WASHINGTON, June 21, 2009
Obama Speaks Out On North Korea
Says U.S. "Fully Prepared" For Missile Test, But Pyongyang's "Belligerence And Provocation" Will Not Be Dealt With As Before
-
President Barack Obama interviewed by CBS News' Harry Smith. (CBS)
-
Interactive N. Korea: Tests And Threats Follow recent events and learn about this secretive nation's nuclear capabilities.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News' Harry Smith, scheduled to air on The Early Show on Monday, Mr. Obama said that the international community is united against North Korea's provocative actions.
Here is an excerpt:
Harry Smith: North Koreans have basically said that their intention is to fire a missile toward Hawaii on or about the 4th of July. Secretary Gates has said there has been a military adjustment and to watch out for something like that happening. But beyond the sanctions and beyond the isolation that has already been tried, what has to happen to get North Korea to at least act like they're part of the community of nations?
President Obama: Well, first of all, let's be clear. This administration - and our military - is fully prepared for any contingencies. And -
Harry Smith: Is that a warning of a military response?
President Obama: No. It's just we are prepared for any contingencies. I don't want to speculate on hypotheticals. But I do want to give assurances to the American people that the T's are crossed and the I's are dotted in terms of what might happen. More broadly, I think the international community has spoken.
When you've got Russia and China as well as South Korea and Japan, the United States, the entire Security Council - saying unequivocally that North Korea has violated international law, that - and, and is willing to impose tougher sanctions -
Harry Smith: They're still defiant, though.
President Obama: Well, [what] that sends a signal, though, is of a unity in the international community that we haven't seen in quite some time. And one of the things that we have been very clear about is that North Korea has a path towards rejoining the international community. And we hope they take that path. What we're not going to do is to reward belligerence and provocation in the way that's been done in the past.
The discussion, Part Two of Smith's exclusive interview with Mr. Obama, will air on the CBS News broadcast The Early Show on Monday, June 22, at 7:00 a.m. ET.
Part One of the interview was aired on the CBS News braodcast Sunday Morning on June 21. To read the transcript, click here.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 19 Comments
- The GOP is nothing but a bunch of Thugs. All they want is power and control and are willing to give nothing in return. Tell me, what did 8 years of GWB get us? NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING but a bad reputation. The world no longer sees us as leaders. They see us as greedy bullies. That's not what the country is suppose to be about. The GOP is going down further and further. They are the equivalent of the current leaders of Iran.
- Reply to this comment
- by ken1dall June 21, 2009 3:52 PM PDT
"Let me be clear" Obama is a sissy. Things are beginning to unravel........
_____
LMAO No they're not. As if...
You can't make a coherant point, just bluster.
Let ME be clear, there is NOTHING that Obama can do at this point, other than what he has done.
You doomsday Republicans HOPE for a major ***** up, which makes you anti-American.
And sad. sad figures... - Reply to this comment
- Yes? Bush spent so much time dealing with North Korea that he during his eight years they could restart their nuke program. Build and test a nuke and fire missiles over Japan. Bush did so much to scare them into submission? Yes? Bush was so much braver then Obama to ignore North Korea for eight years. I?m surprised that North Korea wasnt blasted off the map because of all that Bush did to prevent its further nuclear proliferation. Go? Bush?. Do as little as possible then your base can blame the next President for your short comings.
- Reply to this comment
- What Obama is saying in a nice way is "Don't make me angry! You wouldn't like me when I am angry"
- Reply to this comment
- Dear Great Leader of North Korea. As I am sure you have noticed, Mr. Obama is Jimmy Carter with a suntan. He is timid, irresolute, unsure, weak, hesitant, and risk adverse. Therefore, you may proceed as you please without fearing any consequences.
- Reply to this comment
- government_control
Please inform us what in hell do you want the President to do,
bomb Iran back to the stone age,attack North Korea and risk
maybe starting World War 3
All you neon con republicans want is war war war war and more war
well too bad,because that aint gonna happen!!!!!!!!!!! We now have a President for the next 4 years,hopfully 8 years,who will bring honor and respect back to this country that was lost after 8 years of George W. Bush who drove this nation almost to near ruin and caused the US to be hated and dispised by the rest of the world. - Reply to this comment
- So what's Obama's next step . . . another strongly worded memo. The reason that rogue nation continues this defiance is because they have absolutely no fear of, or respect for Obama.
- Reply to this comment
-
- Yep. This is a man who never had to fight for anything, work for anything, struggle for anything, sweat for anything. He is an empty suit dreamed up by David Axelrod and stuffed with the money of limousine liberals
- "Let me be clear" Obama is a sissy. Things are beginning to unravel........
- Reply to this comment
-
- ""Let me be clear" Obama is a sissy. Things are beginning to unravel........ "
This is the kind of mentality that allowed america to enter (and lose) 3 wars (Iraq, Afghanistan, Georgia) and flush itself down the toilet. I think somebody might need to take a big stick and beat the Bud-nonethe-weiser out of you the next time you get out of your pickup truck at the square dance.
- ""Let me be clear" Obama is a sissy. Things are beginning to unravel........ "
- obama = weakness
obama = cowardice
obama = appeasement - Reply to this comment
-
- Did you even read the story? President Obama did not display any of those attributes! Quite the opposite, in fact.
"government_control" = ignorance
"government_control" = mindless dittohead
"government_control" = republican dead-ender
- Did you even read the story? President Obama did not display any of those attributes! Quite the opposite, in fact.
- I would agree, it appears he is acting with forethought on this one. But, on the other hand, I'm not sure what he is talking about when he says, "What we're not going to do is to reward belligerence and provocation in the way that's been done in the past."
No one has done this in the past.
What HAS happened is that NK has promised to be good and they have been given humanitarian aid to help their people, only to have Kim or his father break their promises.
The President is being disengenious to the public when he says previous leaders have rewarded Kim for being belligerent. It kind of makes me think Barry would like to make his results look better by belittling other people's efforts instead of providing results himself.
God help the socialist if he hasn't got all the "i"s dotted and "t"s crossed, because those that like to throw stones should not live in glass houses. - Reply to this comment
-
- "I'm not sure what he is talking about when he says, "What we're not going to do is to reward belligerence and provocation in the way that's been done in the past."
"No one has done this in the past." -- speakinup22
You have a short memory, don't you?
North Korea exploded a small nuke and threatened to make and blow up more nukes, then they said they wouldn't make any more IF the US bribed them not to, and Cowboy George Bush rewarded their belligerence by removing some of the sanctions against them and by removing them from the list of terrorism sponsors.
- Have you forgotten that the "strategery" Little King George tried with North Korea was what he called DIPLOMACY? (Not intelligent or effective diplomacy, just COWARDICE because his hands were full invading and occupying Iraq and torturing innocent people to try to get them to falsely claim Iraq and al Qaeda were in cahoots.)
- "I'm not sure what he is talking about when he says, "What we're not going to do is to reward belligerence and provocation in the way that's been done in the past."
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
