Hot Topic (4/5): NKorea launches rocket - Are you worried?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

Story Highlights

Obama says North Korean rocket launch a "provocative act"

Rocket flies over Japan; 2 pieces reportedly land nearby

North Korea has "further isolated itself from the community of nations," Obama says

 

 

(CNN) -- American officials condemned the North Korean launch of a long-range rocket Sunday, with President Obama calling it a "provocative act."

A recent satellite image shows a rocket sitting on its launch pad in northeast North Korea.

The rocket, a Taepodong 2, was launched at around 11:30 a.m. local time Sunday (2:30 a.m. GMT) at a base in the northeastern part of the country. Officials in Washington, D.C., confirmed early Sunday that the rocket cleared Japan.

Preliminary data show that two objects, likely boosters from the rocket, apparently fell around Japan -- one in the Sea of Japan and one in the Pacific Ocean.

In a statement, Obama said the launch was "a clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, which expressly prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile-related activities of any kind."

"With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations," Obama said. "We will immediately consult with our allies in the region, including Japan and (South Korea), and members of the U.N. Security Council to bring this matter before the Council," Obama added. "I urge North Korea to abide fully by the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and to refrain from further provocative actions."

Despite criticism by the U.S. and other nations, plans to launch the rocket had been applauded by political parties and organizations in various countries, North Korea's news agency reported Sunday.

A secretariat of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union blasted the U.S. on Tuesday for its "outrageous interference in the internal affairs" of North Korea, the agency reported.

Trade organizations in the Czech Republic also hailed the projected launch, the agency reported.

While the United States and South Korea confirmed the rocket launch, the payload of the rocket remained unclear. North Korea has said the rocket was to carry a satellite into space, but the United States, South Korea and other nations fear it could be a missile with a warhead attached. Watch what rocket launch would mean for world »

Bruce W. Bennett, a research leader at the California-based think tank RAND Corp., said the launch was an attempt by the North Korean leader to appear in charge.

"Kim Jong-il has been in big trouble internally. He's appeared weak. This is a big success for him. He needs some way to demonstrate to the elites that he's in charge and still a powerful and capable leader," Bennett said. Watch more about Kim Jong-il's life »

Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, a retired Pentagon official who was the director of the U.S. missile defense agency, said the launch exposes a flaw in diplomacy efforts.

"This shows the folly of using just diplomacy and sanctions," Obering said. "In the interest of our self protection and our allies, I think we need to be prepared when those sanctions don't work."

U.S. Rep. Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement late Saturday.

"It is alarming that North Korea carried out this missile launch in direct defiance of the international community," Berman said. "The test is an unnecessary provocation that raises tensions in the region, and I urge the North Koreans to stop using their missile and WMD programs to threaten their neighbors and the rest of the world."

An October 2006 United Nations resolution condemned North Korea for missile launches in the summer and a nuclear test that same month.

 

 

[christina0607]

worried for my life, no. Worried that this is going to cause us probems later, yes.

[Eilish]

No.

[CjsMommy103106]

I definitely have to agree with Christina on this one. It will ultimately cause us problems in the future....

[kptmomof3]

I agree

Quoting christina0607:

worried for my life, no. Worried that this is going to cause us probems later, yes.

[othermom]

What can we do about it.

[cm08]

Shall we play a game?

 

WarGames - Joshua Simulations

 

 

A STRANGE GAME.

THE ONLY WINNING MOVE IS

NOT TO PLAY.    

Great statement!

I'm just concern of what the next step will be.

 

 

 

[amriley]

 Not scared for my life, but definitly know that nothing good can come from this......and what did N korea expect ?? the US to stand around and do nothing!!

[spoiled_wife]

I'm not that worried about it really.

Is if foreboding.. Yeah I can see how it is..

Does it show that N. Korea and US relations are shite right now.... Yes, but N. Korea's relations with most every country is shite right now.. lol Kim Jung Ill is nuts...........

China controls N.Korea...

China does not want N.Korea pissing us off.  Why? Because if N.Korea starts anything with us, and we react back. China has to step in on N.Korea's behalf, just like NATo is obligated to step in on our behalf if we are attacked.

So. If Kim Jung Ill, or whomever is in charge right now. Starts getting too squawky and jumpy. China is going to step on their neck again. Just like they did last time.

China nor the US wants shit started between us or between any allies in which either party is obligated to step in.. WHy? Because China owns us.. We owe them so much damn money, and China is making money hand over fist thanks to our trade deals....  Powerful people do not like threats to their power or their money..  Military friction between N.Korea and the states does just that. Threatens the flow of money and power. Plus,

Does that mean that N.Korea isn't out of control.......... Nope.. The government of N.Korea is acting like a teen age boy who just figured out how to flex good enough to try and buck his parents authority.. They want attention. They are the dingleberry of China right now..  They want to flex and impress.. However.. China, as most parental figures will not have it.. They will not have N.Korea screwing up what all they've been building up over the past 3 decades.. Just because they are feeling froggy..

China is already releasing press statements for other countries to chill and not overreact . China, US, Russia, Japan and S.Korea have already been in talks today.

Source: Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters) - China urged the international community on Sunday not to overreact to North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket, which prompted condemnation from many powers and triggered an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi called his counterparts in the United States, Russia, Japan and South Korea to discuss the launch, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"All sides ought to look at the big picture ... (and) avoid taking actions which may exacerbate the situation further," Yang was paraphrased as saying.

(snip)

"We hope related parties stay calm and exercise restraint, appropriately deal with it and together maintain peace and stability in this region," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu added in a separate statement that referred to the rocket as an "experimental communications satellite."

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE5341LQ20090405

[Junebug926]

I'm a little nervous about it.

[SophiaofLight]

Only worried in the way that they could add nuclear warheads or sell these things to terrorists. And I believe like the others that is just going to cause more problems in the world