Cut Off The Aid!

North Korea restarts it's nuclear reactor

North Korea has reactivated its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon within the last 24 hours, a U.S. official said, raising the stakes in its diplomatic showdown with the United States.

There were no signs that North Korea had restarted its nuclear fuel processing facility, which would be of even greater concern to Washington, the official told Reuters.

"North Korea started its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon," the official said, adding the start-up took place within the last 24 hours at the reactor which has not operated since 1994.

"This is certainly less provocative than starting up the reprocessing facility, but it is significant nonetheless," the official said.

Add this to the list of bizzare behavior North Korea has committed in recent weeks. After the international pressure mounted to engage in "dialogue" with the Communist dictatoriship, Powell caved and said the US would resume food aid shipments, though at a reduced level.

I disagree with government-financed foreign aid to begin with, but spending money on this country - as poor and starving as it is - is just heaping insult on injury. Bush needs to make a definitive North Korea speech laying down a firm policy which tells Kim Jong Il to either stop acting like an irate recalcitrant baby, or to endure a total withdrawl of US aid. So bullshit, no heming or hawing, and no interpretation necessary.

Regardless of South Korea's bitching.

Posted by Drizzten at February 26, 2003 05:55 PM