No iPods: Let’s Bore North Korea to Death at No Man’s Blog

In an uncharacteristically bold display of executive resolve, the Bush administration this week moved to “put the screws” to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Specifically, the administration is banning the export of a variety of luxury consumer goods to the Hermit Kingdom. Among the items banned are iPods, plasma televisions, Segway scooters, cognac, Rolex watches, cigarettes, artwork, expensive cars, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and Jet Skis.

Coming almost two months after North Korea tested a nuclear device on October 9, this is a frighteningly Machiavellian move designed to bring the rogue regime running back to the Six Party Talks.

In a pig’s eye.

If my memory serves me correctly, we weren’t trading with North Korea in the first place. Secondly, if Kim Chong Il wants to buy one of these items, he certainly isn’t going to whip out his Visa Card and log on to amazon.com. (Or order one of his lackeys at the North Korean Mission to the U.N. to walk down the street to Macy’s.)

No. Kim Chong Il is up to his eyeballs in the illicit arms trade—small arms, heavy weapons, missiles, and other such items. So it’s reasonable to assume that if Kim Chong Il wants an iPod, he’s going to get one. (All Bush administration huffing and puffing aside.)

A perfect example of North Korea’s ability to circumvent U.S. export controls was its 1985 purchase of more than 80 American-built Hughes helicopters. I’m pretty sure if he can get his hands on 80 American-built aircraft, he can get his hands on something that’s smaller than a breadbox.

Hmmm. My brother is an “arms dealer” of sorts. I wonder if he could sell a used American aircraft carrier to North Korea? For a while there he was working on selling the U.S.S. Oriskany to Somalia, but the U.S. Navy pulled the rug out from under the deal when it decided to turn the vessel into an artificial reef, instead. Bummer. Somalia sure could use a “gently used” aircraft carrier….

Technorati Tags: executive resolve, Bush administration, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, export, luxury consumer goods, Hermit Kingdom, North Korea, test, nuclear device, Machiavellian, rogue regime, Six Party Talks, Kim Chong Il, Visa Card, amazon.com, Mission to the U.N., illicit arms trade, U.S. export controls