Iran and North Korea – Obama’s Diplomacy?
Can somebody say, “disaster?”
The Obama administration and its European allies are preparing proposals that would shift strategy toward Iran by dropping a longstanding American insistence that Tehran rapidly shut down nuclear facilities during the early phases of negotiations over its atomic program, according to officials involved in the discussions.
The proposals, exchanged in confidential strategy sessions with European allies, would press Tehran to open up its nuclear program gradually to wide-ranging inspection. But the proposals would also allow Iran to continue enriching uranium for some period during the talks. That would be a sharp break from the approach taken by the Bush administration, which had demanded that Iran halt its enrichment activities, at least briefly to initiate negotiations.
The proposals under consideration would go somewhat beyond President Obama’s promise, during the presidential campaign, to open negotiations with Iran “without preconditions.” Officials involved in the discussion said they were being fashioned to draw Iran into nuclear talks that it had so far shunned.
North Korea, looking to get more money and food and be paid off, is also piping up again and making some noise around the world – they will also continue their efforts and open up their nuclear facilities again.
Fuming at the U.N. Security Council for condemning its missile launch, North Korea ordered U.N. nuclear inspectors out of the country on Tuesday, said it will restart its plutonium factory and vowed never to participate again in six-country nuclear negotiations.
“We have no choice but to further strengthen our nuclear deterrent to cope with additional military threats by hostile forces,” North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement released by the state news agency.
But analysts in Seoul said North Korea appeared to be up to its familiar tactic of brinkmanship — creating a crisis in order to be rewarded for helping to solve it.
“North Korea can use today’s walkout as a negotiating chip with the United States in the future,” said Koh Yu-whan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul.
“We will actively consider building our own light-water nuclear reactor, will revive nuclear facilities and reprocess used nuclear fuel rods,” the ministry said, though international experts have said the North does not have the equipment or skills to make an advanced light-water reactor.
China, North Korea’s closest ally and the host of the six-party talks, called for restraint and calm, asking all countries to return to the discussions. Japan also urged North Korea to return to the talks, and the Russian government said it regretted Pyongyang’s decision.
Russia Launches Missile and a Missile Arsenal that is 80% New by 2016
Russia successfully test-fired a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday as part of checks needed to extend its service life for up to 22 years, Russian media reported.
The Topol was fired from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, nestled among the forests of northern Russia, and successfully hit the test site on Russia’s Pacific peninsula of Kamchatka, 6,000 km (3,700 miles) to the east.
Russia plans on spending as much, if not more, money on defense, with or without an economic crisis. The Topol group of missiles has been around since 1985 and are said to be designed to pierce anti-missile defense systems such as the shield being proposed in Poland.
Russia’s missile arsenal, based on their current defense spending, will be 80% new by 2016.
Meanwhile, our President has cut missile defense in the upcoming defense budget. Although it appears that the defense budget has increased by 4% it’s not the overall increase, it’s where the cuts took place and on what programs. Our military supplies for specific integral projects will be cut and we will be behind the times compared to other countries – we will be left in a situation much like Carter and Clinton after they were done cutting defense programs.
New rockets will by 2016 account for at least 80% of the strategic missile forces in Russia as it replaces its Soviet-era arsenal with new nuclear-capable missiles, the military said Friday.
“Plans for the development of the Russian strategic rocket forces through 2016 foresee a decrease in quantity and a transformation in quality at the same time, ” Nikolai Solovstov, the commander of Russia’s strategic missile forces, told reporters.
“Rocket systems with an extended shelf life will account for roughly 20%, while new rocket systems for at least 80% of the forces,” said Colonel-General Solovtsov, quoted by the Russian news agencies.
In December, he announced that Russia would by 2020 replace its Soviet-era arsenal with new nuclear-capable intercontinental missiles capable of overcoming anti-missile defense measures by enemy states.
The costly overhaul of the missile forces comes as Russia is locked in a bitter dispute with the U.S. over its plans to install anti-missile defense facilities in central Europe.
Russia has urged Barack Obama to drop the plans, which were devised by his predecessor George W. Bush but the new U.S. president has said he would move forward with the missile defense shield.
I thought that Obama was Medved’s new comrade? Apparently, the fawning media was over exaggerating the success of Obama’s introduction to the international stage – what’s new though right? Many of us who read into things a little more and search for news all over the place knew that it was nothing near a success.
I also thought that Obama was going to implement “change” from the Bush era, however, he is doing many similar things that Bush did. Bush may have had some Intel in regards to Russia, China, etc.? What do you think?
Solovtsov added it was important for Russia to continue to upgrade its strategic missiles to ensure stability in the world.
“Quality enhancement of the components of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces will be required to maintain the necessary balance of forces in solving the task of nuclear containment,” he said.
Stability and nuclear containment could be code words for trying to become more of a world power and it’s my assumption that Russia has wanted to become a world superpower again, ever since it lost that title a couple decades ago.
