After all, that's what it does best, with "keeping the peace" with Congo schoolgirls coming in at a close second.
The Beeb says they're debating. China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. are all pretty much in agreement that there must be punitive action taken. Russia and China are both against the idea of using military force, and South Korea's military is on "high alert."
The U.S. wants a draft 13-point resolution to come under Chapter 7, which would make it enforceable (including by military force), but other U.N. members, predictably, are not down with enforceability. Is that a word? Roll with it, guys.
A taste of the U.S. 13-point resolution:
Some think that the US proposals for a complete ban on military trade and inspections of all the cargo going in and out of North Korea are too stringent.
The LAT gets a little active with its verbs, saying the U.N. is "condemning" North Korean action. Oh, how I love Bolton. In response to calls to enter one-on-one negotiations with the little ronery madman himself:
And Bolton, in a CNN interview, said that if North Korea wants to launch talks with the United States, "all they have to do is buy a plane ticket to Beijing," the site of six-nation talks over North Korea's nuclear program.
More on the possible resolution stipulations:
The measures advocated by the United States include an international arms embargo, a ban on all trade relating to weapons of mass destruction, a freeze on funds linked to North Korea's missile and nuclear programs or its suspected counterfeiting of U.S. dollars, and a ban on trade in luxury goods.
The U.S. proposal also would authorize international inspection of cargo to and from North Korea to prevent the regime in Pyongyang from selling nuclear technology to other countries or armed groups.
Captain Ed points out the Aussies' all-out, unafraid Steve-Irwin style diplomacy. They still have diplomatic relations with North Korea, and have already imposed sanctions instead of waiting for the "global test" results.
Update: Some nuanced diplomatic language from the North Koreans.
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