politics

U.S., Asian allies prepare high-seas crackdown on N Korea sanctions evaders

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By Matt Spetalnick, Phil Stewart and David Brunnstrom

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Pyongyang has warned it would consider a blockade an act of war.

So what? North Korea considers everything an act of war.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

USA is the world's leading expert in acts of war

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

High seas? EastAsia considers these territories as grab what youcan, or not?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

JandworldToday 10:12 am JST

High seas? EastAsia considers these territories as grab what youcan, or not?

Member nations are authorized by the U.N. to enforce UN sanctions.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Good to hear that proper action is being considered against NK, unlike the so far useless sanctions that have done nothing to stop NK

11 ( +15 / -4 )

Some U.S. officials believe the risk could be minimized if Coast Guard cutters, which carry less firepower and technically engage in law-enforcement missions, are used in certain cases rather than warships.

Maybe this article is for floating ides, and not real policy.

The article contains a bit of everything, but the above line is the strangest.

Coast Guard cutters are designed and used for coast guarding.

They do not have the ability for overseas deployment.

Think logistics such as port facilities, water, food, fuel and crew for long distance and long term deployment.

If the US navy is having problems with their present mission, I dread to think of the stress that the USCG would be under.

Gary

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

garymalmgrenToday 11:41 am JST

Coast Guard cutters are designed and used for coast guarding.

They do not have the ability for overseas deployment.

Incorrect. The USCG have been and are deployed overseas.

The USCG was deployed to Iraq in 2003 to protect maritime oil infrastructure and to train the Iraqi naval service. 8 Cutters and 600 personnel were sent. The last time USCG was deployed overseas before that was during the Vietnam War,

http://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/District-14/D14-Units/Activities-Far-East-FEACT/

https://www.gocoastguard.com/about-the-coast-guard/experience-the-coast-guard/deployment-to-south-korea-base-camp

11 ( +13 / -2 )

China has duly noted that and taken out a leaf, ie intimidatingly large powerful ‘coastguard’ ships patrolling around Pacific island territory that they would like to lay claim to.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So American coast guard ships are being sent to Asia to stop sovirgn nation ships in international waters in a unilateral sanction campaign of harassment? Trump should go to high school and study why japan entered the Second World War.

NK has nothing to lose now, so bye bye Seoul, Tokyo, Guam, Hawaii and LA and NYC.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

Have to keep the squeeze on NK. They can't be allowed to further develop their nuclear weapons program. NK's reckless and belligerent behavior has to be tamed in order to keep the peace. It appears to be the only method they understand.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Which country has been, and still is, at war with the world for the past 100 years? The US. Which is the only nation to have used nuclear weapons against a civilian population? The US. The US wants to denuclearise all nations so that there is no resistance to US invasion and domination-look at Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and even Japan. US foreign policy is to dominate all nations militarily and economically. Any nation without a nuclear deterrent is controlled by US foreign policy. North Korea is the only nation that has exerted is sovereignty. Why should the US dictate which nation can and cannot have a nuclear deterrent?

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

I see a repeat of the Cuban missile crisis of the early '60s.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

zichiToday 09:09 pm JST

The South Korean president's office have just issued a statement after meeting with the delegation from the north, the North Korea is "very willing" to meet with America for talks. So I guess they just hit the table tennis ball back at Trump.

Has North Korea stated a willingness to discuss their nuclear and missile programs? Or just "meet" and talk about the weather?

6 ( +9 / -3 )

zichiToday 10:43 pm JST

OssanAmerica

the news flash didn't give any details but a meeting without conditions is better than no meetings, yes. Rein in all that negativity.

A meeting where the objective is not permitted to be discussed is NOT better than no meeting at all. Suggest you rein in your support for appeasement and recognize that the desire to resolve this crisis is hardly "negativity".

8 ( +12 / -4 )

Due to uniqueness situation, Japan could act as an informant.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

a meeting without conditions is better than no meetings

@zichi: A meeting not discussing denuclearization of NK is far, far worse than no meeting at all. NK is only months away from being able to nuke New York out of existence, and so a meeting in a few months time on basically nothing is a free pass for NK to fine tune their nukes and test their capabilities even more so they enter any future meeting in an unassailable position of strength. Why you or anyone would actually support this terrible scenario, is astonishing.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

This will be an illegal move by the US if they do this. North Korea is well within its rights to evade sanctions as a matter of self defense, as many other North Korea supporters on JT have previously stated, so America is liable to be nuked if they proceed with this provocation

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

SpectrumToday 11:35 am JST

This will be an illegal move by the US if they do this.

No it is authorized by the United Nations in accordance with resolutions passed. What North Korea is doing to evade the consequences of the UN sanctions is what's "illegal".

