Thai society’s con man unmasked: Smooth criminal pledges to change his stripes

[webfact]

U.N. Security Council unanimously steps up sanctions against North Korea

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets supporters in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang September 12, 2017. REUTERS/KCNA

 

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council unanimously stepped up sanctions against North Korea on Monday over the country's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3, imposing a ban on the country's textile exports and capping imports of crude oil.

 

It was the ninth sanctions resolution unanimously adopted by the 15-member council since 2006 over North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs. The United States watered down an initial tougher draft resolution to win the support of Pyongyang ally China and Russia.

 

Textiles were North Korea's second-biggest export after coal and other minerals in 2016, totalling $752 million, according to data from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. Nearly 80 percent of the textile exports went to China.

 

The resolution imposes a ban on condensates and natural gas liquids, a cap of 2 million barrels a year on refined petroleum products, and a cap on crude oil exports to North Korea at current levels. China supplies most of North Korea's crude.

 

A U.S. official, familiar with the council negotiations and speaking on condition of anonymity, said North Korea imports some 4.5 million barrels of refined petroleum products annually and 4 million barrels of crude oil.

 

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-12

[Raymonddiaz]

as Vladimir Putin said some days ago. This will no change anything to the problem. Sadly true though.

[Raymonddiaz]

only the population in North korea is going to suffer from those sanctions.

[darksidedog]

Stopping ALL of the oil and petrol would have been better as it is totally reliant on imports. It is hard to run a country or a war machine when everything is out of gas.

[craigt3365]

25 minutes ago, Raymonddiaz said:

only the population in North korea is going to suffer from those sanctions.

They suffer due to the actions of their leader.  Place the blame properly.

[Jack Mountain]

The UN is a war mongering organisation nowadays ...

[FreddieRoyle]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Stopping ALL of the oil and petrol would have been better as it is totally reliant on imports. It is hard to run a country or a war machine when everything is out of gas.

But his mates could still ship fuel and gas to him, no? Iran and many other countries (including Thailand) deal with NK.

[mark01]

Non-United Nations pussies.

I'm sure North Korea will now collapse with these extreme actions by some of the U.N.

 

[hawker9000]

38 minutes ago, Jack Mountain said:

The UN is a war mongering organisation nowadays ...

I nominate this for the Silliest Post of the Year Award. 

 

These heightened sanctions are just incrementalist dithering, thanks to the usual culprits, China & Russia, which will have little direct effect and are literally all the useless UN is capable of.  The U.S. should have demanded the full magilla, but of course the UN would have never gone along.   Meanwhile, fatboy just sits back and laughs and continues to build his missiles.   As for the people of N. Korea, everyone with a pulse knows they will NEVER get any energy supplies - or anything else for that matter - but what's left over, if anything, after fatboy's military requirements are satisfied.

 

[craigt3365]

53 minutes ago, Jack Mountain said:

The UN is a war mongering organisation nowadays ...

BS.  The UN doesn't start wars, it tries to prevent them.  Like with these sanctions on North Korea.

[connda]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

They suffer due to the actions of their leader.  Place the blame properly.

The purpose of 'sanctions' is to destabilize the target country, create chaos if possible, and foment regime change.  However, the West simply does not have the logistical infrastructure, such as NGOs, external 'moderate rebels', and external weapons rat-lines into the country to create the chaos needed to accomplish regime change in that very closed totalitarian country.  If UNSC thinks this is going to stop the DPRK from their nuclear weapons program, then they are not taking into account that 'fearless leader' is probably paranoid that his country is on the verge of being attacked (and rightly so), and will no doubt double-down on the program in the face of new sanctions. There is also diplomatic dialogue, but in this day and age, when it comes to diplomacy there are not a lot of adults in the room.  
So sanctions are not going to accomplish much other than to create a civilian humanitarian crisis.  As usual, it's always the civilians who end up suffering.  

[craigt3365]

11 minutes ago, connda said:

The purpose of 'sanctions' is to destabilize the target country, create chaos if possible, and foment regime change.  However, the West simply does not have the logistical infrastructure, such as NGOs, external 'moderate rebels', and external weapons rat-lines into the country to create the chaos needed to accomplish regime change in that very closed totalitarian country.  If UNSC thinks this is going to stop the DPRK from their nuclear weapons program, then they are not taking into account that 'fearless leader' is probably paranoid that his country is on the verge of being attacked (and rightly so), and will no doubt double-down on the program in the face of new sanctions. There is also diplomatic dialogue, but in this day and age, when it comes to diplomacy there are not a lot of adults in the room.  
So sanctions are not going to accomplish much other than to create a civilian humanitarian crisis.  As usual, it's always the civilians who end up suffering.  

Agreed!  But why are there sanctions?  Because of a paranoid 'fearless leader'.  The people there have suffered for decades.  All because of their leaders.  South Korea is doing great.  Because of their leaders.  Time for a change.  It may be painful, but it's the right thing to do.

 

No easy answers here due to their leaders being paranoid.

[stevenl]

I did not expect any new sanctions, so this is a surprise. Do agree with some others that these sanctions don't seem the most effective, a stop on mineral exports e.g. would hurt the leadership much more. However especially China would veto that one the present new sanctions hurt the people much more.

