US warns N. Korea nuclear test may lead to penalties - A free kick maybe?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2005/May/theworld_May353.xml§ion=theworld

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration warned North Korea on Sunday that conducting a nuclear test would be a serious act of “defiance” and would force the United States and its regional partners to consider new punitive steps against Pyongyang.


“Action would have to be taken,” US national security adviser Stephen Hadley told CNN’s “Late Edition.”

Washington’s warning, coupled with similar pressure from Japan, raised the stakes in the nuclear standoff after North Korea announced last week that it had removed fuel rods from its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, a potential precursor to building more weapons or testing one.

Hadley acknowledged the difficulty of assessing whether North Korea was set to conduct a nuclear test, saying it was a ”very difficult target” for US intelligence agencies.

But he told Fox News Sunday: “We’ve seen some evidence that says that they may be preparing for a nuclear test. We have talked to our allies about that. Obviously that would be a serious step.”

[Massacure]

1. A nuclear test would be suicidal for North Korea.

There are two probabilities that can happen from that:

1) China deals with North Korea so that the United States cannot.
2) China doesn't prevent the U.S. from dealing with North Korea.

I don't foresee China letting Kim Jung Il to possess nuclear weapons.

[Selatius]

2. China controls North Korea anyway one cuts it right now

If China did not want Kim going this far, then they would have sent him the message years ago when he set up those refining facilities, not now. They would have cut off shipment of food and oil to the DPRK a long time ago if that were the case. This, in my mind, indicates that China wouldn't do anything except to warn the US not to do anything rash that would hurt the economic situation in Northeast Asia (i.e. war or sanctions or a military embargo).

[pie]

3. I'm with you on this

China will tell the US to butt the hell out...
and we will.