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North Korea Acts of Self-Defense


By Stephen Lendman
5-22-17

 
When America or Israel test nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, the international community and Western media silence is deafening.

These countries and their rogue allies constitute the greatest threat to world peace - yet are unthreatened by anyone.

Claims otherwise represent fear-mongering to justify the unjustifiable, including out-of-control militarism and belligerence, notably ongoing wars of aggression in multiple theaters.

North Korea is hugely threatened by America’s rage for regional and global dominance. Its nuclear and ballistic missile programs are solely defensive, fearing possible US naked aggression, threatening its existence as a sovereign state.

Yet each time it tests weapons America, East Asia countries and others call unacceptable, criticism and threats follow.

In response to Pyongyang’s Sunday ballistic missile test, a May 23 Security Council emergency session will convene, at the request of Washington, South Korea and Japan, certain to discuss tougher sanctions, perhaps other measures short of war on the peninsula, a looming future possibility.

From Riyadh, Secretary of State Tillerson said “(w)e’re early in the stages of applying the economic pressure as well as the diplomatic pressure to the regime in North Korea.”

“Hopefully they will get the message that the path of continuing their nuclear arms program is not a pathway to security or certainly prosperity. The ongoing testing is disappointing. It’s disturbing.”

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Roh Jae-cheon said “Seoul and Washington believe Sunday’s test provided North Korea with unspecified ‘meaningful data’ on its push to improve the credibility of missile technology.”

Following Sunday’s test, South Korea held a National Security Council meeting - hours after President Moon Jae-in announced his new foreign minister choice, as well as top security and foreign policy advisors.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Sunday’s launch a “challenge to the world.” It’ll be discussed later this week by G7 leaders in Sicily.

Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed Sunday’s launch of a ground-to-ground medium-range Pukguksong-2 ballistic missile, saying:

The test “aimed to finally verify all the technical indexes of the weapon system and thoroughly examine its adaptability under various battle conditions, before its deployment at military units for action.”

The launch followed a week-ago long-medium-range Hwasong 12 test-firing. According to the KCNA, Kim Jong-un said the Pukguksong-2 is ready for mass-production and deployment. It’s able to strike targets up to 500km away.

South Korean military officials said it’s a solid-fuel missile - more complex but more stable, providing greater longterm military capability.

US Pacific Command tracked the missile in flight to splashdown. Its spokesman called Pyongyang’s ballistic missile tests “reckless, irresponsible and destabilizing” - a dubious distinction applying to America and its rogue allies, not the DPRK threatening no one.

The core issue is Washington’s refusal to deal with North Korea diplomatically, recognizing its government, ending longstanding hostility, lifting sanctions, treating the DPRK like other regional nations, guaranteeing its security, precluding its need for powerful defensive weapons.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.