Don't think we won't act, Rumsfeld warns North Korea

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By Toby Harnden in Washington (Filed: 27/12/2002)

The White House was at a loss yesterday over how to respond to North Korea's decision to move fresh fuel rods into a nuclear reactor in defiance of the United Nations and the West.

American officials dismissed out of hand Pyongyang's denial that its intention was to build nuclear weapons and admitted there was no obvious diplomatic or military solution to the growing crisis over North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

President Kim Jong-Il's increasingly provocative actions are causing deep concern at the Pentagon as its military planners prepare for war with Iraq as early as February.

"Our measure has nothing to do with plans to develop nuclear weapons," the state-run Radio Pyongyang said. "Our republic constantly maintains an anti-nuclear, peace-loving position."

South Korea rejected this, saying that it would not tolerate Pyongyang's activities after it emerged that 1,000 fuel rods had been moved to the five-megawatt reactor at North Korea's main nuclear plant at Yongbyon, 50 miles north of its capital.

The potential for American action is limited by the fact that Pyongyang already possesses nuclear weapons and has threatened to turn the South into a "sea of flames" if it is attacked.

Earlier this week Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, said he had "no reason to believe" that "North Korea feels emboldened because of the world's interest in Iraq" and added: "If they do, it would be a mistake. The situation in North Korea is a fairly recent one. The diplomacy that's under way there is in its early stages."

Mr Rumsfeld said North Korea would be wrong to believe America would decide not to take military action if it was necessary because resources would be directed towards Iraq. "We are capable of fighting two major regional conflicts."

-- Anonymous, December 27, 2002

Answers

This is one problem with a visible build up of troops in the ME -- others think we're too preoccupied to notice mischief. Won't they be surprised when we invade them instead of Iraq! (;

-- Anonymous, December 27, 2002

I just wish we would emulate Israel. Not say anything to anybody, simply go in and take it out as soon as incontravertible evidence is on the table. Too late for that now, of course.

-- Anonymous, December 27, 2002

as long as they don't damage any Hyundai factories.

-- Anonymous, December 28, 2002

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