Clinton, Gemba urge N Korea not to launch rocket

So America will allow millions of people to starve to death.......

Wow! Isn't it a rather cheap shot to use this to take a swipe at the US? Would it not be more appropriate to take a swipe at the NKG for letting its people starve while it squanders money on a pointless rocket launch?

Watch them launch and move on as long as they don't hit Japan.A cry for pitiful recognition.

YuriOtani, my point is, to say that the U.S. is using the poor and starving as pawns is a little misplaced. Are there assurances, and gurantees that the food will go to the ones who actually need it, and not the military and the established elite? It's more like the NK leaders are using their own as pawns as opposed to the U.S. doing so.

Does anyone seriously expect that the NKs will totally disarm? The people of NK need better governance, but the international community has a responsible to aid starving people.

the international community has a responsible to aid starving people.

Providing aid to NK does not benefit its people, such aid just prolongs the time the NK government can continue to abuse them. When the people get hungry enough, they will take matters into their own hands. Until that happens, giving anything to that government is just condoning their actions.

YuriOtaniAPR. 11, 2012 - 09:48AM JST So America will allow millions of people to starve to death to "punish" the government of the Peoples Republic of Republic? Wonders if we will be able to see the launch?

For the sake of argument, not sure if Japan is giving humanitarian aid to the DPRK. Suppose they are and they decide to cut off/suspend that aid. Would you then write "So Japan will allow millions of people to starve to death to "punish" the government of the Peoples Republic of Republic?".

What about other countries as well? Would you write "So will allow millions of people to starve to death to "punish" the government of the Peoples Republic of Republic?"

cruzian1APR. 11, 2012 - 10:58AM JST Does anyone seriously expect that the NKs will totally disarm? The people of NK need better governance, but the international community has a responsible to aid starving people.

Agreed.

But, isn't it also a good idea to have some system in place (perhaps people on the ground) to verify that this aid is really getting to the people who need it the most?

What good is giving any country aid if those in power just seize it for themselves and use it to increase their own power or personal fortunes?

Nowing Hillary is panic,crying,banging her table and throwing her shoes after she witness the launch of Unha-3 rocket!

@rmistric: Why should north korea being 'disarmed'? Instead they better carry out the imminent nuclear test as soon as possible,make it clear no jokes,no games! The fundamental element of disstability in korean peninsula was the US troops on soil!

The North Korean government has the first responsibility to aid its starving people. If it wants to jeopardize the food aid -- a helping hand that the international community is generous enough to provide -- then the deaths of its own people is on its hand. The NK govt has to decide what's the higher priority to them: to feed its own people first, or to launch a rocket now. It's all about choices and taking responsibility for it.

The fundamental element of disstability in korean peninsula was the US troops on soil!

The fundamental element of instability in the Korean Peninsula is the menacing prospect of a re-invasion by the North led by a mentally unstable leadership. Nobody knows what they're gonna do! Not even China.

cruzian1APR. 11, 2012 - 07:10PM JST There are numerous international organizations that can verify if the food is getting to the NK people

Sure the are lots of groups that could verify this kind of thing not only in the DPRK but in other countries around the world. The problem is not no such groups exist. The problem is that they are not always allowed to do their jobs properly y what ever government is in charge.

So,

Are there any of these currently on the ground working in North Korea?

Does the North Korean government welcome these groups and allow them to have the access they need to determine if the food aid is getting where it is supposed to go? Do they guarantee the safety of these groups?

Yuri you can answer these as well if you know the answers.

@YuriOtani:

Please explain how the responsibility of feeding the North Korean people is that of the U.S., when the North Korean leaders live a life of luxury, and spend money on their frivilous lifestyles, and weaponry?

Rmistric I totally understand the concerns of those who say that food aid should not be disburse to the military and political leadership of NK. However, that is why you have organizations such as the UN World Food Program, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). I also believe that a limited amount of aid workers are on the ground in NK from organizations such as Mercy Corp. Any aid effort of this magnitude should be organized through the UN, and I hope that the NK government would see the benefits of asking for the assistance if they have not already. However, I still strongly believe that no nation should use food as a bargaining tool. This is inhumane and speaks poorly of our collective humanity. Having access to safe, healthy, nutritious food should be a right guaranteed to ALL human beings.

Yeah fine ...... if NK still launch their rocket, I wonder what will Clinton and Gemba do. hehehehe

As cruzian1 writes there are ways to keep it out of the hands of the military.

Yes, but these will only work if the DPRK government lets these groups do their jobs properly and allows them appropriate access to confirm that the people most in need of this food assistance are indeed getting it. It wouldn't be the first time that a government has request international assistance for its people only to then try and use this assistance to increase their own power and wealth.

I am all for humanitarian aid, but unfortunately too many times this aid does not get to where its most needed, and I'm not just speaking of the DPRK. Misappropriation of aid happens all of the time even in developed countries. Just pouring more and more aid into a pipeline that is full of lots of holes often is more wasteful than it is helpful.

There are numerous international organizations that can verify if the food is getting to the NK people. There are a lot of bad leaders and governments around the world, but why should children starve to death because of the actions or inactions of their leaders. What is the international community saying let things get so bad in NK that the NK children will take up arms and topple the government? Food should NEVER be used a bargaining tool. Food should be provided to all human beings regardless of the circumstances.

cruzian1, could not agree with you more. Giving or with holding food and medical relief on how "obedient" another country is to the donor is reckless. The USA is saying these people have no value but as pawns, it is one reason the Peoples Republic is able to maintain such a tight hold.

toguro, charity for the hungry is not a "responsibility" but a moral obligation. As cruzian1 writes there are ways to keep it out of the hands of the military. The suffering promoted by the lack of aid makes any gain from it worthless. The ways of isolation just do not work. Anyhow I chose to be on the side of mercy and compassion. Starving the population of the Peoples Republic does not help the military situation at all. If anything it is one more club their government has to bash the outsiders.

So America will allow millions of people to starve to death to "punish" the government of the Peoples Republic of Republic? Wonders if we will be able to see the launch?

rmistric, do not know about the groups but it is against my Christian belief to let so many people die from hunger. Call me what you will, I see hungry people not foes.