By One Free Korea has an update on the current Congressional efforts to reimpose sanctions, promote human right, and put North Korea back on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list:
Several bills are now percolating in Congress that would do just that:
- H.Res. 309, a non-binding resolution, calls on North Korea to stop threatening neighboring countries, meet its disarmament obligations, and comply with U.N. resolutions. In other words, it’s an empty gesture, but it has some bipartisan support.
- H.R. 485 would codify sanctions against North Korea, mainly relating to arms sales and technology transfers.
- H.R. 1980 and S. 837, both introduced yesterday, are still too new for the GPO text to be published yet. The House bill would “continue restrictions against and prohibit diplomatic recognition of the Government of North Korea,” and the Senate bill would “require that North Korea be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism [and] ensure that human rights is a prominent issue in negotiations between the United States and North Korea.” These bills have teeth, and it’s probably no coincidence that neither has Democratic co-sponsorship.
It should be no surprise the Democrats will not support these efforts. I highly recommend everyone read what Joshua has to say about Democratic foreign policy. I just find it interesting that the Democrats are more concerened about promoting the human rights of mass murdering terrorists then of the people languishing in North Korean gulags.
7:01 am on April 26th, 2009 1
"I just find it interesting that the Democrats are more concerened about promoting the human rights of mass murdering terrorists then of the people languishing in North Korean gulags."
They are concerned about the rights of people who may NOT have been the mass murdering terrorists. If you honestly think that all those poeople at Gitmo were "confirmed" suspects in 9/11 then you should really evaluate yourself man. Many were linked with the "terrorists" by only blood and family ties. I want a murderer tortured, not someone guilty of association. Thats what the DPRK does to suspects and their next of kin, not the U.S. Well anymore at least thank God.
7:11 am on April 26th, 2009 2
That said, we have had less then 100 days of new administration in the U.S. There has been close to 3,000 days prior to this new administration where those suffering in North Korean Gulags were put on the back burner. Lets not play politics. Joshua does that enough at his site.
8:13 am on April 26th, 2009 3
I have long criticized the Bush administration approach to North Korea and the Obama administration is just continuing these failed policies, but with different rhetoric. Joshua has probably been the fiercest critic of the Bush administration approach to North Korea even more so then the Democrats that were criticizing Bush.
11:24 pm on April 26th, 2009 4
Can you name one person who was waterboarded that wasn't a terrorist? Not all the people at Gitmo were waterboarded or even subject to enhanced interrogation methods of any kind.