Politics

Ros-Lehtinen: Up Sanctions after North Korea’s ‘Vile’ Nuclear Video

By: Jim Turner | Posted: February 7, 2013 3:55 AM

Around the State

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, is among leading Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee demanding stronger sanctions on North Korea after the totalitarian, cult-like nation released a bizarre video that envisions the destruction of America.

Ros-Lehtinen, the former chair of the House committee who in 2010 was denounced by North Korea, said the “vile” video “illustrates Pyongyang’s hostile intentions and its willingness to undermine U.S. national security interests.”

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“I continue to urge the Obama administration to impose stronger penalties against the North Korean dictatorship, and to support our South Korean and Japanese allies who face this threat at every turn,” Ros-Lehtinen said.

The video features a space shuttle flying around the world to the tune of “We Are the World” and includes a flyover of the United States, which is in flames. The video comes as North Korea and its supreme leader Kim Jong-un prepare what they claim will be a nuclear weapons test.

Ros-Lehtinen and Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., also want President Obama to redesignate North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Hill reports that the video was posted by a user who monitors North Korea’s propaganda.

“A long time the world disrespected us and laughed about our leaders. That time is over now. The moment of revenge has come,” the video says, according to an unofficial translation posted on You Tube, the Hill reported. “Since we have nuclear weapons, the world won’t laugh anymore. It’s only a question of time.”

Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.

Tags: Ed Royce, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, News, North Korea, president Obama, Politics, Government

Comments (1)

Mark Hollis

10:58AM FEB 8TH 2013

I don't see the "burning America" that the Representative says she sees, but I would urge her to look at the apocalyptic films Hollywood has churned out, including "Independence Day" "Cloverfield" "When Worlds Collide," "Endgame," "Mars Attacks" "Armageddon," "Deep Impact," "The Day After Tomorrow," and Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," to name just a few.

This is Science Fiction, which is pretty much the only Science North Korea can manage these days, as they have arguably never created an atomic test as powerful as our Hiroshima bomb. Additionally, they still do not have a reliable delivery system that could hit one city in the United States.

I agree with the Representative: We need to keep up the pressure on North Korea, which continues to be run by a government that would rather starve its people to build rockets that fail and nukes that fizzle than join the community of nations.

But she is generating way too much press about a sci-fi film produced outside of Hollywood.