[sweatalot]

Now I am waiting for the ranting and raving from  fat moon face

Edited September 12, 2017 by sweatalot

[sweatalot]

2 hours ago, FreddieRoyle said:

But his mates could still ship fuel and gas to him, no? Iran and many other countries (including Thailand) deal with NK.

they would also need a sea blockade if they want to look serious

[sweatalot]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

Agreed!  But why are there sanctions?  Because of a paranoid 'fearless leader'.  The people there have suffered for decades.  All because of their leaders.  South Korea is doing great.  Because of their leaders.  Time for a change.  It may be painful, but it's the right thing to do.

 

No easy answers here due to their leaders being paranoid.

... and protected (by China and Russia)

[Morch]

4 hours ago, Jack Mountain said:

The UN is a war mongering organisation nowadays ...

 

The UN is made up of individual member countries. It is not a separate entity, and it does not command any armies.

[Morch]

5 hours ago, car720 said:

but watch how quickly he would be replaced if he tried to replace the petro dollar for something else.

But watch how quickly non-related arguments, justifications and excuses would be made whenever new measures are brought to bear.

[Morch]

4 hours ago, FreddieRoyle said:

But his mates could still ship fuel and gas to him, no? Iran and many other countries (including Thailand) deal with NK.

 

The original proposal called for inspections of any shipments to NK. The agreed upon version is milder. Doubt that it was expected the original draft would be accepted, but diplomacy is about bargaining and compromise. As the sanctions are approved by the UNSC, it may be give some countries dealing with NK pause. Iran, for example, might be careful about jeopardizing it's own post-sanctions economy at risk, for the sake of supporting Kim.

[Srikcir]

Interesting comment from Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia :

"Russia does not accept the claims of DPRK to become a nuclear state and has supported all of the security council resolutions demanding an end to the nuclear missile programs of Pyongyang in the interest of de-nuclearizing the Korean peninsula."

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/11/politics/north-korea-un-security-council-vote/index.html

 

[sawadeeken]

Start a 'Shipping Blockade' as they did outside of Cuba years ago...........

[craigt3365]

14 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Interesting comment from Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia :

"Russia does not accept the claims of DPRK to become a nuclear state and has supported all of the security council resolutions demanding an end to the nuclear missile programs of Pyongyang in the interest of de-nuclearizing the Korean peninsula."

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/11/politics/north-korea-un-security-council-vote/index.html

 

And yet business between Russia and North Korea are up 70% this year.  Hmmm....

[simple1]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

And yet business between Russia and North Korea are up 70% this year.  Hmmm....

Don't forget N.K. experienced severe drought which demanded an increase on freight movements, though admittedly I do not know the specifics on what Russia is shipping to N.K. I believe I recall correctly, last year Russian export trade to N.K. was only valued at approx $150m. On the oil import issue IMO it's probably necessary not to cease oil supply, both on a humanitarian and political level i.e. to assist in the prevention of a collapse of N.K. and resultant major problems for the neighbouring countries.

 

Suppose someone will come along and shoot down my thoughts

Edited September 12, 2017 by simple1

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

And yet business between Russia and North Korea are up 70% this year.  Hmmm....

Apparently not with official approval from the Russian government, albeit perhaps with one eye closed.

• Russian smugglers are scurrying to the aid of North Korea with shipments of petroleum and other vital supplies that could help that country weather harsh new economic sanctions
• Russian entrepreneurs are seizing opportunities to make a quick profit, setting up a maze of front companies to conceal transactions and launder payments

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-russian-smuggling-north-korea-sanctions-20170911-story.html

But blaming rise on smugglers gives Putin diplomatic denial.

[craigt3365]

5 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Apparently not with official approval from the Russian government, albeit perhaps with one eye closed.

• Russian smugglers are scurrying to the aid of North Korea with shipments of petroleum and other vital supplies that could help that country weather harsh new economic sanctions
• Russian entrepreneurs are seizing opportunities to make a quick profit, setting up a maze of front companies to conceal transactions and launder payments

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-russian-smuggling-north-korea-sanctions-20170911-story.html

But blaming rise on smugglers gives Putin diplomatic denial.

Putin also denied Russian troops were in Crimea.  Then later admitted there were.  Hard to believe what he, or his government, says. LOL

 

http://www.dw.com/en/russia-steps-up-north-korea-support-to-constrain-us/a-38867861

 

Quote

 

Russia steps up North Korea support to constrain US

In spite of international sanctions on North Korea's communist regime, Russia has been increasing fuel exports to Pyongyang and filling in the supply gap created by China halting trade. Julian Ryall reports.

 

 

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.  

[Morch]

23 hours ago, car720 said:

I am sorry.  I missed your point.  Please explain.

 

It was a reference to the Pavlovian comments regarding petro-dollar, often made without much relevance to the topic at hand.

[Morch]

1 minute ago, car720 said:

A matter of opinion about the relevance but what has the drooling of Pavlov's dog got to do with it?  Apart from ringing somebody's bell.

 

Easy: mention possible US intervention (bell) -> yada yada yada petro-dollar comment (response).

[Morch]

2 minutes ago, car720 said:

Is it not then why there is a comment box facility in order to solicit various responses to various topics and to influence opinion?

Nothing to do with what I posted.