political : WILL THIS AGGRESSIVE ACTION BY BUSH FINALLY BRING DOWN NORTH KOREA? [+] serious ballot by cranky ACTIVE Thu Nov 30, 06 - Tue Aug 25, 09 U.S. Bans Sale of iPods to North Korea Associated Press, November 29, 2006 The Bush administration wants North Korea's attention, so like a scolding parent it's trying to make it tougher for that country's eccentric leader to buy iPods, plasma televisions and Segway electric scooters. The U.S. government's first-ever effort to use trade sanctions to personally aggravate a foreign president expressly targets items believed to be favored by Kim Jong Il or presented by him as gifts to the roughly 600 loyalist families who run the communist government. Kim, who engineered a secret nuclear weapons program, has other options for obtaining the high-end consumer electronics and other items he wants. But the list of proposed luxury sanctions, obtained by The Associated Press, aims to make Kim's swanky life harder: No more cognac, Rolex watches, cigarettes, artwork, expensive cars, Harley Davidson motorcycles or even personal watercraft, such as Jet Skis. The new ban would extend even to musical instruments and sports equipment. The population in North Korea, one of the world's most isolated economies, is impoverished and routinely suffers widescale food shortages. The new trade ban would forbid U.S. shipments there of Rolexes, French cognac, plasma TVs, yachts and more — all items favored by Kim but unattainable by most of the country. U.S. exports to North Korea are paltry, amounting to only $5.8 million last year; nearly all those exports were food. Responding to North Korea's nuclear test Oct. 9, the U.N. Security Council voted to ban military supplies and weapons shipments — sanctions already imposed by the United States. It also banned sales of luxury goods but so far has left each country to define such items. U.S. intelligence officials who helped produce the Bush administration's list said Kim prefers Mercedes, BMW and Cadillac cars; Japanese and Harley Davidson motorcycles; Hennessy XO cognac from France and Johnny Walker Scotch whisky; Sony cameras and Japanese air conditioners. * * * * * * * * Will this hard-hitting move by the Bush Administration deal a crushing blow to the corrupt communist North Korean regime of Kim Jong Il, forcing it to abandon its nuclear program? (Note: graphic from the UK Guardian) Yes, Kim Jong Il's days are numbered No, this probably won't quite do the trick Ballot #106148 : SEE RESULTS Comment: show your vote with comment?

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