In recent days, a certain reality has crept into the Obama Administration's outlook on North Korea. To be sure, diplomacy remains the favored technique for dealing with Pyongyang; as of this writing, the U.S. is said to be working on a regional summit to discuss the DPRK and the threat it poses. Realistically speaking, there's not much of a chance the gathering will produce any sort of breakthrough, but the striped-pants crowd is determined to press ahead.
Meanwhile, other elements of the administration have (apparently) realized that diplomatic notes and appeals for talks don't have much impact with Pyongyang. And, with another TD-2 being prepped on the launch pad, the Defense Department--presumably with the blessings of the commander-in-chief--has ordered a series of missile defense deployments in Hawaii, a potential target for the North Korean missile.
The transformation is rather remarkable. Less than three months ago, in the run-up to the most recent TD-2 test, various government officials told us not to worry. "It's a space launch vehicle," stated Admiral Dennis Blair, the Director of National Intelligence. Defense Secretary Robert Gates downplayed the threat, noting North Korea's history of technical problems with the TD-2.
This time around, the tone from defense leaders is decidedly different. While some still doubt that the DPRK missile can reach U.S. territory, Mr. Gates is taking no chances. Ground-based missile interceptors in Alaska and California are on alert; a THAAD missile defense battery has been deployed to Hawaii and a giant, sea-based early-warning radar has been positioned near the islands.
Our latest column for Examiner.com looks at reasons behind this change in posture. The good news is the administration appears ready to deal with Pyongyang in a more forceful manner. The bad news? We're still not sure how far President Obama is willing to go in defending our interests in northeast Asia.
One can only hope that the idiotic, naive and empty rhetoric that marked the beginning of the administration has disappeared, now that the reality of the world stage has "maybe" set into BHO.....
ReplyDeleteI'm not holding my breath, the way his expressions and face changed after his first Presidential national security briefing gave me false hope that he saw reality, but his actions since have simply continued the typical "happyface" and let's be nice" approach so typical of his party.
Watching BHO as POTUS during the current iranian play shows that he still votes "present"
ReplyDeleteI almost get the feeling his plan of action is to ignore the bad apples....
Only after the bad apples get so frustrated that their attempts at throwing those apples onto BHO and watching him decide to have a "date" night, eat ice cream, talk about gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender month that they continue ever throwing larger bad apples begging BHO to do something against them...
Today, Iran is now flying 3200 miles air force activities with mid-air re-fueling...
to what response from BHO?
He votes "present"
Maybe it's all an act... Super Joe Cool....
Do Nothing...
Stay cool.... Dont react....
Meanwhile the only actions he has done is grovel in front of the islamic world chanting "we are not worthy"
BHO may just be forced to react AFTER even more aggressive actions against the USA occur...
What then? Will he then morph into a big earred blackish bush?
Or will he be satisfied watching America SHRINK to it's rightful place as one of many nations, ours being no more than 4% of the world population, not daring to think that we, as America, have a duty, an obligation, to lead the world...
We we have a very dangerous leader, one who will lead us into a Mediocrity principle for the USA as it relates to the world... We are not special, we are just 4% of the world, we need to be humble...
or be dhimmis.....