Hooligans vs Tyrants

CNN is reporting a new spat has erupted between President Bush and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. North Korea’s Foreign Ministry spokesman called Bush a ‘hooligan” following a White House news conference at which Bush described Kim as a “tyrant.”

In more serious news, the report continues to indicated that North Korea tested a short-range missile on Sunday. This is the latest in a string of incidents refocusing international attention on the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear standoff. North Korea has the “theoretical capability” to arm a missile with a nuclear device and strike the United States.

Presidential Chief of Staff Andrew Card described Kim as “not a good leader.” Card said

North Koreans "are living in poverty -- many in concentration camps. They do not have any exercise of democracy or freedom. They are not allowed to contact the outside world. [Kim] is not the kind of leader that is comfortable with the rest of the world."

Card portrayed North Korea as a target of U.S. efforts to inspire democracy around the world.

"We're doing everything we can to make sure that the people of North Korea recognize that they're being cheated and denied opportunities that come with freedom and democracy," he said.

The North Korean regime is a danger to international peace and security. The Yellow Line hopes to see meaningful progress in peace talks resulting in North Korea relinquishing its nuclear capabilities. If peace talks fail, we need a true national debate on whether or not US intervention is needed to confront the situation.