Report: Japan caves on NK, removes sanctions demand from UN resolution (Update: Not so fast)
posted at 10:58 am on July 7, 2006 by Allahpundit
According to Fox. Thirteen of the fifteen UNSC members support sanctions, the other two — I don’t need to tell you who they are — oppose them.
So, it sounds like there’ll be no sanctions. Your tax dollars at work.
If I were Kim, I’d celebrate by extending a Taepodong-shaped middle finger and firing it off.
Update: The AP reports.
Update: Not to be outdone, Israel’s making noises about caving, too.
Update: Hold the phone. Captain Ed points to another AP story that’s just across the wire. Japan has submitted a new draft resolution — and this one also insists on sanctions. Russia’s/China’s turn to blink?
Update: At the mic in the press room, Bolton says he’s pleased with the new draft. I feel better.
Blowback
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Why? Why would Japan do that? They are in mortal danger with NK right next door…
Abigail Adams on July 7, 2006 at 11:04 AM
Because China and Russia made sanctions impossible, and they hold veto power while Japan (which is economically stronger then either of those two despotisms) does not.
That’s your UN at work. As long as the Security Council includes veto-wielding Russia and China and those two see us as a giant to be taken down, the UN will only work against us.
We really do need a Council of Democracies to supplant the UN’s Dictators Club model. But we will never get that, and the despots will continue to backslap each other when one of them pokes us in the eye.
Bryan on July 7, 2006 at 11:10 AM
It’s the China connection,Abigail, NK serves their purposes very well.
bbz123 on July 7, 2006 at 11:11 AM
I think it’s time for the Japanese to get back in touch with their samurai spirit.
Of course, as Allah said yesterday, what good will sanctions do against a country that is deprived of just about everything anyway?
I just wish our leaders had the balz to leave the UN and to kick them out of NY.
thirteen28 on July 7, 2006 at 11:35 AM
The Japanese are finally figuring out that being pacifist like really isn’t all its cracked up to be. When they can’t count on anyone to help them with north korean missiles or kidnappers of schoolgirls, the Japanese are realizing they need to start improving their defense.
Defector01 on July 7, 2006 at 12:16 PM
Once again,we see that the UN is useless and it begs the question why we continue to participate in the diplomatic efforts.
The whole exercise is stupidity on display.We should have learned our lesson with the League of Nations but we have not.
Time to put the UN building up for sale and deport all the over paid diplomats.
ScottyDog on July 7, 2006 at 12:20 PM
Keep after ‘em, Japan! We’re with you!
DakRoland on July 7, 2006 at 12:27 PM
Good for Japan for sticking to their guns. To me this is starting to look like the immigration fiasco in Congress–getting no bill is better than getting a bad one. With NK, no resolution is better than one without teeth, provided the world sees that China and Russia are the reasons that the UNSC couldn’t do anything. What effect that will have, if any, is hard to say. But at least NK doesn’t get a resolution-lite that had to be watered down to the point of meaninglessness to satisfy Beijing and Moscow.
Bryan on July 7, 2006 at 12:30 PM
The solution to this problem can be summed up in 3 words: China, China, China.
China is a country on the geopolitical move, and it’s patience for North Korea is not endless. Chinese soldiers died in the 1950’s for Korea, and if they continue to dishonor the Chinese dead, Kim will be disciplined like a redheaded stepchild. Kim puts a ridiculous face on communism, and that does not serve China.
Shmo on July 7, 2006 at 12:55 PM
Interesting points. I suggest that every country which is a member of the United Nations put a vote to their citizens: Stay in the UN, or leave to form a new group.
I think most advanced countries with free populations would go, and all despots and Kofi Annan would stay until the US money ran out. I know how I would vote, if given the choice.
In the new ‘Club’-no despots, no countries with dictators for life who finagled their way onto the UN human rights commission. Only free countries.
See how long the despots last without the UN-financed support propping up their regimes. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere-the world is getting too small for dictators to keep people in chains. It’s time to leave the UN and it’s corrupt small town politics, and move forward with other countries who are interested in having a better future.
Doug on July 7, 2006 at 1:18 PM
I understand that China is NK’s patron, and is quite useful to Beijing as a means of giving us fits. However has it ever occured to Beijing that Kim & Co. just might turn on them? I think he’s crazy enough to do it, if he thought he could get something out of it besides a smoking hole where Pyongyang used to be.
Well thankfully the Japanese are doing more for their own defense, and are cooperating more with our forces. I think we are going to need their help getting rid of this maniac.
Abigail Adams on July 7, 2006 at 1:46 PM
Good on Japan, trying to call China & Russia’s bluff!
Abigail Adams on July 7, 2006 at 1:47 PM
Parking another Carrier Battle Goup in front of Yokosuka would be a heartening start. At some point, these clowns need to be made to understand that if they are willing to work with the living President, then they risk hearing from dead Presidents with USS in front of their names.
Kid from Brooklyn on July 7, 2006 at 8:57 PM