A Brave Man

I feel no shame in admitting I probably wouldn’t have the guts to do what this guy did. Robert Park, all of 28 years old, went into North Korea on Christmas Day with a letter for Kim Jong Il to step down and free all political prisoners. He is an American Christian missionary.

God Bless him, and keep him safe. According to the linked article, published two days ago, he has not been heard from since entering the country.

Iran, Nuclear Weapons, & Sanctions

A few days ago, secret documents detailing Iranian efforts to build a nuclear weapon surfaced. (SURPRISE!)

Then, on December 16, Iran launched its most sophisticated missile yet.

What was the House of Representatives’ response? 412-12, our Members of Congress voted to impose sanctions on Iran.

I’ll reiterate what I’ve said before- sanctions don’t work. They didn’t work with Iraq, they didn’t work with Cuba and they won’t do anything to stop Iran’s terrible treatment of its people. In fact, they’ll only make things worse, as they have in countless countries including Myanmar and North Korea. Instead, we should support the protesters who are still opposing their government’s murderous tendencies, support Israel’s right to defend itself and prepare for a military assault should America or one of our allies be attacked by the country.

I know there are other ways to eliminate the threat Iran’s leadership is to the rest of the world, but I must express ignorance as to what they are (plus, I didn’t sleep well last night and can’t really think very hard right now). Any ideas?

Update: Iranian-backed insurgents in Iraq have hacked U.S. Predator drones- perhaps we should back Israel’s approach to negotiation with Iran.

At What Point Do We Take Iran Seriously?

Our own rj produced a fantastic piece a few days ago titled, “Obama’s National Security is NO LONGER FUNNY“.? And it reminded me of a piece I had written back in June, “At What Point Do We Take North Korea Seriously?”

rj clearly lays out the ground work for this same question asked in the direction of Iran.? We have clearly been lied to at this point.? And it should not take us finding our inner Sherlock Holmes to put two and two together.? Iran now has two enrichment centers, and they are test firing long and short range missiles at the same time that they tell us their uranium enrichment will be used for nuclear power.? First of all, why does one of the most energy rich nations on the planet need nuclear energy?? Second of all, why in the world are we buying into this.

Let me remind you of some quotes coming from Khamenei and Ahmadinejad:

January 2001: Iran?s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ?It is the mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to erase Israel from the map of the region.?

October 26, 2005: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ?Israel must be wiped off the map?We shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism.?

April 14, 2006: Ahmadinejad, ?Like it or not, the Zionist regime is headed for annihilation.?

June 2, 2008: Ahmadinejad, ?Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power of the United States has come, and the countdown to the annihilation of the emperor of power and wealth has started.?

June 4, 2008: Ahmadinejad, ?Get ready for a world minus the U.S.?

Have we already forgotten our recent history in Iraq?? Through 14 UN Resolutions we let Iraq slide for over 10 years before we did something about that regime.? This one, is far far more serious.? Ahmadinejad promises wiping out Israel, they are enriching Uranium, and they are test firing short and long range missiles.? Our strategy?? Do away with plans to provide nations in proximity a missile shield and promise “severe” verbal punishment.

It seems that those of us who are concerned are preaching to the choir at this point simply waiting for the smoking gun to actually turn out to be a mushroom cloud.? As rj points out, when the enemies of liberty and freedom and your nation are praising and congratulating your president, you no longer have a leader at the helm, you have a puppet who can only appease based on the strings the maestro pulls.

-nick

At What Point Do We Take North Korea Seriously?

It was reported last evening that Japanese intelligence agencies believe North Korea plans to fire a Taepodong-2 missile at the Hawaiian Islands on Independence Day.? Besides the obvious, the scheduled launch date is a blatant affront to American liberation from British tyrrany.? Tyrrany that the citizenry of N.Korea resides under every day.? These citizens live a life by day that today’s Americans could not comprehend, and one by night that becomes radically clear.

Over the last few years N.Korea has test fired missiles over the Sea of Japan, unconcerned with the possibility of the consequences of fluke success sending the debris crashing down on top of another sovereign nation.

Now, they plan to use American soil as their next target.? Not the middle of the ocean, not a desert, not a deserted island; but American soil.

The Taepodong-2 rocket is not expected to hit its target with a range of 4,000 miles, and with the Hawaiian Islands 4,500 miles away.? But can we be assured of this?

When does it begin to sink in to our administration that this is serious? That the next “test” might not be a test?

I’m reminded of President Obama’s rebuttle to accusations of him just making big speeches.

“Just words? Just speeches?”? Yes, Mr. President.? Your full of words and speeches, and the men that you use as evidence of words and speeches brought with their voice action and resolve.? You have done neither.? You have spent five solid months telling the American people with words and speeches about fiscal responsibility, the unethical use of lobbyists and pork barrel spending, and have danced around the world on a celebrity train built to fluff not the American ideal, but your popularity.

Your words and speeches are void and empty, and your popularity poles are indicating they are beginning to fall on deaf ears.? Prove to us that your words and speeches mean something.? The time to act is now.

If the smoking gun does happen to be a mushroom cloud, it will be one mistake you certainly will not be able to blame on your predecessor.