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China-Japan-Koreas
Lugar: distribution of food aid to N. Korea must be transparent
2011-02-19
WASHINGTON -- A senior U.S. senator Monday called on the Obama administration to secure transparency in the distribution of food aid to North Korea before any resumption of the aid, which was suspended years ago over the same issue, is made.

"Any resumption of U.S. food aid to North Korea should be contingent on North Korea allowing access and accountability by monitors in accordance with international standards," Sen. Richard Lugar (R-In) said in a statement. "It is essential to ensure that the U.S. assistance is actually received by hungry North Korean children and their families rather than reinforcing the North Korean military whose care is already a priority over the rest of the population."
Not sure if Lugar is doing this out of principle or to head off a primary challenge, but it's good to see him out in front on this.
The leading Republican senator at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued the statement amid reports that the Obama administration is reviewing North Korea's request for food aid made through the North Korean mission in the United Nations in New York.
Just say no. Let Kimmie develop a 'strong and prosperous' North Korea without us.
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said earlier this month that Washington had "no plans for a contribution at this time," adding, "One of the sticking points in the past discussions we have with North Korea have always been confidence in the ability to ensure that humanitarian assistance provided get to those in need."

U.S. food aid to the North was suspended in early 2009 amid heightened tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests and controversy over the transparency of food distribution. North Korea at the time refused to issue visas to Korean-speaking monitors, whose mission was to assure that the food was not funneled to the military and government elite.

The U.S. provided more than 2 million tons of food aid to the North over the past decade.
Which just delayed the crash and allowed the people to suffer that much longer.
International relief organizations suspended humanitarian food aid to North Korea in early 2009 as the North Korean government expelled international monitors amid escalating tensions over its rocket test launch and an ensuing nuclear test, the second after one in 2006.

The conservative South Korean government of Lee Myung-bak has also stopped shipping food to the North, demanding as a quid pro quo that the North make progress in the six-nation nuclear talks. Lee's liberal predecessors had each year shipped about 400,000 tons of food and as much fertilizer to North Korea without conditions.

Relief organizations have said that North Korea will need about 1 million tons of food from abroad to feed its 24 million people every year amid reports that thousands have starved to death this winter.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  gee gorb, wouldn't it be so unfair if one side was to 'lose' and the other 'win'?

Oh my, I didn't even think about their self-esteem, did I? :-)

How about if we send them pictures of food, instead?
Posted by: gorb   2011-02-19 20:09  

#7  I actually think it's a good idea. Sneding them transparent food. Imagine watching them try to find it.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2011-02-19 18:37  

#6  Send NK everything but follow the proper bureaucratic procedures.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2011-02-19 14:17  

#5  Send. NK. Nothing.

And fire this fool.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike   2011-02-19 10:19  

#4  Now that Kay Bailey Hutchinson is out, Lugar is the #1 Tea Party target in the 2012 elections. In response, Lugar openly sneered at them. Truly a man so convinced he can buy his reelection so much that voters don't matter at all.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2011-02-19 09:06  

#3  Lugar is an unprincipled hack. I give him NO credit for this minimal effort. He must go. Primary him out
Posted by: Frank G   2011-02-19 07:58  

#2  gee gorb, wouldn't it be so unfair if one side was to 'lose' and the other 'win'?

or to paraphrase many a moonbat commenting on taxes:
"it's not about winning or losing, but rather, what it is about is fairness"
Posted by: abu do you love   2011-02-19 03:22  

#1  Is this like when you think you are saving money by barely staffing and funding a war and tightening ROEs so we can't fight?

This will go on forever this way.

No food. No money. No fertilizer. No nothing. Slowly strangle them until they get past the point where they are able to invade the South.

Be done with it.
Posted by: gorb   2011-02-19 00:16  

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