China tends to its universally-despised, never-say-die Communist ally

China tends to its universally-despised, never-say-die Communist ally

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — China is mending fences with North Korea after signing off on “condemnation” of North Korea’s failed missile launch while the North ratchets up the decibel level of invective against South Korea and the United States. The confluence of revived warmth between North Korea and China and […]

Socialists gone wild, East and West

Socialists gone wild, East and West

Sol W. Sanders   [See Archive] As more detail seeps around The Great Firewall Beijing masters once thought would suppress all dissident China blogging — and contradictory explanations emanate from Party sources — the case of Bo Xilai and his wife becomes all too familiar. For those who have tried to follow happenings over the […]

Missile fizzle: Fitting symbol of a bizarre failure in top-down government

Missile fizzle: Fitting symbol of a bizarre failure in top-down government

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — In the bizarre ritual of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a recent rocket launch was intended to put the icing on the dynastic cake of the centennial birthday celebrations of the late dictator Kim Il-Sung. The world press had been invited to the reclusive neo-Stalinist state, and the […]

High stakes at the 5+1 Iran talks: The threat of a ‘big war’ that could involve Russia

High stakes at the 5+1 Iran talks: The threat of a ‘big war’ that could involve Russia

Special to WorldTribune.com By Sheda Vasseghi, FreePressers.com On April 14, 2012, representatives from the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany (“5+1”) met with officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran in Istanbul to discuss its nuclear ambitions. Discussions were preliminary and introductory, and expectations for the parties to come to any agreement were low. […]

Technology, the essential tool of rogue states

Technology, the essential tool of rogue states

Sol W. Sanders [See Archive Technology is politically and ideologically neutral. It would be comforting to believe increasing levels of technology alone could solve social and political problems and make the world a better place. But history has proved that false, alas! again and again. When German scientists with their traditional leadership in chemistry invented […]

West answers N. Korea launch preparations with a barrage of hot air

West answers N. Korea launch preparations with a barrage of hot air

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — North Korea’s determination to fire a long-range missile sometime between Wednesday and next Monday is leaving the United States and its allies in the humiliating position of issuing rhetorical threats with no real chance of carrying them out. The helplessness of the U.S. position was clear […]

And now proof, if any was needed: All is not well with China and its secretive regime

And now proof, if any was needed: All is not well with China and its secretive regime

Sol W. Sanders [See Archive Authoritarian governments are paranoid, but just because they are, as the saying goes, doesn’t mean they aren’t threatened. The Chinese regime is no exception. We currently see a demonstration in shadowy but slashing decisive action by a normally ultracautious regime to purge a leading member. This political drama results from […]

N. Korean response to Obama appeal at summit on blocking rocket launch: ‘No’

N. Korean response to Obama appeal at summit on blocking rocket launch: ‘No’

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — President Barack Obama’s oratorical flights against North Korea’s plan to fire a long-range rocket next month may have pleased his South Korean hosts, but evoked little more than polite responses from the Chinese and Russians who exercise the most influence in Pyongyang. The failure of Team […]

Consequences of transferring the world’s best technology to a slave state

Consequences of transferring the world’s best technology to a slave state

Lev Navrozov Marx and Lenin, and later Soviet propaganda, asserted that crimes and criminals exist due to poverty in the “capitalist world.” In their “socialist-communist world,” there will be no poverty and hence no desire for wealth. After the “socialists-communists” had seized power in Russia, Lenin became the head of the government. Why? Allegedly, because […]

‘Precious’ satellites, long-range missiles and food aid all in time for Kim Il-Sung’s 100th birthday extravaganza

‘Precious’ satellites, long-range missiles and food aid all in time for Kim Il-Sung’s 100th birthday extravaganza

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — North Korea’s claim of a serious scientific reason for planning to fire off a long-range missile next month with a satellite for a payload is couched in such sincere-sounding lingo that one has to wonder if the North’s scientists and engineers actually may have something in […]