Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on May 26, 2009

By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone

Memorial Day weekend: It was two short-range missiles launched by North Korea. Today, a few more. Kim Jong-Il is blowing off the UN and everyone else to do what he damned well pleases.

Memorial Day weekend: President Barack Obama golfed. After his Memorial Day speech at Arlington. Was he blowing off most of his role as our American leader, our president, on the one day set aside to remember and honor our fallen American heroes? Was Obama, like Kim Jong-Il, doing what HE damned well pleases?

Was his 30-minute speech at Arlington enough? Should I not expect more of him as my president? Am I being unreasonable? Will the media even report this? If George W. Bush had done this, golfed on Memorial Day while North Korea launched nuclear test missiles when they knew they … yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m singin’ to the choir and still beating that same old dead horse.

Although, so are most of the late-night talk show hosts—beating the “George W. Bush dead horse,” that is—and they get paid a heck of a lot more than I do.

Ed Morrissey questions the same thing. Here is a snippet of his post on Hot Air about President Barack Obama’s Memorial Day priorities:

Four hours on the golf course, and less than 30 minutes speaking at Arlington, where he gave a Memorial Day speech. During the speech, which he gave just before playing his round of golf, he made this request:

So on this day of silent remembrance and solemn prayer I ask all Americans, wherever you are, whoever you’re with, whatever you’re doing, to pause in national unity at 3 o’clock this afternoon. I ask you to ring a bell, or offer a prayer, say a silent “thank you.”

The White House assured reporters that Obama complied with his own request by observing a moment of silence on — I kid you not — the golf course:

For President Obama that moment came in the middle of a round of golf at Ft. Belvoir in Virginia. … White House aides told reporters that the president paused at 3 p.m. to observe a moment of silent prayer.

Um, yeah. Or he may have observed a moment of silent contemplation of a ten-foot putt, too. Was it really too much to ask to have the President at work in the White House on a day when Kim Jong-Il tested a nuclear weapon, or at least to spend as much time honoring veterans as he did honing his short game?

And I don’t want to play the “If Bush did this” game for the next four years, but in fact, Bush did get a lot of criticism for answering a reporter’s question about terrorism in August 2002 while visiting Israel…

North Korea is pulling a power play, testing Obama and the rest of the world with these nuclear missiles. And Kim Jong-Il is thumbing his nose at everyone, because really, what ARE they going to do about it? Start a war?

And once again, Obama played the never-flustered “cool cat” and kept swinging his golf club out on the greens. Things are slowly escalating in North Korea and the feeling is unsettling… and he’s working on his golf game. Does Obama fully understand that he isn’t campaigning anymore, and as POTUS, he needs to get his head into the game of being Commander in Chief, even if it is a holiday and he’s in the middle of playing golf?

I’m not happy about any of this. No one should be. A sobering pattern is emerging here with Kim Jong-Il and Barack Obama… two world leaders who pretty much do what they damned well please when they damned well want. A pattern that foreshadows a bad ending…

From LA Times:

The United States and allied powers threatened Monday to impose new penalties on North Korea after the defiant regime announced its second nuclear bomb test, but their leverage in derailing the weapons program appeared limited.

The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, meeting in emergency session in New York, denounced the test as a “clear violation” of a 2006 resolution. China and Russia, usually North Korea’s defenders, joined with France, Britain and the United States in the statement. The council planned to meet again today to consider further steps.

From Associated Press:

North Korea tests more missiles, lashes out at US
By Associated Press Writer Hyung-jin Kim

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea lashed out Tuesday at the United States and reportedly launched two more short-range missiles even as U.N. Security Council members debated possible new sanctions against the communist nation for its latest nuclear test.

North Korea test-fired two short-range missiles from the east coast city of Hamhung, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. South Korea’s spy chief said two other missiles were launched Monday, and North Korea also warned ships to stay away from waters off its west coast through Wednesday, suggesting more test flights.

The missile launches came as leaders around the world condemned North Korea for Monday’s underground nuclear test. Retaliatory options were limited, however, and no one was talking publicly about military action.

Russian defense officials said the blast was roughly as strong as the bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II and was stronger than North Korea’s first test in 2006.

In New York, U.N. diplomats said key nations were discussing a Security Council resolution that could include new sanctions against North Korea.

Ambassadors from the five permanent veto-wielding council members — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France — as well as Japan and South Korea were expected to meet later Tuesday, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting is private.

The Security Council met in emergency session Monday and condemned the nuclear test. Council members said they would follow up with a new legally binding resolution.

France’s deputy U.N. ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix said his government wants a resolution to “include new sanctions … because this behavior must have a cost and a price to pay.”

It was too early to say what those sanctions might be and whether China and Russia, both close allies of North Korea, will go along. In an unusual step, China strongly reproached its close ally.

Related reading:
Hot Air: UN Security Council issues strongly worded memo, Kim responds
Michelle Malkin: The time for O’s mettle test is here: North Korea prepares for war and Fetch the comfy chair! U.N. Security Council passes new toothless resolution; Update: N. Korea fires two more short-range missiles and North Korea’s fireworks show continues: Missile launch number three and Reports: North Korea says it conducted 2nd nuke test; Obama: “Matter of grave concern”
Stop the ACLU: North Korea Prepares for War
The Daley Gator: Useless Nations scolds North Korea
Vets On The Watch: South Park Explains It All
Trust, But Verify: Nuke ‘em Kimmy
Black & Right: Rice Flexes That UN Muscle
Gateway Pundit: Obama Threatens Kim Jong Il With Very Serious Protest to UN
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: North Korea successfully conducts underground nuclear test! Update: 3 more missiles launched by North Korea today, one of which goes into the Sea of Japan!
Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: Obama is North Korea’s Little Punk
Thoughts Of A Conservative Christian: Tested
Suburban Guerrilla: North Korea Missile A Threat?
Axis of Right: Trying the Same Thing Repeatedly With North Korea Expecting Different Results

Categories: Bless Our Troops, Government, International Relations, National Security, Social and Political Climate
Tags: Arlington, golf, golfing, heroes, Japan, Kim Jong-Il, Memorial Day, missiles, National Security, North Korea, Obama, POTUS, president, soldiers, South Korea, United Nations, war, White House