How does this grab you?

Bush administration lifts North Korea sanctions: Bush administration lifts North Korea sanctions - Yahoo! News

By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 4 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Thursday lifted trade sanctions against North Korea and moved to remove it from the U.S. terrorism blacklist, a remarkable turnaround in policy toward the communist regime he once branded as part of an "axis of evil."

The announcement at the White House came after North Korea handed over a long-awaited accounting of its nuclear work to Chinese officials on Thursday, fulfilling a key step in the denuclearization process.

Bush called the declaration a positive step along a long road to get the nation to give up its nuclear weapons. Yet, he remained wary of the regime, which has lied about its nuclear work before. And North Korea's declaration, received six months late, falls short of what the administration once sought, leaving it open to criticism from those who want the U.S. to take an even tougher stance against the regime.

"We will trust you only to the extent you fulfill your promises," Bush said in the Rose Garden. "I'm pleased with the progress. I'm under no illusions. This is the first step. This isn't the end of the process. It is the beginning of the process."

Conservative Republicans — once Bush's closest allies in efforts to confront North Korea's nuclear aspirations — came out strongly against his decision to remove the regime from the terrorist list. But with only 45 days until the change takes effect, there appears to be little that frustrated lawmakers can do. To block the North's removal, opponents would have to push legislation through a Congress controlled by Democrats who have largely favored the administration's efforts at engaging the North.

With the exception of some limited imports from RNK and some banking restrictions lifted, there's virtually no substantial changes to the sanctions placed on RNK. The UN sanctions are still in place and that means that they are still very much locked down in most areas. IMO, this is a good step. Offer them a baby carrot with a big stick ready to slap 'em upside the head. If they conform to our demands, then offer them a bigger carrot and a slightly smaller stick. RNK is not going to change overnight, it's going to be a process and rewarding them for taking steps in the right direction is a good thing to do.

Won't this throw evil in to a spin by removing one of its axis.

............BREAKING NEWS...................

After all the noise about "bad North Korea", US decided to change its mind.
Well.... Russia welcomes America's decision.....

Let's hope there will be no more "Axis of evil" stuff in America's foreign policies.... Good job, USA!


22:02 | 26/ 06/ 2008


WASHINGTON, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - U.S. President George W. Bush said on Thursday that Washington would lift unilateral trade sanctions against North Korea and remove it from a terrorism blacklist.


The statement came after Pyongyang handed over earlier on Thursday detailed data on its nuclear activities to China, breaking a deadlock in the six-nation nuclear disarmament talks.
Bush said the move was "a step closer in the right direction," but added that Washington remained concerned about North Korea's uranium enrichment activities and suspected sales of nuclear technology to other countries.

"The United States has no illusions about the regime in Pyongyang," Bush said at the White House. "If North Korea makes the wrong choices, the United States and our partners in the six-party talks will respond accordingly."
The U.S. Department of State said in a statement that the presidential announcement regarding the lifting of sanctions was largely symbolic.
"The president's action on June 26 effectively lifts the application of the Trading with the Enemy Act [TWEA]," the department said.

"This action is largely symbolic, as most of the TWEA-based sanctions were lifted in 2000. Other sanctions - in particular those related to North Korea's detonation of a nuclear device on October 9, 2006, proliferation activities, and human rights violations - will continue on the basis of other laws and regulations," the statement said.

Pyongyang missed a deadline for submitting the data late last year, causing six-nation talks involving China, Japan, Russia, the U.S. and the two Koreas to stall. Pyongyang also agreed in February 2007 to halt its nuclear programs in return for economic aid and diplomatic incentives.

Russia welcomed the steps by North Korea and the U.S.

"We welcome this move, as well as the U.S. pledge to remove North Korea from the list of states sponsoring terrorism and lift sanctions against the country," said Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin, who leads the Russian delegation at the six-party talks.

RIA Novosti - Online news - U.S. to lift sanctions, remove N.Korea from terrorism list - Bush

The problem is Russia is friends with all dictators. Russia would feel different if Chechnya had nukes I'll bet.

The problem is Russia is friends with all dictators. Russia would feel different if Chechnyans had nukes down their necks I'll bet.

Mikeyy, did you read the article? This kind of terminology is a thing of the past.
North Korea is no longer a part of the so-called "Axis of evil", and Mr. Kim Jong Il is no longer a dictator.

I mean..... Please, update yourself.

What do you think? Is he a dictator? Does he starve his own people? Do you have an opinion on the "Dear Leader"?

I would hope so.... lol

EXACTLY!!!

When you make it worth thier while to be good, they tend to straighten up and fly right. As long as we maintain that big stick, I'm all for finding small ways to make the people of RNK appreciate the US, as long as we don't compromise our security while doing so.

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Our nation has not always lived up to its ideals, yet those ideals have never ceased to guide us. They expose our flaws, and lead us to mend them. We are the beneficiaries of the work of the generations before us and it is each generation's responsibility to continue that work. - Laura Bush

God is a conservative -

Ecclesiastes 10:2--"A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left."