Menendez: North Korean Nuclear Test Shows Bush's Failure
Menendez: North Korean Nuclear Test Shows Bush's Failure
Calls for Appointment of Independent Envoy to Handle Emerging Crisis
In response to reports that North Korea tested a nuclear weapon today, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez issued the following statement:
"Today's nuclear test by North Korea confirms our worst fears and illustrates just how much the Bush administration's incompetence has endangered our nation. Five years ago, President Bush told the American people about what he termed the axis of evil,' three countries he alleged were developing weapons of mass destruction. Since that time, we invaded Iraq, the country that didn't have weapons of mass destruction, and ignored Iran and North Korea, the two that did.
"While George Bush bogged our military down to topple a regime that had no weapons of mass destruction, a brutal dictator in North Korea has strengthened a nuclear arsenal that has the potential to threaten the West Coast of the United States. A nuclear North Korea is a threat to its neighbors, a threat to the 38,000 American soldiers deployed in South Korea and a threat to every American.
"We had the opportunity to stop North Korea from increasing its nuclear power, but George Bush went to sleep at the switch while he pursued his narrow agenda in Iraq. When the world was crying out for leadership, George Bush gave it negligence. The war in Iraq has tied our hands and our enemies know it. We now lack the international credibility to assemble a real coalition to deal with North Korea, which we should have done years ago, and our country is less safe because of it. There can be no clearer evidence that it is time for a change of direction in Washington.
"We cannot afford to trust George Bush to get this right, since he has gotten it wrong for the past six years. He needs to appoint immediately an independent envoy such as James Baker or William Perry to oversee an international coalition to deal with this emerging crisis. There is no time for delay."
http://www.menendez2006.com/news/releases/20061009_nkorea/