Thomas Daschle: “Three weeks ago, I came to the Senate floor to address the intensifying crisis in North Korea, a country and a situation…”

“Three weeks ago, I came to the Senate floor to address the intensifying crisis in North Korea, a country and a situation that I believe poses a risk to our Nation every bit as serious as that posed by Saddam Hussein. At the time, I urged President Bush immediately and directly to engage the North Korean Government in discussions to bring about a verifiable end to that country's nuclear weapons program. Unfortunately, the administration so far has failed to act, and, in the meantime, the crisis in North Korea continues to escalate. In recent days, we have seen reports that North Korea test-fired a new missile, evidently that regime's idea of an inauguration present for South Korea's incoming President. Just today, the newspapers contain reports that North Korea has restarted one of the reactors at its primary nuclear complex, a reactor that produces spent plutonium which can then be converted into weapons grade material. Let's be clear about what this latest provocation means. It means North Korea could have a nuclear production line up and running and producing weapons grade nuclear material in a matter of months.”