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Hours Before President Obama's Anti-Nuke Speech, North Korea Launches Missile
April 05, 2009 1:58 AM
PRAGUE -- As he tried to grab a few hours rest in the Czech Republic last night, President Obama was woken up with the bad news that the North Korean government had launched a Taepo-dong 2 missile, which entered Japanese airspace.
Military analysts say the Taepo-dong 2 missile has the potential of being able to reach Alaska, Hawaii, or the Western United States. World leaders, including President Obama on Friday, had issued repeated warnings to the rogue regime that such an act would be considered a "provocative" act and would further isolate the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from the international community.
North Korea claimed its missile launch was merely a way to put a communications satellite into orbit. Confirmation of the launch by the Pentagon occurred at approximately 10:30 pm ET, 4:30 am here in Prague. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs immediately woke up the president after receiving word of the confirmation.
At an event at the Prague Castle with President Klaus and Prime Minister Topolanek of the Czech Republic this morning, President Obama said that "North Korea made a launch this morning that defies U.N. Security Council resolutions, (and) that harms peace and stability for Northeast Asia."
President Obama was referring to, among others, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, passed in October 2006, which demanded that North Korea refrain from conducting any further tests of ballistic missiles.
North Korea's "development of a ballistic missile capability, regardless of the stated purpose of this launch, is aimed at providing it with the ability to threaten countries near and far with weapons of mass destruction," the president said, saying the launch "demands a response from the international community, including from the United Nations Security Council to demonstrate that its resolution cannot be defied with impunity."
The President said today that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice "have already been reaching out" to allies in the region, including Japan and South Korea, as well as fellow members of the U.N. Security Council so as to plan to bring the matter before the Council.
"The launch only underscores the urgency" of the message of his nuclear non-proliferation speech, the president said, referring to his pending address about working towards “a world without nuclear weapons."
Gibbs told reporters today that the launch "was not a surprise," and that President Obama has been involved in several meetings about its likelihood over the past three to four weeks. The president today consulted with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff vice chairman Gen. James Cartwright, as chairman Admiral Mike Mullen is traveling. He also consulted with aides traveling with him, including chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, National Security Adviser Gen. Jim Jones (Ret.), and various intelligence officials.
"This was something that has long been planned for," Gibbs said. "Had at any moment we determined this launch posed a threat to the United States, we'd have taken the necessary steps."
In a paper statement issued last night, President Obama said that “North Korea’s development and proliferation of ballistic missile technology pose a threat to the northeast Asian region and to international peace and security....With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations.”
The president today reiterated his support for the Six-Party Talks begun under President George W. Bush, a diplomatic initiative with the U.S., Japan, China, Russia, North Korea and South Korea to ensure a denuclearized Korea peninsula.
The launch was immediately condemned by other world leaders.
"These actions place additional strains on regional stability at a time when the unresolved nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula requires mutual confidence-building," read a statement from the European Union, which called upon North Korea to "immediately suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme and abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner".
Mr. Obama will speak within the hour about the international nuclear threat, including his goals to “reduce and eventually eliminate existing nuclear arsenals, halt proliferation of nuclear weapons to additional states, and prevent terrorists from acquiring nuclear weapons or materials,” the White House says.
He will also discuss the goal of a enforcing the global ban on nuclear testing – the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty – as well as a new international treaty to halt the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. He will call for strengthening the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and securing so-called “loose nukes.” The U.S. will also host a Global Summit on Nuclear Security.
Earlier this week, President Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev announced their two nations would begin discussion a new strategic arms reduction treaty to reduce each country’s combined nuclear arsenal to 3,000 missiles.
- jpt
April 5, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (30)
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Who's change? YOUR change Carla Sue? And I must state, I have never been more hopeless about the state of this country then now.
Posted by: Brad | May 27, 2009 4:13:28 PM
It has been said that the Clinton administration and to some extent the Bush administration are responsible for allowing N. Korea nuclear soft water reactor technology in the first place. It is time to stop playing money games with technology that can destroy the world.
By the way, what about securing our nation's borders and deporting the millions of hispanic illegal aliens that are in the U.S. bringing crime, drugs, gangs, disease and over crowding, what about that bombshell???
Posted by: L. MacRuairi | May 26, 2009 3:47:03 PM
This such a scarey issue. The president needs to something and will without the newsmedia and North Korea knowing what we are going to do. THat is so stupid to do what Bush did when he anounced that day when we were going to the bombing. We need to issue surprises like they have done. Their leader is a major nutt. Nothing like we have ever seen before. Yes, we need to act quickly do and be done with it.
