by Mark Silva
The U.S. military is "fully prepared for any contingencies'' in the face of North Korea's missile threats, President Barack Obama said in an interview aired today.
Is this a warning of military action?
"No,'' Obama told CBS News' Harry Smith, in a segment of their interview aired this morning on The Early Show. "It's just we are prepared for any contingencies.
"I don't want to speculate on hypotheticals,'' Obama said. "But I do want to give assurances to the American people that the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted in terms of what might happen.
"More broadly, I think the international community here has spoken,'' the president said. "When you've got Russia and China, as well as South Korea, Japan, the United States, the entire Security Council saying unequivocally that North Korea has violated international law, that -- and is willing to impose tougher sanctions...''
The president had more to say about this, as well as something to say about former Vice President Dick Cheney's pointed criticism of the administration:
"They're still defiant,'' Smith said of the North Koreans.
"Well, what that sends a signal, though, is of a unity in the international community that we haven't seen in quite some time,'' Obama said. "And one of the things that we have been very clear about is that North Korea has a path towards rejoining the international community, and we hope they take that path. What we're not going to do is to reward belligerence and provocation in the way that's been done in the past.''
CIA Director Leon Panetta has "intimated'' that the former vice president is "playing politics with national security issues,'' Smith noted in the interview with Obama. "The former president has intoned his own displeasure with some of your policy changes. I think they feel like some of the things that you've done, in fact, are treacherous.''
"Well, I think when it comes to Vice President Cheney, he and I have a deep disagreement about what's required to keep the American people safe,'' Obama said.
"And I think that disagreement has been amply aired and certainly he has a right to voice his opinions,'' he said. "I would argue that our policies are making the American people safer, and that some of the policies that he's promoted in the past have not.''
Comments
Sorry, too many Americans feel Obama is not prepared; just imagine N Korea, Iran, Russia, etc.
Weak, weak, weak.
Posted by: rahmer | June 22, 2009 12:13 PM
He's going to take them out for an ice cream!
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Everyone loves ice cream!
Posted by: UnfrozenCavegirlBlogger | June 22, 2009 12:32 PM
When is the killing going to start? I love killing. Real men kill, they don't talk or show restraint.
Posted by: Right winger | June 22, 2009 1:22 PM
Reading these comments.....how is it ever possible that the right lost control of government?
Posted by: bill r. | June 22, 2009 2:12 PM
Reading bil r's comment I have to wonder what planet he's on........
Posted by: UnfrozenCavegirlBlogger | June 22, 2009 3:40 PM
Reading bil r's comment I have to wonder what planet he's on........
Posted by: UnfrozenCavegirlBlogger | June 22, 2009 3:40 PM
Well if you think the policy is to give them ice cream, then it certainly isn't the same planet. Maybe you're on Uranus.
Posted by: bill r. | June 22, 2009 4:24 PM
His policy toward our enemies is to buy them ice cream, bill r.
Posted by: UnfrozenCavegirlBlogger | June 23, 2009 1:51 AM
"They're still defiant,'' Smith said of the North Koreans.
"Well, what that sends a signal, though, is of a unity in the international community that we haven't seen in quite some time,'' Obama said. ~ M.S.
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"Unity in the international community". Herein is a little peek at what Mustapha and democrats consider really important. As long as there is "unity in the international community" let's just move on.
Posted by: Django - N Exile In/Around the 30th Parallel | June 23, 2009 7:43 AM
Posted by: Django - N Exile In/Around the 30th Parallel | June 23, 2009 7:43 AM
Nailed it again Django! Unity in the international community?" Nonsense. We don't want allies, we don't want unity. It should always be the US acting alone against every other country. We don't need anyone on our side, we don't want anyone on our side. The Republicans understand the importance of complete unilateralism, working toward the goal of international division and conflict! That how you make glorious wars and get the killing going!
Posted by: Right winger | June 23, 2009 9:05 AM
Nailed it again Django!
Posted by: Right winger | June 23, 2009 9:05 AM
Thank you. I always nail it. I am a Master Nailer. Should have heard me smoking on the guitar early this morning. Nails and Notes were all right where they were supposed to be.
Pseudo Right Winger, the rest of the "international community" will never be noted for leadership or disarming a threat. IF North Korea is a serious threat to anyone in the "international community", the "international community" will be sure to be the last to deal with the issue in any kind of meaningful way. This is, however, The Mustapha Mond Story. If Mustapha is bound and determined to kowtow to the little KJI dude, let this disaster movie play out.
Posted by: Django - N Exile In/Around the 30th Parallel | June 23, 2009 1:52 PM
Django, I'm with you buddy. The entire international community is the enemy, all of them. The more countries that hate us, the better we are doing. We don't need allies. Allies make us weak. Enemies prove we are tough guys. Enemies show how great we are. The US vs the World! That's the ideal you and I share Django! The United States Uber Alles!
Posted by: Right Winger | June 23, 2009 4:37 PM
Django, I'm with you buddy....
Posted by: Right Winger | June 23, 2009 4:37 PM
Good. Everyone needs to be occasionally right, and you are making progress but I am not convinced that you are totally on board.
It is good to be liked. It is good to have friends. It is good to make new friends. It is good to share your crayolas, the glue and the dull scissors. I like medium gauge picks and upon any reasonable request, I would share. All that is good. It is also good to recognize bad intentions and recognize those that are not so altruistic and as committed to sharing and being YOUR friend, as you would be. Some countries are not as enlightened as this one.
IF Mustapha Mond can talk and lecture down these folk out of their missiles and nuclear weapons tests, then he is surely da man. All praise, honor, and glory to him. IF Mustapha cannot talk them down and Plans B and C, as may be drawn up by TR, FDR, HT, Ike, JFK, and RR are automatically off the table, then there will be a very costly price to be paid for being naive and derelict in his duty to protect the citizens of THE country that he alledgedly does have an obligation to defend and protect. Jes sayn'.
Pseudo Right Winger and fellow Liberals, Django is just a guy with a collection of Martin, Fender and Gretsch guitars. While you are drinking the 5$ swill at Starbucks, wander on over to Barnes and Nobel and pick up a history book by a reasonably acclaimed historian. Anyone can still do this. Kim Jong Il has had previous lives. Who woulda known.
Posted by: Django - N Exile In/Around the 30th Parallel | June 24, 2009 7:59 AM