Anju Links for 1 June 2008

IT’S NOT THE COWS THAT ARE MAD:  USFK is warning our soldiers to watch out for a resurgence of violent anti-American  demonstrations.  If their goal is to get U.S. forces withdrawn from Korea, they’ve already persuaded me to support them.  I’ll be  watching how the Korean government deals with this very carefully.

AMERICA IS AGAIN ASKING South Korea to join the Proliferation Security Initiative.  The aftermath of a round of missile tests seems an opportune time for that.

NORTH KOREA GIVES A LOW-BALL  FIGURE for its plutonium production, which isn’t surprising.  For some reason, it’s mildly surprising that the New York Times presumes that this must mean that U.S. intelligence estimates must be overstated.  When they begin to assume that the North Koreans must be telling the truth, I think they’ve  taken “question authority” a bit too far.  The simple fact is that we don’t know what we can’t verify.

IF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS with the North Koreans is not criticizing them, it’s not worth the cost:

North Korea questioned Saturday U.S. willingness to settle an ongoing nuclear dispute after criticisms by Washington included in a report on global democracy.  North Korea’s official news agency said the country’s Foreign Ministry blasted a recent State Department report that called North Korea a “militarized society” and “dictatorship.”

Such criticism from the U.S. left North Korea “skeptical about whether it has true willingness” to peacefully settle the nuclear issue and improve bilateral relations, the Korean Central News Agency quoted the ministry as saying.  The Foreign Ministry called the State Department report an “arrogant and self-justified document” in which the U.S. “let loose a spate of balderdash” against North Korea.  [AP]

Maybe they should stall the six-party talks for a few more weeks.  Just two months to go before  the Olympics, and  Congress’s functional adjournment to go home and campaign.   Richardson has more.

AN IMPROVEMENT, BUT NOT A PANACEA:  I agree with GI Korea in favoring the idea of a League of Democracies to supplant an increasingly ineffective United Nations:

“It could act where the U.N. fails to act,” he said last month, and pressure tyrants “with or without Moscow’s and Beijing’s approval.”  McCain said the League might impose sanctions on Iran, relieve suffering in the Darfur region of Sudan and deal with environmental problems.  [AP]

This shouldn’t be partisan issue, but so far, McCain is the concept’s most active promoter.  The problem is that even some democracies can be bribed to do what the Russians and Chinese do out of malice and corruption.

IF TRUE, IT’S AN ACT OF WAR:  The National Journal examines reports that Chinese government hackers may have caused blackouts in the United States.  The evidence in the article isn’t very compelling, but the charge is, and I’d like to see more inquiry about it.  This  merits a report by the Directorate of National Intelligence to the congressional intelligence oversight committees.

SOUNDS LIKE THEY’RE PREPARED TO GOVERN: 

“Shut up!” one woman shouted at another.  “You shut up!” the second woman shouted back.  [AP]

NOW I’VE SEEN EVERYTHING:  Islamic fundamentalist feminists:

Muslim extremist women are challenging al-Qaida’s refusal to include — or at least acknowledge — women in its ranks, in an emotional debate that gives rare insight into the gender conflicts lurking beneath one of the strictest strains of Islam.  [AP]  

Let’s hope it occurs to them to solve their differences  by suicide-bombing one another.