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North Korea Watch: United States and Japan Press for United Nations Security Council Vote
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso(L) shakes hands with US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill on 10 July 2006. The UN Security Council edged closer to a crucial vote on the North Korea missile tests amid signs of compromise, with all eyes on China, which has threatened to veto any mandatory punitive action against its Pyongyang ally.
Reuters: US pushes for North Korea vote
The United States and Japan pressed for a U.N. Security Council vote on Friday on North Korea’s missile tests after some progress had been made in negotiations to bridge differences with China and Russia.
But other Western diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said China would veto the measure unless at least one key issue was resolved and that it preferred to wait until Saturday.
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said not all Security Council members had instructions yet, “but I think the direction we are moving in is quite possibly to a vote today.”
“It is of course 10 days since the missile launches,” Bolton said, referring to seven launches on July 5.
Do you really think that China and Russia want an adjudication of this matter while their Presidents are in the G-8 summit? Look for diplomatic stalling – even past Saturday.
France’s U.N. Ambassador, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, who is a co-sponsor of the Japanese-drafted resolution as well as this month’s council president, said he hoped for an agreement on Friday on the basis of a modified Japanese text.
But asked if Saturday was a possibility, he said, “This kind of thing may happen.”
Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of the talks, said a main stumbling point remained a provision whether the resolution would be under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which would make it mandatory.
This provision can lead to military action — providing a second resolution approving force is adopted. China, backed by Russia, fears Chapter 7 could be cited as a justification for force even in the absence of a second resolution and says it is not necessary to make a resolution mandatory.
But Bolton said, “It is important to send a strong signal from the Security Council. We believe it should be a Chapter 7 resolution and that remains our view and the view of Japan.”
He noted that Chapter 7 had been used in countless resolutions when there is a threat to international peace and security, the main mission of the 15-member Security Council.
Japan has been pressing throughout the week for a vote before the Group of Eight industrial nations meet in St. Petersburg, Russia. Their conference begins on Saturday.
When Bush leaves Germany then look for a statement from China saying NO or VETO to any North Korea Chapter 7 resolution.
Update: UN envoys move closer to text on N. Korean missilesÂ
Still under negotiation is a provision putting the resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which would make it mandatory.
Japan and the United States should push for an early vote tomorrow with a Chapter 7 resolution. Anything less is unacceptable. Make China VETO the resolution. Flap’s guess is that China will stall rather than VETO.
Stay tuned……
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North Korea Watch: Japan Demands Vote on United Nations Resolution
North Korea Watch: China and Russia Introduce Rival “Weakened†North Korea Resolution
North Korea Watch: North Korea Failing to Respond to China’s Diplomatic Efforts
North Korea Watch: North Korea States Conditions for Return to Talks
North Korea Watch: United Nations Security Council Vote on North Korea Postponed
North Korea Watch: China Asks Japan to Postpone United Nations Resolution
North Korea Watch: Japan Considers Pre-emptive Strike Against North Korea
Technorati Tags: NorthKorea, KimJongIl, MissileDefenseAgency
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Illegal Immigration Watch: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist – Less than Even Odds for Immigration Reform Bill Prior to Fall Elections
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) (L) and U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow (R) attend a news conference on May 11, 2006. Frist on Friday gave less than even odds that Congress would pass an immigration law overhaul before the November congressional elections.Reuters: US immigration overhaul given less than even odds
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Friday gave less than even odds that Congress would pass an immigration law overhaul before the November congressional elections.
The Tennessee Republican said that election year politics and lack of movement by the House of Representatives toward a comprehensive approach sought by the Senate and President George W. Bush complicate negotiations for final legislation and that odds for a bill this year were “less than 50-50, realistically.”
But, will the President and Senate budget for increased border enforcement?
Somewhat……
The next President and Congress will have to deal with immigration reform. But, we might get a little more border enforcement/control out of the Bush administration – perhaps.
A US Border Patrol officer patrols the fence at the US-Mexico border near Nogales, Arizona.
Stay tuned……
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Illegal Immigration Watch: House GOP Scheduling More Immigration Hearings
Illegal Immigration Watch: Immigration Reform This Year?
