The recent North Korea's test of a nuclear explosion has caused grave concern. But it also is causing confusion on whether or not it was a success or failure. Of course, this being the election season, politics will be playing a pivotal role during this crisis. However, knowing what is the truth or fiction will be hard to discern for many observers.
U.S. Intelligence agencies believe it was not a nuclear explosion, but a conventional high explosives that was used to create a chain reaction in a plutonium-based device. It is also possible that the test was for the Iranians who have been working with North Korea in developing nuclear capabilities.
Iran will be watching the world's response to these tests, which will determine their path of action in their nuclear development. For the time being the world's attention has been shifted to North Korea and away from Iran.
Of course, the blame is being place on Bush to China, but not on North Korea for the test.
[..] a Washington Post editorial said the Bush administration should "rightly press hard for new U.N.-sponsored sanctions" against North Korea.
"It should take any further measures that could increase the pressure on the North or prevent it from exporting its technology. It also should be prepared to talk to Mr. Kim about disarmament in the unlikely event he elects to take up the framework that was agreed on a year ago in the 'six-party' negotiations."
The editorial also said North Korea's neighbors, and not the United States, bear the burden of the North's decision to proceed with it nuclear program. "The real leverage lies with South Korea and China," the newspaper opined. (CNSNews.com)
Any hostile action taken by the United States will be meet with more tests according to a statement release by North Korea.
Kim Yong Nam, second in command to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il as president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, said in an interview in Pyongyang with Japan's Kyodo News agency that the communist country will proceed with its plans depending on U.S. actions.
"The issue of future nuclear tests is linked to U.S. policy toward our country," Kim said.
"If the United States continues to take a hostile attitude and apply pressure on us in various forms, we will have no choice but to take physical steps to deal with that," he said. (CBC.ca)
North Korea's interpretation of hostile actions is any imposed sanctions.
The United States, Britain and France all want a resolution drafted under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, which makes sanctions mandatory and poses the possibility of military enforcement as a last resort.
While both China and Russia have spoken of the importance of taking serious action against North Korea's apparent nuclear test, they are traditionally against invoking Chapter VII and have not indicated whether they would withdraw their opposition this time. (PressTelegram.com)
And from CBS News:
"Sanctions are nonsense," said one North Korean official earlier in the day of the multilateral punitive measures the United Nations is considering in reaction to Monday's alleged nuclear weapons test.
"If full-scale sanctions take place, we will regard it as a declaration of war."
North Korea has previously test fired an ICBM to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. They are threatening to to break the cease fire and invade Seoul and declare war on the United States.