Think Progress

U.S. helps North Korea break sanctions.

“Three months after the United States successfully pressed the United Nations to impose strict sanctions on North Korea because of the country’s nuclear test, Bush administration officials allowed Ethiopia to complete a secret arms purchase from the North, in what appears to be a violation of the restrictions, according to senior American officials.”



40 Responses to “U.S. helps North Korea break sanctions.”

  1. Zooey says:

    Could the UN sanction us/US for doing that?


  2. Alejandro says:

    #1 – Nah, the US would just veto it.


  3. Jackie says:

    Pinky and the Brain have taken over the world. Bush/Cheney feel they can do what ever they want and the UN can do nothing. Watch China and Russia step up to the plate. If Bush stays in much longer the will see the War of the Earth in the direction he is taking us. The United States has committed more crimes then other countries put together. As Americans gave Bush two terms we will be paying for these crimes for hundreds of years to come. Notice how big business was allowed to go overseas with their company for cheap labor and now pet food is poisoned. Pet food was once only made in the United States and then along came George W. Bush.


  4. Zooey says:

    Alejandro,

    Well, isn’t that convenient? Geez….


  5. Nat says:

    Well, isn’t that convenient? Geez….
    Comment by Zooey — April 7, 2007 @ 6:47 pm

    No country will attempt to pass a resolution against the U.S. or any other country unilateral veto power because they’ll just veto it.


  6. Wayne says:

    Bushco = Hypocrites-R-US


  7. Sharon says:

    Hell, with the track record of bull shit bush and dreadful cheney it woulden’t suprise me if they hand delivered the product’s in person during the dark of night…That would be cheney’s style……Blessings


  8. Wow says:

    Peace sells, too bad no one’s buying…

    C’mon global warming wipe the planet clean again!


  9. big papa says:

    L’il Kim does not Bush’it…

    …when he says something…

    …people listen…

    …Got Nukes?


  10. veritas says:

    In Bush’s world of total hypocrisy, why is this not expected? They’ve broken every promise they ever made to the american people, so why is this something unpredicted?


  11. Raven says:

    Let’s see, what shall we call this illegal arms deal?
    How about Kore-opia?
    And who’s the agent this time?
    Oliver South?


  12. veritas says:

    #8 Peace doesn’t sell in this corrupted country because it would mean that all the fat cats & war profiteers (redundancy?) would have to find a real job!


  13. Briseadh_na_faire says:

    Well, ya see, it was a secret arms deal, heh. That means the sanctions don’t apply, ’cause sanctions only apply to deals we know about. It’s like Halliburton using front companies to deal with Iran so they could make billions from one of the axis of evil. In secret. So it doesn’t count. heh.”

    “heh. is this mic on? sh!t. Hey, everybody, look! Pelosi’s in … where the f*ck did that b!tch go now? Quick, Karl, find somebody else to throw off the bus!”

    [/bush]


  14. big papa says:

    war profiteers (redundancy?)

    Comment by veritas #12

    …think of it as…

    …message discipline…

    …let’s keep saying the phrases that matter,…

    …and calling them what they are…

    …until they’re brought to justice…

    …and our money is retrieved…

    …they’re freakin’ “war profiteers”….


  15. Briseadh_na_faire says:

    Bush, Valentines Day, 2007:

    Q A lot of our allies in Europe do a lot of business with Iran, so I wonder what your thoughts are about how you further tighten the financial pressure on Iran, in particular, if it also means economic pain for a lot of our allies?

    THE PRESIDENT: It’s an interesting question. One of the problems — not specifically on this issue, just in general — let’s put it this way, money trumps peace, sometimes. In other words, commercial interests are very powerful interests throughout the world. And part of the issue in convincing people to put sanctions on a specific country is to convince them that it’s in the world’s interest that they forgo their own financial interest.

    And John, that’s why sometimes it’s tough to get tough economic sanctions on countries. And I’m not making any comment about any particular country, but you touched on a very interesting point.

    And so, therefore, we’re constantly working with nations to convince them that what really matters in the long run is to have the environment so peace can flourish. In the Iranian case, I firmly believe that if they were to have a weapon, it would make it difficult for peace to flourish. And, therefore, I’m working with people to make sure that that concern trumps whatever commercial interests may be preventing governments from acting. I make no specific accusation with that statement. It’s a broad statement. But it’s an accurate assessment of what sometimes can halt multilateral diplomacy from working.