Illegal Immigration Watch: House Hearings on Border Security Begin Today
Technorati Tags: Illegalimmigration, illegalaliens
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CIA Leak Case Watch: Cheney, Libby, Rove “Secretly Spread Rumors”
Former CIA operative Valerie Plame and her husband Joseph Wilson listen to questions at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington July 14, 2006. Plame sued Vice President Dick Cheney , top White House aide Karl Rove and others on Thursday for their role in disclosing her classified CIA employment.
AP: Plame Says Government Betrayed Her Trust
Former CIA officer Valerie Plame and her husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, said Friday they decided to sue Vice President Dick Cheney and presidential adviser Karl Rove because they engaged in a “whispering campaign” to destroy her career.
Plame told at a news conference she trusted the government to protect her and that the government “betrayed that trust. I’d much rather be continuing my career as a public servant than as a plaintiff in a lawsuit.”
Right. And you and your husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, are not Democrat Party partisans who want to embarass President Bush and the GOP administration.
Give Flap a BREAK.
Instead of confronting Wilson on his criticism, the lawsuit said, the White House officials “embarked on an anonymous ‘whispering campaign’ designed to discredit … (the Wilsons) and to deter other critics from speaking out.”
The lawsuit alleges that Cheney, Libby and Rove “secretly spread rumors” that Plame used her position at the CIA to get her husband sent on the Niger trip. It accuses the White House officials of violating the Wilsons’ constitutional rights to equal protection and freedom of speech. It also accuses the officials of violating the couple’s privacy rights.
Thw Wilson’s have a substantial burden of proof in proving their allegations. Why have a news conference if you are pursuing this case in the courts?
Now, wasn’t the news conference arranged so they could make more on writing books and other media?
This lawsuit is going nowhere.
Former CIA operative Valerie Plame and her husband Joseph Wilson arrive to speak at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, July 14, 2006.
Update:
Captain Ed has the poop on the complaint and who the judge that the Wilson’s will now try to disqualify. Ed is right about one thing……the Kossaks must be fuming……
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CIA Leak Case Watch: Vallerie Plame Sues Vice President Cheney, Scooter Libby and Karl Rove
CIA Leak Case Watch: Robert Novak – “My Leak Case Testimonyâ€
Technorati Tags: RobertNovak, ValeriePlame, JoeWilson, CIALeakCase
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Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: Will “Judas Kiss” Sink Lieberman
The Independent: Lieberman’s ‘Judas kiss’ could seal his primary fate
In today’s intense Democratic politics in Connecticut, “The Kiss” does not refer to great works of art. Speak of “The Kiss” and you conjure up an embrace immediately after the President’s State of the Union address in January 2005. The embrace was between George Bush and the state’s junior senator, Joe Lieberman. A better name for it would be the kiss of Judas – or the kiss of death.
Mr Lieberman is one of the Democratic Party’s grandees, a vice-presidential candidate in 2000 who, two years later, ran for President. Today, however, he is in the fight of his life; a senator of 18 years standing who must endure the ignominy of a primary against a dangerous challenger who has built his campaign on his opposition to the war in Iraq.
The candidate himself remembers his brush with Bush slightly differently. “I don’t think he kissed me,” he told Time magazine. “He leaned over, gave me a hug, and said, ‘Thank you for being a patriotic American.'”
But in anti-Bush and anti-war Connecticut, the dispute is academic. Bush’s alleged words only remind voters of Mr Leiberman’s still unwavering support for the invasion of 2003.
The GOP can only hope that Ned Lamont can beat Joe Lieberman in the Democrat primary election in a few weeks. One poll has Ned Lamont behind by only 6 per cent with likely voters (voter turnout in this summer primary election will be low).
Stay tuned for a brutal finish to the Democrat Party eating one of their own….. and then imploding – all brought to you by the left wing “netroots.”
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Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: Lieberman Files To Create NEW Political Party
Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: Senator Hillary Clinton Won’t Back Lieberman If He Loses Democrat Primary – PAYBACK
Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: Senator Hillary Clinton Won’t Back Lieberman If He Loses Democrat PrimarySenator Joe Lieberman Watch: Lieberman Will Run as an Independent if He Loses Democrat Primary
Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: Independent Candidacy this Fall?
Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: MoveOn.org Endorses Challenger Ned Lamont
Technorati Tags: JoeLieberman, NedLamont
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Day By Day by Chris Muir July 14, 2006