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Apparently, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s warnings to Kim Jong-Il have landed on deaf ears as North Korea proceeds to fuel their Taepodong-2 ICBM space launch vehicle.

North Korea has begun fueling its long-range rocket, according to a senior U.S. military official.

The fueling signals that the country could be in the final stages of what North Korea has said will be the launch of a satellite into space as early as this weekend, the senior U.S. military official said Wednesday.

Other U.S. military officials said the top portion of the rocket was put on very recently, but satellite imagery shows a shroud over the stage preventing a direct view of what it looks like.

The officials said the payload appears to have a “bulbous” cover, which could indicate that there is a satellite loaded on it. Such a cover protects a satellite from damage in flight.

Although the sources did not know for sure what the payload is, they said there is no reason to doubt that it is a satellite, as indicated by North Korea.

Pyongyang has said it will launch the rocket between April 4 and April 8. A launch would violate a 2006 United Nations Security Council resolution banning the reclusive state from launching ballistic missiles.

Pentagon officials worry less about the payload and more about the launch itself, saying that any kind of launch will give the North Koreans valuable information about improving their ballistic missile program.

And, the United States has been silent after the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, said that there is nothing America can or will do about the launch.

Hillary Clinton continues to maintain should North Korea launch that there will be “consequences.”

Whatever that means.

More toasts with Kim Jong-Il like, Madeleine Albright, one of Hillary’s predecessors who was appointed by President Bill Clinton below?

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin may be OUT with regards to a Washington GOP fundraiser in June but WILL attend a Right to Life findraiser in Indiana on April 16th. Palin will be taking three days of vacation time to speak at the Vanderburgh Right To Life Dinner in Evansville, Indiana.

On April 16, Palin will be attending the Vanderburgh County Right to Life dinner in Evansville, IN, as well as a breakfast the next day for S.M.I.L.E., a nonprofit organization for people with family members who have Down syndrome. Palin’s spokeswoman, Meg Stapleton, said Palin will be taking a “36-hour vacation” to attend the events in Indiana. Palin’s political action committee will pay for the travel.

Palin was replaced as the keynote speaker at the Republican dinner in Washington by Newt Gingrich. The event’s organizers grew tired of waiting for her to commit to the party’s big spring fundraising gala.

Stapleton said Palin would not agree to political events until after April 20, when the Alaska legislative session ends. “She is focused on Alaska,” Stapleton said today.

And while Palin’s camp claimed no hard feelings about being replaced by Gingrich, Stapleton said, “She probably would have said yes if they could have waited.”

Stapleton could not explain why Palin would say yes to a political event in Indiana and not attend a political event in Washington. However, she did note that Palin wanted to honor her son Trigg, who has Down syndrome, at the S.M.I.L.E. event in Indiana.

It’s possible there could be a huge increase in political travel by Palin after the legislative session in Alaska ends. “There are thousands of requests” for appearances across the country, Stapleton said.

Palin has to run for re-election in 2010 and is expected to be in Alaska conducting the people’s business. She has to balance her events outside the state and WILL have to limit them.

A short 36 hour midweek trip to Indiana is probably a better move than a Washington “elite” dinner in DC. There will be plenty of time for those when Palin relaunches on the national political stage.

The Indiana event will also feature Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

Who knows since it is April Fools Day and you know the Brits penchant for humor?

All Flap knows if this had been Bush, they would throw shoes at him – Oh, they already did.

A shout out to all Ventura County Republicans:

THURSDAY, APRIL 2nd

7:30AM-9AM

JJ BREWSKYS

2433 Ventura Blvd

Camarillo, CA 93010

Come join fellow Republicans as we meet the California Republican Party’s new Chief Operating Officer, Brent Lowder! Brent will be discussing the future plans of the State Party!

$35/person membership dues- please RSVP to Chris Collier at 805-557-1240 or email ccollier@vcrcc.org, or you may contribute online using our website: www.vcrcc.org/contribute

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