Wall Street Journal: U.S., Russia Spar Over Approach to North Korea Threat
Pentagon notes advances by Pyongyang as U.S. warns regime of further isolation, military option
The U.S. and Russia clashed at the United Nations Security Council over how to respond to North Korea’s nuclear-weapons program, a confrontation throwing into doubt U.S. hopes for an international diplomatic solution to the burgeoning crisis.
The standoff between diplomats on Wednesday came just two days before President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin plan to hold their first meeting during the summit of the Group of 20 leading nations in Germany, raising the stakes for both leaders as well as China, which will attend the international gathering.
Following North Korea’s July 4 launch of its first intercontinental ballistic missile, deemed by U.S. officials to be capable of reaching Alaska, U.S. officials invoked direct threats of military action as they tried to marshal coordinated international action.
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WNU Editor: Both Russia and China are making the assumption that the U.S. will not launch a military strike on North Korea .... and they are right. But the problem with this thinking is that their focus is on the wrong party .... their focus should be on what is North Korea doing .... not the U.S. or South Korea. Another problem that I am seeing is that in both Beijing and in Moscow there is now a belief that they can use North Korea as a lever to limit South Korean - U.S. military cooperation .... specifically on military exercises and missile defence .... China, Russia say U.S., South Korea should refrain from military drills (Japan Times/AP). Again ... this is a mistake. The carrot that China and Russia are offering is that they are saying that they can limit North Korea's nuclear and military programs .... but the problem is that North Korea under Kim Jong-Un has shown a tendency to follow a very independent path. In this context .... and with constant threats of war from Pyongyang .... the idea that the U.S. - South Korea - Japan alliance would scale back their defense posture on a promise from Russia and China that they can do something about North Korea .... is a leap of faith that no one in his or her right mind in Seoul-Washington-Japan will take. But the fact that both Moscow and Beijing believe that this is actually a viable and reasonable proposal .... makes me wonder if they are really aware on how much the dynamics have changed in the Far East, or are they working on the assumption that the U.S. will fold, and both South Korea and the U.S. will become "poodles" for what Beijing and Moscow will tell them to do. My prediction ... on the geopolitical level this Chinese-Russian approach is going to cause blow-back that will harm both countries. Russia needs to work and cooperate with the U.S. to address a number of issues that are putting pressure on Moscow right now. The collapse of Russian-sponsored Syrian peace talks. The impact of sanctions on the Russian economy. The continuing Ukraine war and the slow drift to another Cold War .... all of these issues need to be addressed, but they will be ignored by the White House if Russia continues with their current policies and approach towards the U.S. on North Korea. As for China .... they are optimistic that the U.S. will not alter the trade balance/current trade policies between the two countries ... hence they will downplay the North Korean crisis .... and they (with Russia) will veto any new sanctions. My prediction .... if this continues the Chinese and Russians are going to be in for a big surprise .... favouring North Korea and its deranged leader over the U.S. may make sense for the policy makers in Beijing and Moscow .... but from where I am standing .... this is lunacy.
More News On Russia And China Preparing To Block U.S. Calls For More Sanctions On North Korea
North Korean missile launch pits China and Russia against the US -- ABC News Online
How Russia and China are bonding against the US -- Matthew Chance, CNN
Russia Opposes U.S. Call For New Sanctions Against North Korea -- RFE
Russia and China Have a Common Line on Resolving the North Korean Problem -- The Diplomat
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