The Nork Missile, And What It Indicates About Obama

The business in North Korea was remarkable, over the weekend, in that the missle test was an abject failure, (Unless they reall planned on delivering the missle to the sea of Japan) and yet was a resounding success for Kim Jong Ill. 

Nork is claiming that they’ve launched a comms satellite… one that apparently uses a newly developed and perfected stealth technology, because nobody else on the planet can seem to locate the thing, despite NORK’s reports that it’s playing ‘patriotic songs’ 

We can understand where the inspiration for that comes from; Comminist China, whose Dong Fang Hong 1 bird  played ‘The East is Red” for 26 days in 1970, before apparently running out of battery power, 28 days later… some 8 days longer a life than projected. However, unlike the North Korean bird, it’s still up there, and people could actually find it.

 Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal, just about the only paper left in New York State worth killing trees over, says the whole thing was simply more tools toward consessions.Given Obama’s predilection toward kissing backsides he ought to be kicking, it’s a reasonable thought.

But I wonder, if this isn’t something a bit more sinister. The thought came to me in responding to James Joyner, this morning.  James points to a Rassumessen pollsaying the majority want a military attack. James suggests this is unwise, and appeals to the authority of the ‘experts’ who claim this is a bad move, because of NORK’s nuke ability.   I’d reject this out of hand given the track record of the ‘experts’ the last several decades, particularly those with history at the CIA.

That aside, David points out this morning, over there:

Slightly shocking is the Obama administration’s apathy to both North Korea and Iran’s nuclear ambitions. I am sure that when, and if, the Norks nuke Hawaii, Obama will give a tough sounding speech, and send a stern note. In the Obama White House, it is always Three AM.

David’s words, carefully chosen, reveal why the fears about going to war with NORK are unfounded. ‘Nuclear ambitions’, he says, not ‘nuclear capability’. He’s correct in his word choice.

Rattling a sabre makes noise. Drawing it doesn’t. If NORK were comfortable with the Nuclear capabilty they have, they’d not be making all the bully-boy threats.

OTOH, since they are making threats like that, one may assume that they consider the demonstration of power vital. Why? It seems reasonable to assume this was a demonstration run for the benefit of some buyer or another of missle technology. The afore-mentioned Iran and also Syria, who have both been rather quiet the last several months come to mind as eager customers. Both have nuke programs that are making serious strides and Iran has been getting mixed signals at best on their nuke program from the US… … and are, as such  far more advanced than anything NORK would have been able to do, yet lack missile technology at a level anything about that of the SCUD.  

Granted, we may take Iran’s claims of huge numbers of bombs and huge numbers of centrifuges with a pound or three in salt, if for no other reasons than the claims we’re fed change daily, and all of them in numbers far exceeding any expectation of reality. However that may be, they have at least enough to cover one or two such bombs… enough to ruin someones vacation plans. Put that ability and their bloody-minded zelotry together with Korea’s missles, and their need for cash, given what socialism has done to the North Korean people, and you have a serious regional threat in Iran, or possibly Syria.

Of larger concern, though, even than this, is that this is one of many foriegn policy setbacks this weekend, for America, all of them with Obama at the reins. If nothing else, this missle thing was a test of mettle for Obama one of many, who failed every one of them.

• After months of kissing Euro-weenie backside, he’s no closer to getting physical support in Afghanistan.
• He’s annoyed the Brits, who are unarguably the steadiest freinds we have.
• Obama has been thwarted by Russian bully tactics at the G20
• Obama’s call for talks with Taliban rejected by the Taliban
• And his objectives in the case of the NORK missle are thwarted.

A not unexpected turn of events. But in the face of all of this, Obama seems insanely committed to further reducing our nuke capability, and yet more defense cuts. On every point, the US will be seen was being weaker.  This weakness was predicted by none less than Presidential candidate Joe Biden, who predicted there would be a number of countries who would be testing msisles under Obama’s lack of leadership.  Joe Biden the Vice President has been silent as the grave on the point.

No wonder Obama is so popular in Europe.  They may, but I refuse to regard that weakness as a good thing. Preditors, as you may know, attack based on signs of weakness.