In the last few days we have learned that both the Chicoms and Russia have been working overtime to plant hidden malware in the US electrical grid and that they have also been working with Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba (since former and current communist country do have a kindred spirit).
The Russians actually have more than just a small number of intercontinental missiles – many of which have multiple targeted warheads – as well as many nuclear missiles situated on submarines cruising the oceans.
It is still questionable to know at this time, whether or not statements out of Russia or any other country for that matter can be trusted, on what they pronounce to own as weapons. And without having inside information in the missile community of the defense industry, it is difficult to gather whether or not we have advanced enough systems to counter these types of weapons. I do know that we still outspend our counterparts for missiles and air defense, but as we have seen in cases of war, sometimes the most primitive of weapons and warfare are the toughest to defeat.
We have anti-missile systems, based in Alaska, and other places in the United States,(that obama is now in the process of cutting funding for or in some circumstances just keeping funding flat). These anti-missile systems and counter measures are designed to at best to intercept (there are 3 stages of missile interception) a small handful of missiles that North Korea or Iran might one day possess and choose to launch, or Russia and China who may and probably do, already have these types of weapons.
It’s no wonder why I felt that Sarah Palin, even as a VP, could have out done Obama on foreign policy and national defense. She is the commander in chief of the only National Guard that is on duty 24/7 and contains our best anti-missile systems. With recent news of the North Korean rocket launch Sarah Palin has been incredibly outspoken on the issue of missile defense spending and has written letters to Obama which we have also posted on here.
North Korea Makes New Threat
North Korea warned the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday it would take “strong steps” if the 15-nation body took any action in response to the launch. On Wednesday, the Communist-ruled country gathered its top party and military officials for a celebration of the launch broadcast on its state TV and monitored in Seoul.
The reclusive state has threatened to boycott six-nation nuclear disarmament talks and restart a plant that makes bomb-grade plutonium. It also warned on Wednesday of military action if anyone tried to retrieve debris from the rocket.
U.S. and South Korean military officials said the missile, known as the Taepodong-2, crashed into the Pacific Ocean and that no satellite was deployed during its 3,200 km (2,000 mile) flight over Japan, as Pyongyang has said.
Analysts said North Korea went ahead with the launch knowing it would not suffer serious repercussions, while its leader, Kim Jong-il, would see an enormous boost at home for the defiant act.
Lieberman: Obama’s Missile Defense Cuts Weaken U.S., Allies
U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman lashed out Tuesday against an Obama administration plan to slash funds for the missile defense shield program only a day after North Korea launched the longest-range missile it has ever developed.
Lieberman, a longtime supporter of a robust missile defense program who continually questioned Obama’s foreign policy credentials during the campaign, signed the letter with Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat, and four Republicans: Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Jeff Sessions of Alabama and James Inhofe of Oklahoma.
The plan to cut 15 percent of the missile defense program was announced Monday by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The Pentagon also plans to halt the number of interceptor missiles based in Alaska and may suspend development of Boeing’s airborne laser program, which would outfit jetliners with anti-missile lasers. Israeli passenger airliners use similar devices to thwart terrorist attacks. Read more
Governor Palin Pushes for More Missile Defense
The Governor of Alaska is doing the right thing by requesting greater missile defense and stressing the need for it during these rocky times. With the latest launch from North Korea, the recent findings that Iran and China have been creating schemes to ship nuclear materials overseas – it’s no wonder why a state like Alaska or the entire nation, for that matter, would want more defense – namely in the form of missiles.
April 6, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Responding to the missile test by North Korea, Governor Sarah Palin today reaffirmed Alaska’s commitment to protecting America from rogue nation missile attacks.
“I am deeply concerned with North Korea’s development and testing program which has clear potential of impacting Alaska, a sovereign state of the United States, with a potentially nuclear armed warhead,” Governor Palin said. “I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we continue to develop and perfect the global missile defense network. Alaska’s strategic location and the system in place here have proven invaluable in defending the nation.”
Governor Palin stressed the importance of Fort Greely and the need for continued funding for the Missile Defense Agency. The governor is firmly against U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ proposed $1.4 billion reduction of the Missile Defense Agency. Greely’s isolated location in Alaska as well as its strategic location in the Pacific allows for maximum security and development of the country’s only ground-based missile defense complex.
“Our early opposition to reduced funding for the Missile Defense Agency is proving to be well-founded during this turbulent time,” Governor Palin said. “I continue to support the development and implementation of a defensive missile shield based in Alaska. We are strategically placed to defend the critical assets of the United States and our allies in the Pacific Theater.”
Governor Palin also requested stimulus funding for the Kodiak Launch Complex. The Kodiak Launch Complex is a commercial rocket launch facility for sub-orbital and orbital space launch vehicles owned and operated by the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation, a public corporation of the State of Alaska.
