US House votes to bar N.Korea food aid

Source: AFP

By Shaun Tandon (AFP) – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives has voted to bar US food aid to North Korea, with lawmakers charging that the assistance would prop up the communist regime instead of feeding the hungry.

The Republican-led House, hashing out appropriations for agriculture late Wednesday, approved by voice vote an amendment that would prohibit food assistance to North Korea through US government programs.

The measure needs approval by the Senate, where President Barack Obama's Democratic Party holds a majority. The Obama administration has voiced concerns about sending food to North Korea but has not made a decision, with some Democratic lawmakers supporting aid on humanitarian grounds.

Impoverished North Korea has requested overseas food and last month invited a US envoy to assess its needs. Relief groups have said that North Korea faces imminent shortages, although many US lawmakers have been skeptical ...

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i-0aAMFB2_BzvcH-vBz5_AHoKYbQ?docId=CNG.a524926998286f1a68c739cd3a564f2b.2d1

What kind of verification systems are in place?

What can I say, I like beer.

No frothy beverage discrimination is tolerated.

"How dare you question the word of Dear Leader?" <gestures with AK-47>

Unlike my fellow DUers on this page .... (enjoy your stay) .... I would allow at least some food transfers, even IF I cannot prove that only hungry people are getting it ...

The problems in NK are well known .... Unlike the cold-hearted bastards in the US House of Representatives (who amazingly think like some on this thread), Liberals would want to offer food in exchange for some sort of agreement for verification - They wouldnt simply slam the door, like the assholes in congress did ....

Kinda sad to read this story, and the responses .... I am not surprised ...

is sooooo good at golf, he should just come here, get in on the pga tour and use the winnings to by all his subjects some cup o noodles and ramen!!

to buy some more Hennessy, or fund an operation to kidnap a filmmaker to make another one of his movies.

n/t

or organization to raise money to buy food.

Republicans just don't consider the consequences of their "great" ideas.

Not the other way around.

They could care less if their people starve.

I don't want it going to North Korea in order to take pressure of their government.

"But some South Korean officials are sceptical about the country's current needs, saying North Korea wants to stockpile supplies for handouts to mark the 100th birth anniversary of its founder Kim Il-Sung next year." http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h45NAMYhJQBCnPt-SLN28A7OuEyA?docId=CNG.fb6f66e08eae0ce02ece50a72ee19eda.41. This wouldn't surprise me, the North Korean government has a nasty habit of diverting food aid and if the hungry get the food, they'll likely be lied to about where it came from. The Kim dynasty doesn't look so good when they can't feed their own people. The food aid should be distributed by UN staff personally and they can tell them exactly where it came from and why it was needed.