  16. Raven says:

    Thank you, BnH, for this blast from the all to recent past….


  17. Sharon says:

    More mangos for peace eh heir bush.? We didn’t get any fruit this time, what’s up with that.? bull shit bush, the worst president in the history of America….Blessings


  18. big papa says:

    Bnf #15

    …I can just see Angela, Jacques, Vladimir and Hu…

    …laughing at that stupid sombich…

    …Halliburton’s STILL doing business with Iran (among OTHER U.S. companies)…

    …and Bushiva’s telling the U.N. to enact “serious” economic sanctions against them…

    ….No wonder those 15 British soldiers gave up without so much as a loud yell…


  19. Marie says:

    #15 BnF
    “Money trumps peace.” Those Bush words mean even more now in light of this admission.


  20. Anderson says:

    The Emperor has no clothing.

    Off Topic-

    Been wondering about the Iraq supplemental spending bill. bush threatens to veto it.

    Could he just issue a signing statement and ignore the timelines?

    Are signing statments applicable to appropriations bills?

    (I’ve read his signing statements, unconstitutional nonsense in my opinion)

    Thanks for any thoughts


  21. Marie says:

    I don’t know if signing statements can be attached to appropriations bills.
    But when Bullsh*t Bush vetoes it, I hope to see headlines reading, “Bush vetoes support to troops in the war.”
    With this bootlicking media we have today, however, I think my hope is in vain.


  22. S.D. says:


    So, the GW Administration is approving business for the Axis of Evil??
    You just can’t make this up…


  23. Nat says:

    But when Bullsh*t Bush vetoes it, I hope to see headlines reading, “Bush vetoes support to troops in the war.”
    With this bootlicking media we have today, however, I think my hope is in vain.
    Comment by Marie — April 7, 2007 @ 8:49 pm

    This was in the Washington Post today:

    “President Bush used his Easter weekend radio address to suggest that while Americans are “blessed” to have so many brave, volunteer military service members, congressional Democrats are jeopardizing their safety by refusing to sign his $100 billion war funding bill.”

    Then they edited the story:

    President Bush used his Easter weekend radio address to suggest that while Americans are “blessed” to have so many brave, volunteer military service members, congressional Democrats are jeopardizing their safety by delaying passage of a $100 billion war funding bill.

    It looks like the narrative will be to blame the Dems.


  24. big papa says:

    Comment by Anderson #20

    Anderson,

    …just my two-cents for what it’s worth but…

    …Bushiva can’t pass up an opportunity (strategically speaking)…

    …to drag Democrats through the political mud…

    …he realizes that his “signing statements” are now under great scrutiny also…

    …but relative to my first statement…

    …Bushiva (and the TREASONOUS Repulsivescum Party) is/are INTENT on making this budget showdown…

    …the “FAULT” of Democrats that the troops aren’t receiving the funding/equipment/support they need to”WIN” the UNwinnable occupation…

    …in hopes that the “soil” (inbred conned’sel-serving Demorat sic, Intercodependent, and Repulsivesum voters)…

    …will turn against the Democratic majority and their candidates for the presidency…

    …this is a power move….

    …and the Democrats must NOT blink…

    …excellent point about the “signing statements” though


  25. Zep Tepi says:

    President Bush used his Easter weekend radio address to suggest that while Americans are “blessed” to have so many brave, volunteer military service members,

    Q; Since when is stop-loss voluntary?
    A; It isn’t.


  26. Raymond Funamoto says:

    LIKE I SAID IN A PREVIOUS POST, THE RIGHT HAND OF CHIMPya DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER RIGHT HAND OF Bushland Uber Allies IS DOING BECAUSE THEY ARE SO CONCERNED THAT THE LEFT HAND OF THE DEMOCRATS IS WATCHING EVERY MOVE THE TWO RIGHT HANDS ARE MAKING THAT THESE Bushiva STUMBLEBUMS ARE FALLING ALL OVER THEIR TWO RIGHT FEET AND TWO RIGHT HANDS—WHAT A BUNCH OF STINKING IMBECILIC MAROONS!!!!! HAH!!!!!


  27. Zep Tepi says:

    It looks like the narrative will be to blame the Dems.
    Comment by Nat

    Fact is the Republicans took longer to get this stuff to Bush’s desk. Secondly Bush can prolly use his executive signing statements to excise the pork or he can veto it.

