No sweat, xeno. Just more pointless Bushspin in the War on Whatever.
Yemen is buying missiles (to threaten Djibouti, maybe?). They and Saudi Arabia provided the 9/11 terrorists. Pakistan is (more likely than not) harboring bin Laden himself. And those are countries Bush is calling allies.
Plainly there are other agendas at play that he’s too simplistic to understand or hide effectively, other than by banging the war drums against straw men.
Yeah, Yemen says, “The missiles are ours, and we want them back, please.”
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/12/11/us.missile.ship/index.html
Anybody have any idea how much this stuff is worth? How much did the Yemenis spend on this shipment? The nitric acid is to make bombs with, yes?
And, unintentional humor:
Sorry, I’m just flashing on those glossy brochures. It sounds like something the Onion might do.
And I also wanna point out that while North Korea is supplying the rest of the world, apparently we are supplying South Korea.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1742621.stm
So if I were truly paranoid, I might think that it was just Supplier Rivalry that led to the So San being stopped. “Hey, if anyone is gonna supply missiles to the world, it’s gonna be Uncle Sam Amalgamated!” 
not that I think the current administration would do something tacky like use the power of the United States government to shut down a business rival…
heh
Actually, if it is the case that the Yemeni Army ordered those missiles… how come a non-blockaded, nominally at-peace sovereign state is reduced to smuggling major war materiel? I mean, sure we would be upset to learn Yemen is buying Scuds from NK in the open market – but it would be their right as a sovereign state. And conversely, yes, maybe if they did that we could impose sanctions, cut off aid, whatever… well, ya gotta decide which you want more, isn’t it so?
Easy now. That’s what the Yemeni government’s been reported as saying. Maybe it’s true.
That isn’t half of it, the U.S. is the single largest supplier of arms in the world.
Personally I find the idea that Communists would want to sell weapons to a bunch of “holy warriors” that hate Communists a little ridiculous. The “Axis of Evil” are put into that category because of anti-US policies, not because they are working together (though they do have that as common ground now. I wouldn’t dismiss it out of hand, it’s not like N. Korea couldn’t use the money.
http://www.fas.org/asmp/profiles/sales_db.htm
Hmm. Is there some reason the Yemeni gov’t would claim they purchased the missiles when they actually hadn’t?
I would imagine that few international arms purchases are announced by press releases, JRD. Nevertheless, this one wasn’t all that secret if the Wash. Times was reporting on it nine days ago.
I can also understand why Yemen would want to avoid publicity. You just known some dumbass congressman or administration is gonna try to shove 'em into the Axis of Evil. Scud missiles! My god, they must be in bed with Saddam!
From CNN
Then point taken. The missiles were headed to the Yemeni government, not al-Queda.
Of course, the question remains “Should North Korea be selling Scud missiles?” Wouldn’t it have been a good idea to prevent Saddam from getting his missiles before the Gulf War?
Regards,
Shodan
Even if they were going to Iraq it would show that more than one can play the pre-emptive war game, wouldn’t it?
Now do you see where all this warmongering is leading us?
From Yemen claims ownership of seized missiles:
"Well, what do you need Scud missiles for, anyway? The other regional powers all have ballistic missiles? I suppose if the other regional powers all jumped off a cliff, you’d jump off a cliff too!
…Because we’re the United States, that’s why! Now go to your room!"
If they were acting as a middleman, with the missiles intended for transshipment to someone who’d rather remain anonymous.
I see. Is there any reason to believe that’s the case, since Yemen has purchased missiles from N. K. before, they have the launchers already, and they don’t (AFAIK) have a history of acting as middleman?
Don’t know and they’re not saying. But why were they hidden on the ship, if it was a straight-up purchase?
Because they wanted to keep it quiet. So what?
By “hidden”, the newspaper reports probably mean “not erect and ready for launch on the deck, in plain view of God and everyone.” I’ve seen no mention of secret compartments or anything like that. Has anyone else ?
Did I miss a memo? Is it now up to GWB to decide if other countries have a “strategic” need for missiles. This kind of arrogant, self-important, authoritarian, smug assholery is exactly the reason the rest of the world hates us. Shut up, Junior, and give the fucking missiles back, you’re going to get us attacked again, you clueless ass.
Wasn’t Sept 11 planned while Billy Bob was in office? Oh and shrub was responsible for the first time the WTC was attacked?