So much for the promised sanctions within “a day or two” by the U.N. in response to North Korea’s latest nuclear testing missions.  It’s now been over two weeks and a draft proposal has just now been announced.  In the meantime, North Korea has now had all this time to do whatever it is that’s making it so confident in their declaration of war should the sanctions be applied. 

For some reason, the White House is calling this threat “rhetoric “.  I’m not so sure.  It sounds as though the communist country means business, especially since any response to the imminent sanctions has been non-plussed.  The threats haven’t worked and now, it’s culminated to today’s promise by North Korea of a “merciless offensive” should these sanctions be passed. 

So what does the Security Council promise these sanctions will do?  They’ll bite.  Oh, wait…they’ll bite in a “meaningful way”.  The truth is, sanctions imposed in the past have done nothing to slow the development of these nuclear weapons.  North Korea simply isn’t intimidated.  The new sanctions promise to freeze North Korea’s business assets, expand the current arms embargo and North Korea will no longer be allowed any

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financial dealings with any other country on the planet.  These sanctions sound severe enough, but still, the most troubling aspect is the fact leaders in Pyongyang have yet to flinch.  In fact, the country as a whole seems no more concerned than Google is over its new competition, Bing.

The probability of these nuclear testing operations coming to a halt seems to be non-existent.  The country has adamantly refused to cease the tests.  Still, the five permanent nations believe this new resolution will pass on Thursday and are in hopes the sanctions will be enough to thwart North Korea’s plans for further testing. 

The draft includes language that suggests it’s no stronger than the one passed in 2006.  Countries will be prohibited from providing supplies or fuel to the country’s vessels only if reasonable doubts exist over what the vessel is carrying, such as weapons.  Force will not be authorized to ensure these vessels agree to on-board inspections. 

Only time will tell if the latest threats of war will come full circle.  Somehow, this just has a feeling of there being no need for too much time to pass.

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