    This is just another political canard that we should not be playing. I resent politicians using Iraq and the troops as a political fulcrum to sway peoples opinions.


  28. joe says:

    It’s frustrating to be an American right now.

    On the one hand, I know that we have to take action in places like Somalia against al Qaeda-linked Islamist groups.

    On the other hand, I have absolutely no confidence at all that, under this administration, it will be done in a decent, intelligent, competent manner.

    I’m stuck crossing my fingers and hoping for the best, but I know it’s just going to end up a fiasco, and the U.S. will end up taking another hit for fighting a dirty war.


  29. david says:

    It is Iran-Contra redux. The Neo-Cons think nothing of lying and doing the opposite of what they say. They believe they have a right to tell Noble Lies and keep Deadly Secrets. Anyone who disagrees with Bush is the Enemy and, therefore, deserves to be lied to. And because the End justifies the Means, the use of torture, domestic spying, and deadly force must be kept secret.


  30. Saywho says:

    That is pretty darn secret stuff there. Imagine the damage knowing that could cause! I’ll bet Bill Murray & Dan Akroyd had something to do w/ this; or was it Pvt. Judy Benjamin?


  31. Abby says:

    Comment by Zep Tepi — April 7, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
    ————–
    It’s voluntary in the sense that you don’t have to sign up. That you do voluntarily.

    If, however, you are stupid enough to sign up…………… Let’s just say convicted felons have more rights.


  32. Wonder what Bush is thinking « Later On says:

    [...] in Bush Administration, GOP, Government at 7:58 pm by LeisureGuy From ThinkProgress: “Three months after the United States successfully pressed the United Nations to impose strict [...]


  33. JPark says:

    #30 About 4 people signed up to fight for Bush in Iraq. Most of the soldiers didn’t ask for it. The government broke the compact with the troops.


  34. Abby says:

    #31. Doesn’t change the fact that once you sign up, you sign away all your rights.

    Too big a deal is made about this “all volunteer army”. What it is, is a better paid job. People do join for a variety of reasons and for most, their sense of patriotism probably plays a major part in their decision to sign up but your status as a true volunteer ends when you sign on the dotted line.

    It’s not like volunteering to help at the local soup kitchen when you can un-volunteer at any time. You can’t exactly un-volunteer from the army.

    Having said that, Bush really screwed the soldiers in this “war”. What every army needs is an objective. A hill to take. A position to take. Nothing demoralizes the troops more than endless senseless tours of duty with no clear goals, no plan, no end game.


  35. dlet says:

    Nothing demoralizes the troops more than endless senseless tours of duty with no clear goals, no plan, no end game.

    Comment by Abby

    Or watching mercenaries doing your job while getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to do it and you have to protect them.


  36. Perry Logan says:

    They’re just being consistent. The Bush gang has broken more international treaties than any administration in U.S. history.


  37. Saywho says:

    Go look at this folks…

    http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2441

    the blue is the oil and the red is water pumped in to get the oil out!

    We are so screwed now!


  38. Badger says:

    What Irony. This deal was for Soviet era military weapons from North Korea. They were sold to Ethiopia , so it could fight the Islamic Terrorists in Somalia. This same group used to be the Islamic Freedom fighters in Afghanistan, where we Supported them in facing Soviet Era Military weapons.


  39. Ben Dover says:

    I find it almost hilarious what a big deal the United States (at least under Bush) makes of others who do not live by the letter of United Nations sanctions or United Nations resolutions. Yet, look at how many UN resolutions have been passed about the actions of Israel, and look at how many of those resolutions Israel has abided by, and then ask yourself why isn’t the United States all over Israel’s ass? Oh, I forgot, the jewish votes. Silly me


  40. Ren Rivers says:

    Lets be real here, the whole basis for the war was a sham, and what the pro-warmongers are saying is all lies. Things aren’t any better than they were a year ago, the average Iraqi wants us out, and who can blame them, this war has been a logistics, and planning nightmare. The military and the administration lost hundreds of lives due to a lack of armor, when they had billions of dollars for equipment, and didn’t use it properly, and now they want to charge the Democrats with making it hard on the troops. The blame isn’t on the Democrats, its on the planners, and leaders, who never really knew what the fight would entail, and because of their poor planning, billions of dollars have been wasted on things that never benefited either the troops, or the Iraqi people.



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