By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
North Korea threatened to take "strong physical countermeasures" Friday if South Korea takes part in enforcing United Nations sanctions, which it called a "declaration of war."
North Korea said on Thursday that it is poised to carry out a nuclear test and fire more long-range rockets in the direction of the U.S., but did not offer any time frame for its plans.
The Obama administration rebuked North Korea on Thursday for its threat to conduct its third nuclear test and launch long-range rockets designed to "target against the U.S.," with the White House calling it "needlessly provocative."
North Korea reacted angrily Wednesday to a U.N. resolution that condemns its recent rocket launch and imposes new sanctions, hinting that it may conduct another nuclear test.
With the briefest of remarks, North Korea ended weeks of speculation: The mystery woman accompanying young leader Kim Jong-un to recent public events is his wife, "comrade Ri Sol-ju."
North Korea announced plans Friday to blast a satellite into space on the back of a long-range rocket, a surprise move that could jeopardize a weeks-old agreement with the U.S. exchanging food aid for nuclear concessions.
Defense experts warn that the North Korean military is a strategic threat and will soon be equipped to target the U.S. mainland.
North Korea backed off threats to retaliate against South Korea for military drills Monday and reportedly offered concessions on its nuclear program — signs it was looking to lower the temperature on the Korean Peninsula after weeks of soaring tensions.
"It is difficult for me to see any improvement in inter-Korean relations until the North Korean leadership changes its thinking and policy orientation," said Daniel Pinkston, the Seoul-based deputy project director of International Crisis Group's Northeast Asia program.
