Is President Obama making the Korea situation worse?
|
Thursday, 11 Nov. 2010
|18:06 - 19:00 GMT
On Wednesday President Obama announced that a joint military exercise between the US and South Korea will take place during the next week.
A South Korean foreign military spokesman said
Over telephone talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we agreed that through the drill, we will be able to ...send a clear message to the North in relation to the recent situation.
But will this send a strong message to Pyongyang or will it add fuel to an already tense situation? North Korea has already threatened a military response to any further incidents on what it calls the 'illegal' maritime border.
Writing in the Independent newspaper, Adrian Hamilton says that Obama is doing nothing to help the crisis:
The very worst response to the Korean crisis is to do what President Obama did yesterday...We've been here before and it's never done any good. Certainly it's done nothing to change Pyongyang's behaviour.
Leslie H. Gelb says that negotiation with North Korea is impossible and that the US is not going to risk a war. In the circumstances, this is the right decision:
What policy choices does the United States have? Above all, there is agreement within the administration now, as before, that America must follow the South Korean lead. It is their country, and it is they who will be most at risk. Almost certainly, Seoul and Washington will agree to beef up America's naval presence in the area, and that's the right military move.
Not everyone is as convinced though. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for the Philipines, Esteban Conejos Jr., said his government will be watching very closely to see what happens. In GMA news he said,
the Philippine government is "worried" over the implications of the joint exercise....which could be interpreted by some sectors as "a show of force".
And China is also wary of greater US involvement in the area
Writing on Facebook, Aniebet says the South Korean government should be stronger:
The weakness displayed by the South Koreans in their responses to military threats from the North! A vote of no-confidence should be passed on that regime.
Is President Obama right to send warships to the Korean border? Should the US support its South Korean ally? Will this make the situation worse? Is there any other way to deal with North Korea?
That''s all from World Have Your Say today. You can continue the debate at . See you tomorrow - same time, same place...
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19:01
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Batarben emailed - I think referees should be protected.But they should also consider that their actions might attract bad reception from all the stockholders
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19:01
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Gregg emailed - I play Sendo in the UK, and referees have a lot of respect during a match. What they say goes, and if you foul and they penalize you, it is considered respectful to bow to them as an apology
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18:56
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Alex Marshall on Facebook - Maybe we need a pre-emptive Scottish refs' strike on North Korea
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18:56
115612071
Respect is earned, not forced. Referees are paid to do a job and if they are not doing it well, people should have the right to criticize them. Matthew, Ghana
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18:56
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Essay42 - i just heard news about the scottish refrees... Actually they are just showing their importance on the football match which has been sidelined by the Mangaers,Players and the Owners !!
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18:48
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john smith-jamaica on the blog - I believe that the scottish referees and indeed referees in other countries have caused the position to become one which receives very little respect. Once referees begin realising that they are human beings and prone to mistakes rather than acting the bully and then expect the football rules to protect them, maybe they will begin to get the sympathy of spectators.
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18:47
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ZK in Singapore emails - I say good on the referees. Something like this has been a long time coming.
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18:44
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We''re going to leave it there for the Korean discussion. Now we''re moving on to ask if sports officials should have to accept that abuse from spectators is just part of the game?
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18:39
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Jonathan on Facebook - These events were not reported in the same sequence they actually happened. I only came to know that South Korea was conducting military exercises 'close to' the disputed region long after hearing the much publicised shelling by the North. Are we sure the North isn't in fact the victim here?
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18:36
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Daniel in Kampala emails - I believe Obama was right in advising the south to react in a restrained manner. Otherwise we have witnessed an outbreak of a third world war
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18:33
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Dr. Esser in Germany emails - Chinas policy is to never do anything out of a question of principle like freedom or justice but only out of pragmatism: is it good for us or not?
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18:33
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Pat in Philadelphia emails - The US military and the Korean Arm Forces have been having an annual group of war games since I was stationed at Osan Air Base in 1980/1981. At the time, a head's up was giving to every country in the area. There's no legitimacy reason for the North's latest stint except they need more aid.
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18:31
114295205
Koreans should be working towards reunification instead of acting as fronts for the Sino American war of economic and military supremecy. Mustapha Kawoje. Nigeria.
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18:28
108798409
D US鈥檚 joint military exercise with South Korea should go ahead 2 keep d warning bells ringing in d ears of d North Koreans that their southern neighbours has a powerful ally in America waiting 2 resist any act of aggression against South Korea. North Korea鈥檚 provocative act against South Korea is intended 2 test America鈥檚 sincerity about protecting 8鈥檚 ally. Musa Y. Sherif, Monrovia
Is President Obama making the Korea situation worse?
| Thursday, 11 Nov. 2010 | 18:06 - 19:00 GMT
On Wednesday President Obama announced that a joint military exercise between the US and South Korea will take place during the next week.
