The Shameful Star and how I would solve the North Korea crisis

There are valid reasons why the Toronto Star has earned in spades every remark on why Toronto’s largest daily is only fit to line birdcages. Case in point; the Toronto Star chose to run this article reporting the world’s reaction to North Korea’s alleged nuclear test:

LONDON — China, Russia, South Korea and Japan quickly joined the United States on Monday in condemning their reclusive communist neighbour for its reported test of a nuclear weapon.

But the country that experts say most actively is seeking the next membership in the nuclear club — Iran — said blame should fall on the United States, for threatening and humiliating North Korea.

Not one expert is named or actually quoted blaming the United States for threatening or humiliating North Korea. For all we know, the Associated Press reporter polled the cleaning staff in the men’s room at 1 Yonge Street.

In the threats department, I count North Korea’s tally a considerably higher than the US’s threats to North Korea. And if North Korea is humiliated, it has only the quality of her leadership to blame for being a pariah nation in the world community. But what’s the Toronto Star’s editorial department’s excuse for running this shoddy piece of 'journalism'?

I wrote the above on Monday and couldn’t be bothered to post it till I read today’s editorial. Here is how it starts:

U.S. President George Bush gave North Korea a pretext to arm itself with the nuclear bomb by labelling the country an "axis of evil" and refusing to talk directly with it. Meanwhile, Chinese President Hu Jintao coddled North Korea by supplying financing, food and fuel.

The editorial board at the Toronto Star is imploding under the strain of Bush derangement syndrome, and quite frankly, it is not only pretty to read but it is historically revisionistic.

The Clinton Administration talked directly to North Korea for years which is why the Bush Administration inherited a nuclear North Korea. North Korea doesn’t particularly worry me as I believe that the solution to the issue is relatively simple and the key is China. So far, China has had everything its own way and has been playing a double game. Now it is time to change the rules and up the ante.

Here’s how I would solve the North Korea issue; immediately encourage Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to develop a nuclear weapons program and offer as much help as needed to get the programs off the ground. If I was president of the United States that would be the substance of my next Rose Garden press conference.

Then watch China jump and North Korea learn to heel and lefties everywhere spontaneously combust. A win-win scenario all around.