NightWatch For the night of 8 March 2013: north Korea, China, Hamas, Egypt

The concept that the north Korean statements below are describing is one of "creeping normalcy."  This has worked for the Regime for the last 60 years as the north has repositioned its forces with some 70% forward deployed (if I recall correctly) with no significant response from the Alliance and worse nearly every intelligence indication and warning of a pending attack has been identified over the years and since they have not attacked they have changed the definition for the Alliance of what is normal from a north Korean perspective.  It worked for the conventional military and they clearly intend to use the same concept for the nuclear and missile programs.  It is necessary to listen to their propaganda and rhetoric because often times they do reveal their true intentions.

China's statements n north Korea and the UN resolutions  are probably what we have come to expect.  They are walking the line.

The second warning from Hamas regarding President Obama's visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem is interpreted by Mr. McCreary as much more "shrill."

In Port Said in Egypt the police have turned over security to the army apparently because the people have more respect for the army than the police.

V/R

Dave

NightWatch

For the night of 8 March 2013

North Korea: Update. The Korean Central News Agency published in English a Foreign Ministry statement denouncing the United Nations as acting on behalf of the United States in "cooking up" a new sanctions resolution.

Comment: The statement denounced the US and the UN, but did not mention China. It concluded with one noteworthy sentence. "The world will clearly see what permanent position the DPRK will reinforce as a nuclear weapons state and satellite launcher as a result of the U.S. attitude of prodding the UNSC into cooking up the 'resolution.'"

At least one additional North Korean media outlet published an item that referred to demonstrating that the North has permanent nuclear and satellite capabilities. Something is wrong with the translation, or perhaps the concept. However, the message seems to be that the North intends to make launches and tests sufficiently often so that other nations will get used to them as normal.

This is entirely separate from the consequences of terminating the Armistice, but is a key part of the new strategic situation that is emerging in northeast Asia.

China-North Korea: Much of the daily press conference at the Foreign Ministry on 8 March was devoted to responding to press questions concerning North Korean behavior in general and its reaction to the UN Security Council Resolution 2094 that imposes a new set of sanctions on North Korea.

The spokesman said China has normal-state-to-state relations with North Korea. The situation is very complicated and sensitive.

He also said, "It is in the common interest of the international community to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia at large. The Chinese side asks the parties concerned to remain calm, exercise restraint, and avoid making further moves that could lead to an escalating situation. We call on all sides to maintain dialogue and consultations, resolve the issue of denuclearizing the peninsula within the framework of the Six-Party Talks, and explore an effective way to fundamentally achieve lasting peace and stability on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia at large."

Comment: The spokesman repeated China's prior positions. When asked whether China will enforce the sanctions, he said that China would comply with international law.

North Korea May Cancel Nuclear Test

Is it deja vu all over again?  And we thought that they would delay the missile launch and instead launched on Dec 12.  Fool me once, fool me twice.

Then again, perhaps the regime's twisted sense of humor is along the lines of "let's just see what kind of reaction we can stir up in the international community."  Or maybe let's deliberately stir something up and try to somehow embarrass the US and its allies.

Then again, maybe this is the nuclear form of "creeping normalcy."  In just the same way they have moved 70% of its military force to the frontline areas over the past few decades and it has just become "accepted" and all of the intelligence indicators and warnings have at one time or another been activated and yet nothing has yet become of them, perhaps the regime is playing this game to desensitize us with rumors of a nuclear test so that we will get tired of crying wolf and then one day when we are ignoring them they will go ahead and test.

But who knows?  All I can say for sure is that we cannot expect the grime to function as a normal state in the international community and we had better keep that in mind in all our dealings with it.

V/R

Dave

North Korea May Cancel Nuclear Test

North Korea's earlier nuclear tests were in 2006 and 2009

By VASUDEVAN SRIDHARAN: Subscribe to Vasudevan's RSS feed

February 10, 2013 7:03 AM GMT

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/433418/20130210/north-korea-nuclear-test-pyongyang-kim-jong.htm

Video grab from KCNA shows Unha-3 rocket launch at North Korea's West Sea Satellite Launch Site (Reuters)

North Korea has hinted it may halt preparations for a third nuclear test as the country's mouthpiece says the outside world has misinterpreted Pyongyang's recent announcements.

"The US and hostile forces jumped to conclusions that the republic is planning the third nuclear test, citing their hypothesis and argument," said the propaganda weekly, Tongil Sinbo.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had vowed to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures" over the ongoing speculation about a nuclear test in the country. The remarks were widely seen as a direct reference to an imminent nuclear test, although Kim did not say so explicitly.

The latest report in the weekly, however, warns that the US and other countries do not know what Pyongyang means by important measures - whether it is the much-feared nuclear test or something even worse.

The mouthpiece says that the measures "are aimed at safeguarding its national interest and not at threatening anyone", adding: "It remains to be seen what the important state measures are, though it is clear that any US reactions to them may prove to be only irrevocable losses."

Only a week ago, Pyongyang was forced to remove a promotional video that reportedly showed a city attacked by North Korean missiles. The city was indirectly referred to as New York.

(Continued at the link below)

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/433418/20130210/north-korea-nuclear-test-pyongyang-kim-jong.htm