NYT: Top US Expert on North Korea Steps Down...

[Hand]

This is definitely bad news. By the way, he didn't step down, he was pushed--by none other than the foaming-at-the-mouth chickenhawk John Bolton.

Note that this departing gentleman, Jack Pritchard, is a 28-year Army veteran. He knew that you don't pick fights with North Korea for the fun of it--which is more than can be said for anyone in the current misadministration.

"The State Department confirmed the departure of Jack Pritchard, the special envoy for negotiations with North Korea, but denied that he had been forced out. Mr. Pritchard's departure signals disarray in the administration's posture toward that country, experts outside the State Department said. It comes at a critical moment as the United States attempts to rally North Korea's neighbors to persuade the country to drop its efforts to reprocess spent fuel rods for weapons."

link

[bemildred]

1. Where are we not "signaling" disarray?

:puke:

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Wonder if this has anything to do with W's

new product line for fall roll out?

N. Korea next to hear U.S. war drum

[Robin Hood]

5. Beat the drum all you want. We don't have the troops to do it.

We are already stretched to thin. And i think that Americans are tired of this constant manic war thing that Bush is doing for pure politics.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. That's why I think

they are trying to keep their plans secret this time. Rummie and Cheney will not be making the rounds of cable news shows to drum up support for their next mission. This one will be a 'surprise'. I expect a Gulf of Tonkin incident, where we have 'no choice' but to respond by the end of Sept., beginning of Oct.

Understand, that there are elements of this cabal that want total chaos. For some it's part of their rapture crap, for others it's just their way of getting rid of more of us useless eaters.

[aquart]

7. He'll have to nuke 'em. He ain't got no more army.

[nolabels]

3. Me figures they are lining them up , they will need another war be......

for Reinstallation 2004, The US corporate media is sewn up, they beckon at any call from * and posse (at least when his leash isn't being pulled, like what happened a few weeks ago). To me it looks like things can only get worse.

Of course I only base my opinion from this privileged place I live in of California. You know the place, the one they have been trying to screw for the last 3 years. It's so fun to watch hypocrites with money try to justify their transgressions on morals for some imaginary win. It just gives a whole new meaning to the word hypocrites.

[aquart]

9. Tough noogies. They spent it all.

They don't have the army and if they did, they can't pay for it.

Assholes thought this country was a bottomless pit of wealth and they could steal for eternity.

Eternity is shorter these days.

[nolabels]

13. I sure hope so, I will keep my fingers crossed on that one

* and posse are starting to make Stalin, Hilter, Mao and Kahn look like Humanitarians at the rate they going.

[Rose Siding]

4. Looks like Pritchard was way too diplomatic for 'em

snip>
In a speech titled "A Dictatorship at the Crossroads," Mr. Bolton denounced the North Korean leader, saying, "To give in to his extortionist demands would only encourage him and, perhaps more ominously, other would-be tyrants around the world."

North Korea denounced the speech, called Mr. Bolton "scum" and said he would be barred from taking part in the talks. Meanwhile, some State Department officials complained that the speech had complicated their efforts to revive negotiations.

According to Senator Kyl's letter, Mr. Pritchard recently told a top North Korean envoy at the United Nations that Mr. Bolton's remarks were only "personal" views.

[kainah]

6. Speak out, Mr. Pritchard!

You took an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Live up to your oath. Protect us from our domestic enemies. Please!

[legin]

8. I'd guess

that some people didn't want to be involved in this six-nation talks in China and somehow Jack Pritchard managed to wangle it past them, and now these people are making sure he doesn't get to commit such acts of heresy again.

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Oops

wrong thread

[UpInArms]

12. we are so f***ed

:(

[TahitiNut]

14. Shades of John O'Neill.

Pritchard ought to be careful. Small planes and tall buildings are unwise. Will we have another coincidental death in the near future?

[berry]

15. I'm not absolutely certain about this, but it appears that Pritchard

was the one responsible for bringing the N Koreans back to the table, to talk. A person the US could ill afford to lose--and at SUCH a time! Since about 10 years of his working life was devoted to bringing about some resolution to the N Korea problem, it seems incredible that he would up and quit just now. He was pushed out all right. I feel sick.

