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| Possible ClueBat Hit Reported---NORKS Visit Libya | |
| 2004-03-02 | |
| From East-Asia-Intel, subscription req'd.... North Korea's recent dispatch of a government delegation to Libya is aimed at observing the fallout from the Arab nation's decision to give up its nuclear weapons program, a Seoul-based diplomat said. Can we dream that the NORKS are not immune to ClueBats, or is it a wily trick? A delegation, led by State Planning Commission Chairman Kim Kwang-Rin, traveled to Libya on Feb. 21, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency. The report said the "economic delegation" would participate in the joint committee for the two countries. The delegation includes Jo Yong-Nam, vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission, and Ri Ryong-Nam, vice-minister of foreign trade. Following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime and Libya's surrender to pressure to abandon weapons of mass destruction, North Korea is increasingly concerned about its fate, said Choi Jin-Wook, a researcher at the Korean Institute for National Unification. they naturally should be While reports of the visit did not identify its main purpose, a Western diplomat said the high-level trip was aimed at exploring the aftermath of Libya's bombshell anti-nuclear declaration. That certainly got the NORK'S attention! "North Koreans would try to see what is happening in Libya after its decision to accept U.S. calls for the dismantlement of nuclear weapons," the diplomat said. "Bilateral relations between Libya and the United States are rapidly improving since the Tripoli decision," he said. Of course, we are going to have to do some colonoscopies to verify that the NORKS are indeed dismantling their WMD production facilities. That will part of the deal. "The North Korean delegation wants to assess economic benefits Libya would be given from the United States and its allies in return for scrapping its atomic weapons," the diplomat continued. The United States is moving quickly to relax economic sanctions and rehabilitate Libya, he said. Well, for one thing, Libya has something useful to sell: oil. What do the NORKS have, any minerals? We are not going to shower them with gifts and prop up their regime. THAT is what they are looking for. They got the Quid down. The Pro Quo part needs a bit more work. The diplomat interpreted the North Korean visit as a sign that the defiant communist nation might follow the Libyan precedent to end the 16-month-long nuclear standoff. The United States has said it is ready to provide security assurances and economic aid to North Korea in exchange for the dismantlement of Pyongyang's nuclear weapon programs. Hmmm...how much aid and in what form? Details please, I am always afraid that we will give away the farm, like Clinton did. Libya admitted in December it had weapons of mass destruction and vowed to renounce them. Iran promised to allow international inspectors to check its nuclear facilities. The decisions followed the capture of Saddam Hussein. The North Korean visit to Libya came during the second round of six-party talks seeking ways to end the nuclear impasse. North Korea and Libya are on the U.S. list of countries that sponsor terrorism. Rightly put on the list, I might say.
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| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #4 this all falls into the too-good-to-be-true category. But then again, so did Libya's cooperation. Who knows...maybe Kimmy's getting nervous about the hungry way his soldiers look at him. |
| Posted by: B 2004-3-3 1:53:05 AM |
| #3 While we should allow ourselves some wishful thinking, the Norks are unlikely to follow in the Col's footsteps. First, Kimmy is an order of magnitude nuttier than Kadafy, who was at best 2nd runner up in that department before Sammy went to ground. Second, we can offer the Col. carrots as well as sticks from an economic, legacy and security standpoint. Kimmy is deluded enough right now to think of his neighbors as his 'friends' (thanks to a corrupt SK government that would otherwise be the 'bad cop' instead of the US), he understands that true economic liberalization would quickly lead to his demise and some sort of anschluss with the South. Plus, even he can understand that his kids are clearly less fit to lead than he is. In contrast, Kadafy now dreams of an 'alliance' with the Anglo Americans that will secure his preeminence in Africa and much of the Arab world and free him to pursue trade and tourism opportunities, leading to the possibility that he'll be remembered by history as a great modernizer and live to see his more capable sons succeed him. Unfortunately, an effective Cluebat(tm) for NK will likely need to reach terminal velocity from the bomb bay of a B-2. |
| Posted by: JAB 2004-3-2 11:15:10 PM |
| #2 After giving NK gifts and cash, billy allowed NK to keep its nuke reactors, fuel reprocessing facility, spent fuel rods, underground uranium enrichment program and nuke warhead(s). President Bush has NOT and will NOT play the left-wing's appeasement game. NK will dismantle its nuke reactors and fuel reprocessing plant; and give up its spent fuel rods, enriched uranium, and nuke warheads. Then they will get a pat on the ass from President Bush, and yet more access to the ever-generous South Koreans' and Japanese' treasuries. And Hanoi John will bleat on and on 'bout he would have done it better and faster. |
| Posted by: Garrison 2004-3-2 11:01:02 PM |
| #1 I'm thinking these guys won't wanna go home once they get a taste of the Macallan at Wheelus OC with Mo and Fred |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-3-2 10:18:08 PM |