Posted by: Carol | Apr 7, 2009 4:18:40 PM
In his attempt to grandstand on the issues of the day, Obama waxed and waned until he finally stumbled quite noticeably a couple of times. He struggled to regain his composure, and then like a Phoenix or a Moses reborn, he hit his stride ever grander, until he stumbled again, while giving his speech ad hoc to some 30,000 people in Prague. Of course, the press, never fazed, only quoted all the parts about Moses parting water. But, as the rhetoric continues to wine in my ears, I seem to hear something more akin to Neville Chamberlain signing off on the Munich Agreement, only to be betrayed by the Nazi swallowing Czechoslovakia as a whole.
Posted by: Pineapple | Apr 7, 2009 3:14:29 AM
"They launched missiles while Bush was in office and detonated a warhead."
Skip, that was Clinton's fault of course even though NK withdrew from non proliferation treaty in 2003 and had their nuke test in 2006.
Nothing is ever Bush's fault.
Posted by: Ryan C | Apr 6, 2009 3:19:49 PM
I don't understand how this has somehow become Pres. Obama's fault..it's not..nor is it Pres. Bush's fault..there have been countries that just don't like the U.S. for many years, and we must accept that..we cant force democracy on everyone and expect them to agree with us..but at the same time..us being human..and it being in our nature to destroy ourselves..giving that much power to one or few leaders is asking for trouble like this..how long was Fidel Castro a thorn in our side?!? Instead of blaming our leaders that we voted into office we should be happy we have the opportunity to elect them in the first place and not have them chosen for us.
Posted by: uncomfortably numb | Apr 5, 2009 9:12:19 PM
"I'd like to, uh, um, lesee here now, um, vote 'present', uh can't do that? Oh, uh, forget it."
Posted by: RR GOP | Apr 5, 2009 8:41:17 PM
rock...Payload landed in the Pacific..Failed??? Gee, being from Pacific coastal region I feel sooooo much better...
Posted by: Parallax View | Apr 5, 2009 12:33:50 PM
I THINK IT SHOULD BE DIE HARD PUNISHMENT ON ANY COUNTRY THAT DISOBEY. WE SHOULD BE SETTING EXAMPLES AGAINST NORTH KOREANS TO LET THE OTHER COUNTRY NO THAT WE ARE A STRONG COUNTRY AND HAVE A STRONG LEADER. BECAUSE AS OF NOW WE LOOK LIKE WE HAVE A WEAK COUNTRY AND A WEAK LEADER. SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW OBAMA THIS IS YOUR WAR.
Posted by: VERONICA | Apr 5, 2009 10:16:14 AM
Why did Obama attempt to reach out to Iran and not reach out to North Korea?
Posted by: Sigmond | Apr 5, 2009 10:03:53 AM
"They wouldn't dare launch it during W's time in office."
They launched missiles while Bush was in office and detonated a warhead.
Posted by: Skip | Apr 5, 2009 9:59:06 AM
North Korea attempted to put a satellite into space and failed.
Our soldiers and Hillary will kick their ass if they try to mess with us! They have ours and President Obamas's back!
Posted by: Rock | Apr 5, 2009 9:49:50 AM
I think you answered your own question. They've had the technology for a some time now. They wouldn't dare launch it during W's time in office. NK new better. Now is the time of peace and love and let the world walk all over us.
Posted by: Huberty11 | Apr 5, 2009 9:41:15 AM
"...Cheney is right..."
If Cheney is so right why didn't he do something to prevent them from getting this far? Are you trying to say that they just came up with this technology in the last couple months?
Posted by: Skip | Apr 5, 2009 9:07:09 AM
If NK wants to see what a true long range rocket looks like lets lob one over there and give them a quick peak.
With news like this we should be expecting Obama to interrupt our primetime tv shows again. It's been over a week since he did it last.
Posted by: Huberty11 | Apr 5, 2009 8:51:33 AM
RS, I did not vote for Bush but did vote for Obama. It is Obama's failure, he is not man enough to stand up to them.
Posted by: KRD | Apr 5, 2009 7:46:13 AM
Hillary got her wish..she is the one who gets the 2am phone call!
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | Apr 5, 2009 7:11:22 AM
Cheney is right. I heard him speak about it month ago on CNN. Electing Obama really made the world more dangerous. Obama have a lack of inexperience and leadership.
Posted by: anonymous | Apr 5, 2009 7:04:37 AM
Looks like Cheney was right, electing 0bama really has made the world more dangerous.
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Looks like Cheney was right? Shows where you come from. Your posts are more absurd everyday
Posted by: Thinking | Apr 5, 2009 6:29:55 AM
what a joke this obama guy. wow i'm really mad now we're!!! i'm going to bore you to death with more of my speeches mr north korea.maybe i'll send
hillary to give you a good tongue lashing.
you've messed with the wrong guy.sit down you moron and shut up
Posted by: tim | Apr 5, 2009 6:23:43 AM
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