Have we missed the *most important* story this week?

[Flying_Pig]

What a week! We've had some really good news, with stories breaking on 60 Minutes II and Nightline, regarding White House lies. Bush was slapped a bit in Congress, with the vote to turn part of the money he wanted for Iraq into a loan, and this, despite his vigorous opposition. There were stories about how he's now alienating many in his own party with his arrogant behavior, and Ted Kennedy stood on the floor of the Senate screaming, "Lies, lies, lies!!" At the U.N., members approved a new U.S. sponsored Iraq resolution, but then announced afterwards that it meant little or nothing, and they were still not going to contribute troops, nor substantial sums of money. In reality, it was a loss for Bush, though White House tried to spin it otherwise.

Not a bad week (I'll leave out the fact that all but a handful of Dems voted to give Bush his $87B for Iraq, further helping him).

But, while all this was going on, a very ominous story about North Korea popped up. An AP story indicated that North Korea plans to set off a nuclear device, in an effort to, ".... open its nuclear deterrent to the public as a physical force."

While N.K. has spouted off with much sabre rattling in the past, the article seemed to indicate more concern on the part of U.S. officials than in the past. It also appears, that the U.S. is ready to concede that N.K. probably does have two or more nuclear devices, that they did indeed process the fuel rods they had into bomb-grade nuclear material, and that N.K. has in fact, joined the nuclear "club".

Article link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/10/16/international1231EDT0637.DTL&type=printable

What concerns me, is that I wonder if while our attention is diverted with events in the Middle East, the REAL story is happening in North Korea? North Korea could provide Bush with a "real" opportunity to put the country on a war footing, and because of the seriousness of the matter (now enhanced by N.K.'s nuclear bombs), and the threat to our close allies in the region (S. Korea and Japan), if events there were to quickly sour, Bush would once again become a war-time "Commander In Chief", .... just in time for the elections.

If the U.S. does indeed engage N. Korea in battle, even with something as "simple" as bombing their nuclear facilities, it could put the nation on a real emotional roller coaster. We would see the newspaper again decline to print any adverse articles about the "war-time COC", support for all things military would skyrocket again, and critics of the administration would either find themselves silenced, or censored.

All of this would be made worse of course, if it were learned, for instance, that North Korea had nuclear missles capable of hitting the West Coast of the United States. And I suppose whether they did, or did not, the Bush administration would *say* they did (WMD's anyone?), just to scare the country shitless, and engender a Goebbels-style propaganda fest on the part of Rove and PNAC.

Anyway, from this perspective, I think the real "story of the week" may have been in North Korea. What if BushCo knows that a North Korea action could put the administration back in the "9/11 saddle", silence their Iraq war critics, provide another "trifecta", and help with Bush's re-election? Does anyone think they might actually try (behind the scenes?) to "encourage" further N. Korean bellicosity, perhaps leading to military maneuvers?

Fact is, I wouldn't put anything past Bush and his neocon cabal. If they felt that a North Korean war might be the only thing to save their fascist butts in 04', I have no doubt they would try to "encourage" such a war. Do you feel this may be a bit of "tin foil hat", or do you think it's plausible?

As a person who is firmly convinced the BFEE planned and executed (in conspiracy with the Saudi and Pakistani secret services), the events of 9/11, perhaps I'm not the best one to judge. Having said that, something tells me things are cooking over N. Korea, and with U.S. spy planes crossing the country daily now, anything could happen.

:scared:

[ewagner]

1. just some observations

First, I posted yesterday that NK will probably blow the top off of some remote mountain to prove it has a bomb. This is another way for them to get attention.

Second, early in the week it was reported that the US signaled its willingness to sign a "Security Agreement" with NK. Which is something NK has wanted for a long, long time.

Third, there is a slight chance for relations to warm with the efforts of S Korea and Japan participating in talks with NK.

Having said that however, if little George shows disrespect or contempt for Kim Il at the conference, all bets are off. The little dude has a huge ego and if he thinks dubya is dissing him, no telling what he'll do.

[Flying_Pig]

7. Agreed.

And, as I pointed out, Bush has several options if he feels the need to fire up another war to get the heat off his butt.

[Girlfriday]

2. And let's not forget that little reported story....

...of Putin's pre-emptive stance now.

[number6]

3. even on DU, you didn't get much response, But I agree

very Important story, but the media have Kobe Bryant, Elizabeth Smart
and other titulation...

[maggrwaggr]

4. so why when I turn on CNN I see nothing of the stories you mention

to the American public, those things "never happened". They're not on cable news.

Is it me, or has CNN gone from bad to MUCH worse in the last week or so? I mean it's pathetic. Every time I turn on the TV they're either showing promos for "fly boy" or something about the freaking pope, or Kobe, or anything, and I mean anything, other than the bad news for Bush.

And where are the flag draped coffins? Where is the wall of our proud young men dying in foreign lands? Why don't they show at least photos of the young men who are actually dying "for" our country.

sorry, just had to rant.

As far as your post, well, with the current administration in power: If you were North Korea, wouldn't you be paranoid as hell about being invaded by the US?

I would be, if I were them. Who can blame them for saber rattling.

[Flying_Pig]

6. I can't get cable or CNN where I live, so I can't comment on if

they've "gotten worse". But, judging from some of the posts about CNN here on DU this week, it does appear they are trying to "out fox, Fox".

And yeah, if some damned war-mongering nut like Bush was mouthing off towards me, I would prepare my battle stations.

Who knows what'll happen. I suppose though, that if Bush feels he "needs" a war to save his ass, N. Korea is one of several options he's got to fire one up.

[lindashaw]

5. I don't see us going after a country that might actually win. The

only reason we went after Iraq was because we could. All North Korea wants is to be let into the modern world and allowed to compete and trade. We've traded with worse, or just as bad. We used to think Russians were devils, then the Vietnamese, then the Chinese. Actually, the Russian people and the Vietnamese people like us. And so do the Chinese people. The North Koreans would too,IMHO, if Bush would stop thumbing his nose and behave like a real commander-in-chief.

[Festivito]

8. How long can they avoid the Sunday talk shows?

How long until the current problems are forgotten?

If NK explodes a device, there will be no time for other Sunday morning discussions of lies, 9/11, leaks, or whatever.

They will try to stay away until something big does happen. Just like a certain president went on vacation and then hid around reading kid books until his August threat report came true on a September 11th.

[DuctapeFatwa]

10. The CrusaderNets do as they are told

Recently, the regime has decreed that they should focus on positive stories about Iraq.

Regime henchmen are on those Sunday shows every week. They pimp the party line, and soundbytes of the interviews are played over and over.

Former AIPAC employee Wolf Blitzer started the practice of ending every non-Kobe report with a short summary of the regime's decrees on the subject, and over the past few weeks, they have all started doing it.

All news orgs are focused and dedicated to complying with the regime's wishes that non-Kobe news be kept to a minimum.

Kobe could not be reached for comment on the decree.

[DuctapeFatwa]

9. I think it is being discussed as an alternative to another Unity Operation

But it is almost impossible to tell who is playing who in Asia, and for what.

Interesting note this morning on Itar-Tass that Kim has not met with anybody since September 9.

What's up with that?