5 ( +9 / -4 )

probably someway off from achieving it

Probably?

Best to assume they can and act accordingly imo. We can't do "probably" when it comes to nuclear threats.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

3 of their subs have tested nuclear capable missiles and they did a massive hydrogen bomb test. It’s better to leave them alone. They are busy suppressing their own people.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

zichiToday 12:49 pm JST

dcog9065

@zichi: A meeting not discussing denuclearization of NK is far, far worse than no meeting at all. NK is only months away from being able to nuke New York out of existence,

It's not actually true. The NK have no atomic weapon it could place in a missile and are probably someway off from achieving it

You are contradicting yourself. If you believe that NK has yet to miniaturize a nuclear weapon and require more time to achieve it, then a "meeting" where NK's nuclear and missile programs are not allowed to be discussed simply buys more time for NK to achieve that goal.

If this one main topic is not to be discussed, what then is left to discuss? What further aid can NK receive from SK?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

zichiToday 10:58 pm JST

OssanAmerica

I don't think I am contradicting myself but think a meeting without any preconditions is better than no meeting unless the nuclear question is on the table and it would appear the SK president too is of that thinking and is not saying he won't travel to the north unless the nuclear program is also open to discussion. Nor did he stop the NK from attending and taking part in the Winter Olympics.

Yes you are contradicting yourself. You state that you believe NK needs more time to achieve their nuclear weapon goal. At the same time you argue that meetings which exclude that topic should be carried out. All you are suggesting is that NK should be given more time to achieve their nuclear goals.

Moon is not demanding NK discuss their nuclear weapons because (1) he is an appeaser and (2) I honestly think Moon himself believes that NK will never enter a conflict with SK. If he is right then Moon deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. If he is wrong he will go down in SKorean history as the man who destroyed SKorea. There are many South Koreans who are not satisfied with Moon's appeasement approach.

many experts believe NK are years away from being able to put an atomic weapon on a intercontinental missile.

Those same experts believed NKorea was years away from attaining what they already have in 2017,

your answer is what? No meeting and then what bomb the hell out of NK?

My answer has been repeated over and over again. No need for you to decide what I am saying. NO MEETING UNTIL NK STATES THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THEIR NUCLEAR AND MISSILE PROGRAMS. Until we see this happen there is absolutely no possibility of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

Besides the nuclear issue there are many other problems between the peoples of Korea like the separation of families.

Not a major issue even in SKorea right now. Dwarfed by the nuclear issue.

America is the only country in history to have used the atomic bomb.

Totally irrelevant to the discussion. But, The U.S. takes NK's nuclear threat very seriously and are obviously qualified to do so.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

zichiFeb. 26 11:50 pm JST

OssanAmerica 

The problems on the Korean peninsula are mostly between the North and South divides and not between North Korea and America.

The problem is between North Korea and the UN Command. The US lead the UN Command but it includes many countries as well South Korea. Every nation that North Korea has threatened is a party to this issue.

If North Korea is willing to have a meeting with America and the South Korean president is willing to travel north for a meeting then that should happen and I think it would become apparent very quickly if further meetings are not likely to produce anything.

No, it may take many months to finally make that determination. All during which time North Korea continues with their development.

If meetings are only acceptable to America and South Korea when the nuclear aspect is on the table then they probably won't take place.

Maybe yes, maybe no. You don't know either.The sanctions are in place and being enforced for the purpose of bringing North Korea to the table with a willingness to discuss denuclearization.

Moon is not demanding NK discuss their nuclear weapons because (1) he is an appeaser and (2) I honestly think Moon himself believes that NK will never enter a conflict with SK. If he is right then Moon deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. If he is wrong he will go down in SKorean history as the man who destroyed SKorea. There are many South Koreans who are not satisfied with Moon's appeasement approach.

Whatever you think of President Moon he his the elected president of the country and must decide what is best for his people and country.

Moon is an appeaser. And the North Koreans know this.

There are many South Koreans who are not satisfied with Moon's appeasement approach.

Well that may be correct but no president or prime minister has 100% support of the people. If he fails then he will be voted out of office.

Yes if he fails. But his "failing" may not leave enough time for the next elections.

My answer has been repeated over and over again. No need for you to decide what I am saying. NO MEETING UNTIL NK STATES THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THEIR NUCLEAR AND MISSILE PROGRAMS. Until we see this happen there is absolutely no possibility of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

Your answer is not an answer

It most certainly is an answer. What do you think it is, a question?

We don't get to decide anything you are an American living in the States and I'm a Brit in Japan.

Another obvious and irrelevant statement.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

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