Who let these people out of the clown car again?

Rice on UN sanctions

U.S. representative to the United Nations Susan Rice appeared in the White House Briefing Room at the beginning of the on-camera briefing to talk about the U.N. sanctions against North Korea.

She said she would “not be surprised” if the North Koreans responded provocatively to today’s actions.

She also said the provisions allowing for inspection of ships suspected of transporting weapons of mass destruction or missile technology does not provide authority for military force to direct suspect ships to port for inspection or to seize the cargo. In this respect, she alluded to giving up a bit in the negotiations, but “we feel we got a lot.” She would not go into details.

Obama bows to China over NK sanctions in UN

We mentioned earlier that Obama wanted all UN members to be able to search all ships bound for North Korea if that ship was not in the territorial waters of NK and reasonable suspicion existed that prohibited items (read: nuclear-bomb enabling stuff sent from China) were on board.

The United States insisted that this provision be a part of the sanctions to be levied out of the UNSC on NK as a response to the latest nuke test.

China said no. Obama caved.

China’s proffered logic was that “mandatory inspections of North Korean cargo would lead to military conflict.”

Well, aren’t those just special sanctions, excuse us Mr. Kim Jong-il, can we board and inspect your ship we suspect is carrying weapons of mass destruction, pretty please?

/sanctions about as useful as a third tit on a boar