A South Korean foreign military spokesman said
Over telephone talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we agreed that through the drill, we will be able to ...send a clear message to the North in relation to the recent situation.
But will this send a strong message to Pyongyang or will it add fuel to an already tense situation? North Korea has already threatened a military response to any further incidents on what it calls the 'illegal' maritime border.
Writing in the Independent newspaper, Adrian Hamilton says that Obama is doing nothing to help the crisis:
The very worst response to the Korean crisis is to do what President Obama did yesterday...We've been here before and it's never done any good. Certainly it's done nothing to change Pyongyang's behaviour.
Leslie H. Gelb says that negotiation with North Korea is impossible and that the US is not going to risk a war. In the circumstances, this is the right decision:
What policy choices does the United States have? Above all, there is agreement within the administration now, as before, that America must follow the South Korean lead. It is their country, and it is they who will be most at risk. Almost certainly, Seoul and Washington will agree to beef up America's naval presence in the area, and that's the right military move.
Not everyone is as convinced though. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for the Philipines, Esteban Conejos Jr., said his government will be watching very closely to see what happens. In GMA news he said,
the Philippine government is "worried" over the implications of the joint exercise....which could be interpreted by some sectors as "a show of force".
And China is also wary of greater US involvement in the area
Writing on Facebook, Aniebet says the South Korean government should be stronger:
The weakness displayed by the South Koreans in their responses to military threats from the North! A vote of no-confidence should be passed on that regime.
Is President Obama right to send warships to the Korean border? Should the US support its South Korean ally? Will this make the situation worse? Is there any other way to deal with North Korea?
Your comments
Comment sent via host
That''s all from World Have Your Say today. You can continue the debate at . See you tomorrow - same time, same place...
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Batarben emailed - I think referees should be protected.But they should also consider that their actions might attract bad reception from all the stockholders
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Gregg emailed - I play Sendo in the UK, and referees have a lot of respect during a match. What they say goes, and if you foul and they penalize you, it is considered respectful to bow to them as an apology
Comment sent via Facebook
Alex Marshall on Facebook - Maybe we need a pre-emptive Scottish refs' strike on North Korea
Comment sent via SMS
Respect is earned, not forced. Referees are paid to do a job and if they are not doing it well, people should have the right to criticize them. Matthew, Ghana
Comment sent via Facebook
Essay42 - i just heard news about the scottish refrees... Actually they are just showing their importance on the football match which has been sidelined by the Mangaers,Players and the Owners !!
Comment sent via BLOG
john smith-jamaica on the blog - I believe that the scottish referees and indeed referees in other countries have caused the position to become one which receives very little respect. Once referees begin realising that they are human beings and prone to mistakes rather than acting the bully and then expect the football rules to protect them, maybe they will begin to get the sympathy of spectators.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
ZK in Singapore emails - I say good on the referees. Something like this has been a long time coming.
Comment sent via host
We''re going to leave it there for the Korean discussion. Now we''re moving on to ask if sports officials should have to accept that abuse from spectators is just part of the game?
Comment sent via Facebook
Jonathan on Facebook - These events were not reported in the same sequence they actually happened. I only came to know that South Korea was conducting military exercises 'close to' the disputed region long after hearing the much publicised shelling by the North. Are we sure the North isn't in fact the victim here?
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Daniel in Kampala emails - I believe Obama was right in advising the south to react in a restrained manner. Otherwise we have witnessed an outbreak of a third world war
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Dr. Esser in Germany emails - Chinas policy is to never do anything out of a question of principle like freedom or justice but only out of pragmatism: is it good for us or not?
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Pat in Philadelphia emails - The US military and the Korean Arm Forces have been having an annual group of war games since I was stationed at Osan Air Base in 1980/1981. At the time, a head's up was giving to every country in the area. There's no legitimacy reason for the North's latest stint except they need more aid.
Comment sent via SMS
Koreans should be working towards reunification instead of acting as fronts for the Sino American war of economic and military supremecy. Mustapha Kawoje. Nigeria.
Comment sent via SMS
D US鈥檚 joint military exercise with South Korea should go ahead 2 keep d warning bells ringing in d ears of d North Koreans that their southern neighbours has a powerful ally in America waiting 2 resist any act of aggression against South Korea. North Korea鈥檚 provocative act against South Korea is intended 2 test America鈥檚 sincerity about protecting 8鈥檚 ally. Musa Y. Sherif, Monrovia