Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Stop the War! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Just_Observing who wrote (1260)	3/22/2003 3:06:15 PM
From: Just_Observing	Respond to of 21614

UN Envoy Says US-Korea War Possible 3-22-3 (AFP) -- A top United Nations envoy returned from North Korea and said it was possible the United States and the Stalinist nation could go to war although Pyongyang was keen to avoid conflict. Maurice Strong, special envoy of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, told reporters on arrival in Beijing: "There is no need for war and yet war could occur if the parties concerned cannot find a way of resolving the differences across the table diplomatically." He noted though that North Korea and the United States wanted to avoid war. "I know that they do wish to do this. It is simply the method of doing it that now divides them," Strong said at the Beijing airport upon returning from a four-day mission to North Korea. Prior to leaving Pyongyang Saturday, he told China's Xinhua news agency that North Korea wants "very much" a peaceful solution to its stand-off with the United States focused on its nuclear programme. "The message I get is that the DPRK (North Korea) wants very much a peaceful resolution, but at the same time, it must remain (maintain) its sovereignty," Strong was quoted by Xinhua saying. North Korea wants direct talks with Washington to end the stand-off, demanding a non-aggression pact as a precondition. Washington rules out one-one-one talks until North Korea dismantles its nuclear programmes. Strong told reporters Sunday he sensed concern from Pyongyang that North Korea could be the next target of US military action given the start of the US-led war in Iraq, but that there was a "very strong commitment" on Pyongyang's part to seek a peaceful solution. "Fear I do not believe is in their vocabulary. Concern, yes. Real determination to seek a peaceful settlement at the same time preparation for war if necessary," Strong said. He said there was no visible evidence of preparations for war or a heightened sense of tension in North Korea. However he had noted among attitudes in the country a "high degree of preparedness" for any war and "a deep concern" for the perceived threat to North Korean's security and a determination to defend their security. "But at the same time they have a very strong commitment to finding a pathway to a peaceful resolution," Strong said. He said North Korea could take more actions deemed provocative by the international community, but which Pyongyang would consider "logical" in light of its security concerns and a sign of its determination to defend themselves. North Korea launched a short-range anti-ship missile into the Sea of Japan on February 24 and again on March 10, sparking fears especially in Japan that it preparing to test a ballistic missile. "It should not be surprising if they continue these actions which are often interpreted as provocative and do indeed have a provocative element, but the purposes as they describe them are simply to continue their process of preparation for conflict should conflict arise," Strong said. He told Xinhua the Iraq war gave "new impetus" to the need to resolve the North Korea crisis peacefully. He urged Washington and Pyongyang to hold talks as soon as possible. "I can only say that the longer the delay, the greater the risk of escalation, the greater the risk of deepening the differences and the hostility and the hardening of attitudes," Strong said. The visit was Strong's second since the crisis between North Korea and the United States erupted in October. North Korea has ramped up pressure on Washington to return to talks by expelling UN inspectors, firing up a mothballed nuclear reactor, withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty and test-launching the missiles. North Korea on Friday accused the United States of massing military forces on its border to launch a preemptive strike on its nuclear facilities to coincide with the war on Iraq. rense.com

To: Just_Observing who wrote (1260)	3/22/2003 4:39:10 PM
From: Art Bechhoefer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21614

Regarding the arrangement between Halliburton and Cheney, I do not believe Cheney gets deferred income from Halliburton. But I do know that Cheney retains options that can be exercised after he leaves government service. If Halliburton gets lucrative contracts while Cheney just happens to be Vice President, and if Halliburton stock goes up as a result, the options that Cheney is allowed to exercise later on will go up in value. Cheney may claim that he has no part in any decisions to award contracts to his friends at Halliburton, but the fact remains that the options arrangements he has with Halliburton guarantee that he will make more money if Halliburton receives government contracts than if some other company received them. This is a clear conflict of interest and is tantamount to taking a bribe (payable later on), raising the issue of whether this is an impeachable crime. Art