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October 9, 2006
North Korea
So, I'm sure most of you have heard, North Korea tested a nuclear weapon. This is frustrating on so many levels, and I really think it's yet another illustration of this administration's ineptitude and cowardice. North Korea has long been the most menacing member of dubya's dreaded axis of evil, yet he devoted all his attention on the weakest member of that trio, ignoring the one actively pursuing WMDs. Now, after a few weeks of intensified saber rattling at Iran, North Korea again shows why it deserves more attention. Now, ironically, Bush wants to go through the UN to deal with Kim Jong-il, the very same UN security council he spurned when they balked at his fake intelligence to justify invading Iraq. I've long thought the UN will largely be as credible as America makes it, and now that this country weakened its credibility by leaving it behind to demolish Iraq, I fear its ability to handle N. Korea has suffered.
It really boggles my mind how quickly the wheels have come off the Republican machine lately. There are a handful of stories that could/should be huge stories on their own: the revelations in Bob Woodward's book, the recent NIE, Foleygate & Hastert's power-clouded "morals", rumblings of troop position for an invasion of Iran, the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, perpetual violence in Iraq. Now, we have another nuclear power in the works. It truly is amazing how Bush's foreign policy is so disastrous, and it's not even like it's paired with stellar domestic policy! I don't see how he won't go down in history as one of the worst presidents ever, if not the worst. Unfortunately, that same history will also likely implicate the efforts of Christians in bringing this guy to power. (Well, that and a supreme court stacked with his daddy's appointments.)
The current situation with North Korea parallels that with al qaeda in my mind. There has been a lot of strong evidence that an imminent threat exists, yet it has largely been ignored. There isn't a perfect correlation; Bush vacationed and ignored the al qaeda intelligence, whereas he's chosen to deal with North Korea "diplomatically". Unfortunately, that diplomacy has pretty closely resembled ignoring. Both times he seems to have been focused on attacking another country presenting little threat, yet sitting on a crapload of oil. America squandered its moral authority on the geopolitical scene years ago, but, if China is the player who ends up decisively dealing with North Korea (hopefully peacefully!), then will history mark that as the official beginning of the end of the American Empire? These types of questions used to amuse me, but now, as a new father, they make me sad more than anything. Pray for peace!
Posted by mattalexander at October 9, 2006 1:47 PM
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Comments
Amen , Matt!
I just bought Woodward's book Friday night, and am reading that along with Hubris (by Michael Isikoff and David Corn), both books dealing with the same set of "Denials".
I just started watching the new show "Jericho", pondering how this administration makes such scenarios all the more possible as they continue to pile on the grievances around the world that arouse hatred for this (and on this point I agree with them) "infidel regime"....infidels in a Christian sense. I'm so offended by the way many churches seem more concerned with "defending America" and "defending Bush" than they are for the integrity of the gospel.
Dale
Posted by: Dale at October 9, 2006 6:06 PM
Hasn't North Korea had newkyuhler (as Bush pronounces it) weapons for some time now? And haven't they tested them previously? Now they have one fewer nuclear weapons. That's good, right? Would the issue here be the pollution caused by nuclear testing?
I think that attacking Iran, who is trying to make nuclear weapons, would be less dangerous than attacking North Korea, who already had nuclear weapons. That said, attacking anybody would be a terrible idea.
Posted by: AJ at October 9, 2006 10:27 PM
