Centerfield

And comments are back!

Yes, they are.

I am not sure I agree with the article. NK weapons test has changed things with Japan considering becoming a military power. Some think Moon will be more pro US than Annan turned out to be. Can't escape the connection between Iran and NK....

Funny note: I grew up next to U-Thant for a few years. His poor back yard drainage constantly soaked our backyard. My father met him one day and asked him to create a small pond behind his house to regulate the drainage and he responded, "why not just grow rice paddies". My father was not amused.

Let's hope Moon is a better problem solver.

> am not sure I agree with the article. NK weapons test has changed
> things with Japan considering becoming a military power.

Peretz is complaining about Ban Ki-moon's personality and approach to problem-solving. That's not going to be changed by SK's test.

> Some think Moon will be more pro US than Annan turned out to
> be. Can't escape the connection between Iran and NK....

Oh, yes, anybody can. Just choose not to think about it, as he's already mostly not thought about NK clearly working toward this day and night. Oh, and remember, from his POV, NK is the big problem neighbor, not Iran.

> Funny note: I grew up next to U-Thant for a few years. His poor back
> yard drainage constantly soaked our backyard. My father met him one
> day and asked him to create a small pond behind his house to
> regulate the drainage and he responded, "why not just grow rice
> paddies". My father was not amused.

:-)

> Let's hope Moon is a better problem solver.

Yes, indeed! Well, people who are good at one sphere (running the UN) are, alas, often too preoccupied to be good neighbors....

Hi Jon,

I did read a number of blogs that thought Moon would be better than Annan. He does have a burden concerning NK and many in the SK intel do see a link between Iran and NK. Whether he cares to act is another matter. I think he would go along with the idea that one must stop material flow in and out of NK as well as isolate banking. Once that is resolved, the model is in place as far as Iran. Why one and not the other? Not that the UN will actually do ANYTHING.

Spine has some good stuff. Thanks for the posts.

As an aside, U-Thant moved out and sold to another family. One day the wife called asking if we had seen her husband. He went missing and subsequently they moved out (I don't believe the husband turned up). Rumor had it, the husband had some organized crime connections.

Yes. as fine neighbor who decided living in a fairly Jewish section of Westchester, N.Y. while not being a fair arbitrator to Israel.