U.S. Stations Bombers in Guam to Democrats` Dismay

U.S. bombers ordered to the West Pacific might be ordered to attack N. Korea, the White House said on Wednesday. When asked at the regular briefing whether or not the bombers stationed in Guam will be used for the attack, White House spokesperson Ari Fleischer said that “it was the objective of the mission.”

“The order to station additional U.S. bombers, in response to the incident with the North Korean MiGs threatening our surveillance planes, can be construed as a `sign` that we are going to attack the North,” Republican Senator John McCain said on the same day.

“The bombers can definitely attack North Korea,” McCain remarked when making an appearance in NBC`s `Today Show.` “However, the present situation is complicated by the fact that the North has the firing power to attack Seoul,” the Senator added.

Meanwhile the White House has strongly denied several U.S. reports that the Bush Administration and some of its Asian allies would tolerate North Korea`s possession of nuclear weapons.

“President Bush has publicly announced his support for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula on many occasions, and this is our diplomatic objective,” Fleischer said.

Using anonymous quotes by U.S. government officials and analysts, The Washington Post reported that Bush aides could not hide their astonishment when visiting South Korean representatives to the U.S., sent by President Roh Moo Hyun, seemed to support the North`s nuclear armament rather than its dismantling.

maypole@donga.com