Even less is known of Kim Jong Il, which precludes the West from determining his intentions. His decision to launch the missiles in spite of the mountain of warnings that he was issued may have been a cry for attention. After all, the world's focus had long since shifted away from him and his country, concentrating instead on developments in Iraq and the growing threat emanating from Iran.
Then again, Kim Jong Il could have been looking to convince his followers that his backbone was intact. After all, his late father set the bar of tyranny rather high and, until recently, Kim Jong Il never managed to shake his father's domineering reputation.
Finally, it's possible that Kim Jong Il simply recognized an opportunity and took a chance. With the United States mired in war overseas, and a shortage of troops at home, Kim Jong Il probably figured he could get away with launching a few missiles.
More importantly, Kim Jong Il's escalated rhetoric and missile launches come at a time when the number of US troops in South Korea and neighboring states are at a low — as part of the Pentagon's preparations for the potential threat posed by China as well as the ongoing War on Terrorism.
Pentagon figures show just under 30,000 U.S. troops in South Korea, compared with 37,000 two years ago, with some troops being deployed instead to Iraq. In its biggest reorganization in two decades, the U.S. plans to bring down the number further to some 25,000 by 2008.
Whether those plans stand to change in light of the North's renewed hostility has yet to be announced.
Despite the diminishing US troop presence in the region, President Bush could still launch a strike on the North's missile test bed. In fact, former Secretary and Assistant Secretary of Defense, William J. Perry and Ashton B. Carter, who together served under President Clinton, encouraged President Bush to do so. In a June 22 Op-Ed published in the Washington Post, the former officials went so far as to lay out the plans for an attack scenario:
[If] North Korea persists in its launch preparations, the United States should immediately make clear its intention to strike and destroy the North Korean Taepodong missile before it can be launched. This could be accomplished, for example, by a cruise missile launched from a submarine carrying a high-explosive warhead. The blast would be similar to the one that killed terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq. But the effect on the Taepodong would be devastating. The multi-story, thin-skinned missile filled with high-energy fuel is itself explosive — the U.S. airstrike would puncture the missile and probably cause it to explode. The carefully engineered test bed for North Korea's nascent nuclear missile force would be destroyed, and its attempt to retrogress to Cold War threats thwarted.
Article comments
1 - JP
If this is the first thing that "leaves me to question his ability to lead our nation," join the club.
2 - JustOneMan
So Dr...do you think the military should have a section in the NYT that would give a daily update on our "covert" and secret actions?
I have to belive if this was a REAL threat we would have blown it upo while still in the launch pad...
Dont let your anti-Bush view of the world get in the way of reality....remember its another cold war...
3 - Bliffle
Bush blew his wad on the unnecessary and useless war in Iraq. How stupid.
4 - Peter J
It doesn't matter if the launch was an idle threat. Bush caught his little dick in his zipper again with one of his 'Bring it on' stances.
Only a fool issues a warning he's not willing to back up.
5 - JustOneMan
You 2 guys Barfle and Pud...are pathetic...if he did blow it up you would be whining that he is a war monger...
Keep spiting up more nonsense from Howard Deans DNC playbook...it does sound pretty pathetic
6 - Ray Ellis
Ever notice how JustOneMan spits and sputters a great deal, but never says anything?
7 - Peter J
Ignore him, He'll go away
8 - Maurice
"Ironically, President Bush's new-found respect for multilateral negotiations could not have come at a worst time. Rather than take the action needed to neutralize the North's ever more threatening posture, the president has appealed to the United Nations in order to diffuse the crisis. Apparently, the president overlooked the fact that passing a legitimate resolution in the UN is like passing a kidney stone " it's slow, painful and generally unsuccessful."
Great writing. You haven't plagiarized I hope.
9 - Dr Politico
Maurice,
"Great writing. You haven't plagiarized I hope."
Thanks and never.
10 - Bliffle
This situation illustrates the failing of a strong president (or dictator): Every decision MUST go thru him, even relatively small decisions. He is The Decider. Any Pretenders to Decidership are punished and consequently initiative dies in a CYA environment. But The Decider has neither bandwidth nor knowledge adequate to handle all the inputs he has and all the decisions he MUST make. Ultimately, chaos develops.
11 - Peter J
If Bush keeps drawing lines in the sand we're going to wind up in the ocean.
It's embarrassing to acknowledge his office.
12 - JR
Ironically, President Bush's new-found respect for multilateral negotiations could not have come at a worst time.
Shouldn't that be "worse"?
13 - Dr Politico
JR,
"Shouldn't that be "worse"?"
Actually, "worst" functions as an adjective as well as a noun and adverb.
Still, I meant to use "worse," but oversights will occur during proofreading. I hope I haven't offended you too much.
14 - JustOneMan
WARNING WARNING
Editor...just because you dont agree with someones response or defense of a position allows you to edit amd or eliminate their posts
So how much is the DNC paying you guys? hmmmm Based upon the level of posters in here they are not getting their monies worth...in addition your supposed to make the left louie Dems looks smart and enlightend...based upon what I am reading in the above posts you are allowing them to sound like the bunch of pathetic Dumbocrats who throw stones but offer no solutions...thats no way to win elections...
keep up the good work!