Why, you may ask, is Russia and China taking North Korea's side? Simple, the same reason they oppose imposing sactions on Iran: money and fear!
Like Iran, North Korea makes considerable purchases of items other countries would not even consider buying from Russia & China adding considerably to each country's revenue.
Then there is the Kim Jong - powder keg factor. Who wants to go against a madman that has weapons that are locked and loaded on his neighbors and can easily be launched against them without provocation.
Kim Jong has tested his missiles just outside Russian, Japanese and Taiwan's airspace without so much as a warning, making dialogue and diplomatic relations tenuous at best. Russia and China have not supported the US on sanctions in the past (like when thousands of North Koreans were dying every day) so this little matter of nuclear/military proliferation, will eventually die a quiet death, as it has in the past, until Kim Jong gets bored again and decides to stir up troupble.
He's like Britney Spears, can't stand not being in the limelight and the center of attention, but hate the negative attention they draw thinking they are undeserving of criticism.
Posted by Michele at July 6, 2006 08:14 PM | TrackBack