North Korea Escalates
Today North Korea threatened the U.S. and South Korea, whose warships are near the maritime border, an act that North Korea considers aggressive. (Source)
The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea issued a statement, which reads in part: “Now that the South Korean puppets were so ridiculous as to join in the said racket and dare declare a war against compatriots,” North Korea is “compelled to take a decisive measure.”
The U.S. and South Korea are acting in response to North Korea’s defiance, but it’s obvious the rogue state will threaten escalation no matter how we respond. If North Korea is testing the new administration’s mettle, Kim Jong-Il must be mighty pleased that George Bush has left office.
Russia is taking North Korea’s actions seriously, more so than Barack Obama, it seems. Russia sees nuclear war on the horizon. A source told Reuters that “The need has emerged for an appropriate package of precautionary measures. We are not talking about stepping up military efforts but rather about measures in case a military conflict, perhaps with the use of nuclear weapons, flares up on the Korean Peninsula.” (Source)
On Monday, North Korea conducted a nuclear test and fired three short-range missiles. Yesterday, the country test-fired two more short-range missiles and threatened to launch more today.
Tags: Barack Obama, George Bush, North Korea, Russia, South Korea