[nolabels]

17. Here is a story about it

http://www.worldonline.co.za/news/news_center_030408.599992.html
• UN Security Council divided on N Korea
- The major Security Council powers failed to agree on a statement condemning North Korea's nuclear programme because of opposition from China, which has close ties to Pyongyang, diplomats say.(snip)

(snip)
According to Japan's Kyodo news agency, the United States and North Korea held working-level talks over three days last week.
Kyodo said Jack Pritchard, US special envoy for Korean peace talks, met with Han Song Ryol, North Korea's deputy permanent representative at the United Nations.

Council diplomats said a US delegation delivered a message to North Korea asking if Pyongyang would participate in the multilateral talks. The diplomats said they did not know of a response from North Korea.

The United States pressed for the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer the North Korean nuclear issue to the Security Council after Pyongyang announced on January 12 it was withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the global agreement to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The pullout takes effect on Thursday.
(snip)

[PennyLane]

16. I've Recently Talked to Soldiers Who Were..........

Stationed in Korea. They believe as HOT as it is, we have no business
spending military money and lives in the Middle East! The things going on over there aren't even making it into our news!! (Surprised? I'm not!!!)

How did we get such a DINGLEBERRY running the show????? Bush must be the Anti-Christ! Let's all bend over and kiss our asses good-bye now!:hi:

[salin]

18. YaHoo Story from last night

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030826/pl_nm/korea_north_envoy_dc

Found it on the top ten stories on Yahoo - means that others ARE reading this.

I don't know if the public is yet aware of the name "John Bolten" - and how like Wolfie/Perle/Rummy/Feith - this is one more person trying to prevent diplomacy from happening in order to preordain their position for war. Lets do our part of putting the names Fieth and Bolten into the public psyche - these folks are dangerous.

Btw, aren't any of these hardline fools aware of the global/political repositioning that was beginning to realign due to our actions in Iraq - that will almost assuredly further realign if we mishandle this situation. If - what a silly word - we have learned that this (mis)administration relishes in mishandling these sitatuions.

A strong Europe (sans Blair), allied with Russia, allied with China... ??? A coalition "SuperPower" in the making to counter the sole SuperPower?

When there was only one superpower it was not perceived as a world threat because even when it could have gotten out of hand (Bush1s Gulf War) there was a pullback - that was based on the geopolitical realities and ramifications of doing what these nutcases have just done. In the Clinton years while not all actions were globally agreed upon, it seems that they were understood not to be aggressive in an imperial sort of way - or a way that was intended to leave all other regions so destabilized that the US by default grows more and more powerful while others are in disarray. This is part of the PNAC world view. Why is that Wolfe (Bon Fires of the Vanities) ringing through my ears so often these days: "We Are the Masters of the Universe!"

Scary, scary times.

[PATRICK]

19. The fog clears a bit

This makes sense. The beleaguered WH took the 'victory" of multilarteral talks even though it seems apparent that such talks will not be dominated by the US. Bolton shovelled the crap and was put down. That appears to me that the WH planned this reversal- after taking the credit- so they can sabortage yet another regional peace initiative. Like the UN the regional players have the realistic stakes and the ability to work it out and squeeze out the US like a bad seed. The WH would rather see the whole region(rivals all) in flames and difficulties over the scapegoat badboy NK, our troops bugging out, our next step marching in over the ruins- if at all.

Maybe it is not so monstrous or nefarious. Maybe it is just venal power plays or ignorance. Eevn so, the results may be the same.

And no, no matter what the REAL danger has been with NK in the past it never breaks far into the headline shark feeding of the US media. Rove knows that full well. The only time the WH breaks the silence and bullies into the headlines is when they bait NK and get a savage response. All the substantive maneouvers are nonchalant, out there, but on the back page. On the surface that would be the Rove machine playing to the rabid homeboys. Underneath, it looks no better and perhaps much darker.

My point is that why should Bush care- if apparently few Americans are allowed to- when all the chaos would HAVE to be handled by the close neighbors of NK? In that light it is a matter of indifference, exploitation, or plain old malicious fun to yank their chain.

Which is why, early on when such a sign seemed counterproductive, Rumsfeld "wisely" wanted to reposition our troops closer to the pierfronts.

[0007]

20. Bolton is scum

John Kyle is scum also, as are the rest of these turds.

I like Arizona after living in Tucson for 17 years, but I could never figure out why they were so lousy at sending nut cases to Washington.