to deal with North Korea, Iran or any other non-aligned nation.

China, Pyongyang’s historical ally, expressed its “firm opposition” to the nuclear test. Last week, Beijing warned the regime of Kim Jong-un, through official media, that if it carried out a new test the country would “pay the consequences”, and even managed to utter the taboo word “break” and mentioned a possible reduction in aid to North Korea. The survival of the North Korean nation depends largely on the support of the Asian giant, especially in terms of energy. Strangely enough, the United States and China are commercial partners and many of the goods the U.S. sells to China, end up in the hands of the North Koreans.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, condemned the nuclear test describing it as “very unfortunate”. The defense minister said that Tokyo will review the sanctions imposed on Pyongyang. Besides punitive measures promoted by the UN, Japan, which has no diplomatic relations with North Korea since making its first nuclear test in 2006, applies a full trade embargo on the regime of Kim Jong-un, denying visas to North Koreans and limited financial transfers between his country and its Asian neighbor. As readers may have already noticed, the supposed opposition to North Korea’s tests and the so-called sanctions are simply window-dressing practices.

The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon has said it is a “clear and serious violation of Security Council resolutions.” He also said he was confident that its 15 members would take “appropriate action” in the meeting convened for Tuesday. But the U.N. has done nothing about the 2053 nuclear explosions conducted by the United States or the continuous leakage of nuclear radiation in Fukushima. Neither does the U.N. say anything about the tons of nuclear waste dumped in Italy or the thousands of tons of electronic waste dumped in Africa.

Russia has also condemned “firmly” the nuclear test, saying it is a violation of U.N. resolutions. “We condemn these actions and, along with the launch of a ballistic missile performed earlier (December), we believe they are in violation of Security Council resolutions,” said a source at the Ministry of Foreign News Agency Interfax. This is the type of hypocrisy that turns any negotiation sour. It is a violation of U.N. resolutions when North Korea does it, but not when China, Russia and the United States do it.

The British Foreign Minister, William Hague, said that the development of nuclear weapons by North Korea “is a threat to regional and international security” and that “it hinders the prospects for lasting peace on the Korean peninsula “.

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North Korea launches a new round of threats against the West after the U.N. imposes tougher sanctions

By LUIS MIRANDA | THE REAL AGENDA | JANUARY 28, 2013

The government from North Korea promised “significant steps” towards strengthening its position in the world stage, reported the Asian news agency KCNA. The report suggested that the country’s leadership is poised to carry out a third nuclear test despite the opposition of the international community.

The statement comes after leaders of security and foreign affairs held a meeting that has hosted by North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. Kim expressed “determination to take substantial and important government measures”, in view of the “grave situation” on the Korean peninsula.

The statement does not specify when the meeting took place or the nature of the actions that will be carried out, but Pyongyang said last Thursday that its military will perform and conduct more nuclear tests, including one with missiles that will point towards its “sworn enemy, the United States.”

The determination from the Asian country came after a late Tuesday U.N. Security Council meeting where the organization passed a new resolution condemning North Korea for the December release of a long-range missile, which, according Pyongyang, was only intended to put a satellite into space.

The North Korean regime accused the United States of leading the United Nations’ movements against the North and of pushing unprecedented “new sanctions that impede Pyongyang’s efforts to develop its economy. “This has proven once again that the (North) must defend its sovereignty by itself. It has become clear that there can’t be a Korean peninsula that is nuclear free before the world is nuclear free,” said North Korean state television.

The Security Council of the UN punished North Korea with new sanctions while ordering the nation not to conduct new nuclear tests.

The warning from Kim Jong-un on Sunday came a day after Pyongyang said that it plans a new nuclear test in response to the latest sanctions. These new sanctions increased the number of North Korean entities in an international blacklist.

The North Korean regime has also warned it will continue to develop rockets to counter what it sees as U.S. hostility. Washington says Pyongyang threatens their safety and that of the region, and this is the reason for the existence of its nuclear weapons program. The two countries fought in the Korean War (1950-1953). The conflict ended with an armistice, which never became a final peace treaty. The United States has about 28,000 troops in South Korea at the moment as a pre-emptive step to curb the North’s appetite for conquest.

It is estimated that Pyongyang has enough plutonium ready to build four to eight nuclear bombs, according to the U.S. nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker, who visited the nuclear facilities located northwest of Pyongyang in November 2010.

No one in the international community is sure whether North Korean scientists have been able to manufacture nuclear warheads small enough to put in a long-range ballistic missile. The nuclear tests and rocket launches are necessary to perfect the technique. South Korea says the North is all set logistically to conduct a nuclear test within days.

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