N. Korea may sell nukes

[Lochness_hunter]

By SANG-HUN CHOE, Associated Press Writer

SEOUL, South Korea - Impoverished North Korea (news - web sites) might resort to selling weapons-grade plutonium to terrorists for much-needed cash, and that would be "disastrous for the world," the top U.S. military commander in South Korea (news - web sites) said Friday.

Gen. Leon J. LaPorte said the communist state may have harvested plutonium from 8,000 spent nuclear rods, which experts say could yield enough material for several atomic bombs.

The North's intent was a mystery, but "from the military standpoint, they do have a capability that we must address," LaPorte said during a breakfast meeting of retired South Korean air force officers.

In early 2003, North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. It has since said it completed reprocessing its spent fuel rods. In September, a North Korean diplomat claimed that the country "weaponized" the nuclear fuel.

"And there is concern that North Korea, in its desire for hard currency, would sell weapons-grade plutonium to some terrorist organizations," LaPorte said. "That would be disastrous for the world."

LaPorte's comments come as nuclear talks with North Korea have broken down.

U.S. officials have already designated the isolated and impoverished North as a key proliferator of missiles, missile technology and other military hardware. And North Korea has recently threatened to strengthen its "nuclear deterrent" to counter what it calls a U.S. plot to launch a nuclear war against it.

It said it will return to nuclear talks when Washington drops a "hostile" policy toward the North. It seeks economic aid and U.S. guarantees of nonaggression in return for giving up its nuclear desire.

Since last year, the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States have held three rounds of talks aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but no breakthrough has been reported.

A fourth round slated for September failed to go ahead because North Korea refused to attend.

Some 33,000 U.S. soldiers are based in South Korea — a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended without a peace treaty

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...korea_nuclear_1

I really wish i knew how to make that long address into the word here

[Magikman]

To substitute an address with some other text to shorten it or be more descriptive, just enclose the url address so;

text

[Lochness_hunter]

Thank you. i shall praise you as a god

[Asterix]

The situations in N.Korea is more or less as described, and that's quite alarming. But I think that terrorists do have other sources from where to obtain nuclear material-maybe they already have.

After the collapse of Soviet Union, some of the nuclear armament was lost. In areas like India-Pakistan (both nuclear-capable) nobody can tell for sure how well guarded these weapons are

[Mad Manfred]

I wonder if they'd sell one to me for $4.50? I have this neighbour thats been bugging me lately...

Sam: Turn down that music!

Me: *points nuke at Sam*

Sam: Nevermind.

[AztecInca]

But then you and sam would both be destroyed manfred, not a good idea, its another example of mutually assured destruction, except there is only one nuke!

Yay, this bit of news just gives us something else to worry about, with all thats going on in the world do we really need to have this plastered all over the news causing much alarm and fear in the general public, although with the current state of the world, its nothing really new!

[girty1600]

Wonderful. I live in the most hated nation in the world and North Korea might be selling mass quantities of atomic explosives to more terrorists cells.

I guess when it's "live free or die" in our country we have to do either or.

Terrorists seem to be cowards that hide in a hole after they kill with no regret for what has been done.

-These are my thoughts today

get the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US

[wunarmdscissor]

ok girty , well what would pulling the US out of the UN acheieve exactly.

America is one of the security council and permanant members remember.

love the way americans seem to forget that they have and still are the most influential mebers on in the UN yet they refuse to accept that the recent collapse of the UN could have anything to do with them, lol.

WHat do u think that the america has been some sort of moral saint amongst a den of immoralty and youve just woken up 2 it? lol

THe world a la bush is a frightening place people?

I am shocked to find that americans seem to think that the UN has just been created , stop blaming everyone else for the problems in the world today and start looking closer to home.

America has helped breed the anti western feeling in both the far east and middle east with it ridiculously short sighted foreign policies by electeing presidents like reagon and bush. (oh and the southern english have their fair share of blame as well for voting that cow margaret thatcher in as well .

America has one of the shadiest double dealing records in the entire world IE the cia and the fact they trained the mujideen then hung them out to dry when they had no use for them any more.

I love the fact that america is portraying the french as the worlds most corrput nation.

Why the hell do u think you are the only nation in the world not to sgn up 2 kyoto , if russia can meet kyoto then america can lol, or is ithat big business has such a stranglehold on your govt that they havew more of a say than the people? converted communism , the state doesnt run america big business does lol.

Edited November 21, 2004 by wunarmdscissor

[Lochness_hunter]

the state doesnt run america big business does lol.

you hit the nail on the head right there, but doesn't big business run the governments in every nation?

[wunarmdscissor]

they are influential in other countries but have nowhere near the say that the businesses do in america

[Lochness_hunter]

I think that the for that is i cost so much money to run for president of america. I don't know how much it is in other nations, but i heard that bush spent over 400 million dollars on his campagne, and you have to get the money some wheres.

[wunarmdscissor]

yeah 400 million dollars to spread hate and lies about another candidate , ahh a shining light to us all.

we really should follow in those footsteps , you know the right wing is the same everywhere.

Over here the tories stir up hatred and division to make political gain , whilst the left conentrate on jobs, social security and health care.

Look

N.korea aint gonna sell the nukes.

KIm Jon whatever his name is may be a power mad dictator but hes not stupid he knows the consequences all he does is sabre rattle for his own ego boosting purposes.