Morning Joe: May 28, 2009
Puzzled by North Korea
Stories we're following today:
The North Korean Puzzle - CFR.org [link]
- The crisis revives vexing questions about the North Korean regime - the extent of its nuclear capabilities, its murky succession politics, its seeming imperviousness to sanctions, and the limits of multilateral diplomacy aimed at denuclearization. Four experts offer insights into each of these issues...
North Korea Tests - New York Times Editorial [link]
- Diplomacy — backed by stiff sanctions — is the only hope for walking North Korea back from the brink. And for now, China — not Washington — is the prime player.
World scrambles to find response to North Korea - The Independent [link]
- The major powers were last night scrambling to find a credible response to North Korea's increasingly brazen sabre rattling – one that would punish the renegade Communist regime without triggering a second all-out war on the Korean peninsula in little more than half a century.
After Initial Mild Reaction, Kremlin May Consider Tougher Stance on Tests - Washington Post [link]
- There are signs, however, that the Kremlin may be considering a more active, tougher stance following Monday's surprise test of a nuclear device by North Korea less than 60 miles from the Russian border.
Nuclear Aims By Pakistan, India Prompt U.S. Concern - Washinton Post [link]
- Pakistan will be ready to start churning out a new stream of plutonium for its nuclear arsenal
- About 1,000 miles to the southwest, engineers in India are designing cruise missiles to carry nuclear warheads.
- India and Pakistan see their nuclear programs as vital points of leverage in an arms race that has begun to take on more pace and diversity.
The Lighter Side
I Know What to Do About Kim Jong Il. - Merrill Markoe in Huffington Post [link]
- After reading one despairing editorial after another about what, if anything, can be done about Kim Jong Il, it occurs to me that there is one sure fire path that is not being exploited
- Why can't the Dept. of Homeland Security team up with a bunch of the big National Opera Companies and give Kim-J and his six operas an on-going venue?