Rasheed, let's not get carried away here, Bush does not even deserve that
little credit. Declaring an 'axis of evil' is counterproductive and will not
give 'access to evil', on the contrary I think it does not help, it's like
the boxer getting up on the countdown and being severely hit again(in the
case of NC that is). The fact that North-Corea is moving away from isolation
is much more due to a dutch footbal coach than the US president. The
positive attention for South-Corea in the world cup has by far a greater
influence and made the neighbours realise a thing or two. The(capitalistic)
world and the US especially have been relentlessly teasing NC in the past.
Bush his axis speech is not the first speech that labelled NC as being evil,
so if it did not matter to NC in the past why should it matter now? If there
is one president in the whole wide world that the NC's have never listened
to than it's the US president. One other main reason is the current
economic situation, it's bad, very bad, Corean people are poor and are
suffering for many years now, but the US sends help(food) and this is
something which they do and do not like. I think this creates a conflict in
the country which KIM Chong-il likes to avoid. I got this from the CIA page
indicating that reforms have started years ago but that it still is not
going too well because of the centrally planned economy and army cost
putting pressure on the budget ;''North Korea, one of the world's most
centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate economic
conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of
years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. The nation faces its
seventh year of food shortages because of weather-related problems,
including major drought in 2000, and chronic shortages of fertilizer and
fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to
escape the major consequence of spreading economic failure, such as mass
starvation, but the population remains vulnerable to prolonged malnutrition
and deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up
resources needed for expanding investment and consumption goods. In 2000,
the regime placed emphasis on expanding foreign trade links, embracing
modern technology, and attracting foreign investment, but in no way at the
expense of relinquishing central control over key national assets or
undergoing market-oriented reforms. ''
I suspect the reforms started a little earlier even back in 1994 when old
KIM Il-song died and his son took over. Though still dictatorial and haevily
protectionistic(common ground also for the US), there have been signs that
it is changing. To summarize I think that Bush shows again his lack of
knowledge of foreign affairs, he is stilled pissed off because of the
soldiers that were killed back in the seventies, he once again shows very
little knowledge of foreign affairs but he what's new?
Davor, who would like to be on an evil ax, sounds mighty tough!
>From: HisSheedness@aol.com
>Reply-To: moq_discuss@moq.org
>To: moq_discuss@moq.org
>Subject: MD The Axis of Evil
>Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 14:10:18 EDT
>
>On the subject of Bush being a incontrovertible dimwit, have any of you
>been
>reading about the progress of North Korea towards democratization?
>Apparently, Bush's speech placing North Korea in the 'Axis of Evil' has had
>a
>huge effect on them, as seen in this NY Times article from yesterday,
>September 25th:
>
>"Regional political analysts cite a number of factors in the shift.
>President
>Bush's description of North Korea as part of an "axis of evil" may have
>created a sense of urgency about overcoming isolation."
>
>If you're like me, you were rolling on the floor laughing when Bush gave
>his
>speech about his "Axis of Evil" . . . you can usually distinguish between
>the
>remarks Bush draws from his speechwriters and the ones he racks his own
>brains to think of. But it's the inherent naiveity of Bush that makes him
>believe he can change everything, added to the fact that other countries
>must
>take him much more seriously than people like me. North Korea has a bigger
>nuclear weapons arsenal than Iraq, has demonstrated the same amount of, if
>not more, animosity towards America than Iraq, and is headed by a similar
>quasi-dictator, Kim Jong Il being an admitted Stalinist. But now they are
>opening a "capitalist zone" on the border with China, resuming relations
>with
>Japan, and beginning nuclear disarmament.
>
>Of course this is not all happening solely because of the "Axis of Evil"
>label, but how much progress with North Korea did Clinton make? Perhaps
>it's
>an unfair comparison because of worldwide officiousness towards the US
>after
>9-11, but it still confuses me as to how such a jejune remark could so
>alter
>the mindset of a dictator. It's something only Bush can do, I suppose.
>
>Rasheed
>
>P.S. Davor, does that mean I have your vote? I had better, or else you'll
>find your way into my new 'Axis of Evil.'
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