Gibbs: North Korea Rocket A "Pretty Big Coincidence"

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, asked by reporters if the administration thought North Korea's rocket launch was timed to President Obama's speech on nuclear proliferation, said he thought it was merely a "big coincidence." Watch:

MR. GIBBS: You know, I was asked a question earlier that I'll go back to. Somebody had asked -- I think Mark asked whether the North Koreans had timed the launch to coincide with the speech. You know, as I had said earlier -- and I should have connected these dots -- this was something that the North Koreans had been talking about publicly for probably more than four weeks.

Q But they knew about the President's visit here, though, four weeks ago, didn't they?

MR. GIBBS: Well, they may have known he was going to be in Prague, but I don't believe -- we had not settled on speech topics four weeks ago. So I think it is a --

Q It's still a four-week window, though. They had -- I mean, they could have done it tomorrow, as opposed to three hours before he delivers his speech.

MR. GIBBS: I think your -- pretty big coincidence, is what it was.

It doesn't change, though -- again, I'd underscore what the President said today. I think it makes more important the topics he discussed today: the danger of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. And again we're reminded -- again we're reminded with need to take swift action to ensure that we do all we can to protect and secure our country and other countries of the world from these deadly weapons.

Comments

[flamflurm]

There have been a lot of this type coincidences lately, with antagonistic countries provoking the USA. I am sure it is a coincidence that they come right after we elect James Earl Carter II to the presidency.

[postman606]

Yeah and remember that coincidence of 9/11 after the election of George Walker Bush The Younger. Now that was a big bang.

[maigoro]

North Koreans, Syrians, Pakistanis and Iranians are humans just like the rest of us. They eat, drink, worry and most importantly for this topic, they actually reason.

The leaders of these countries know one thing beyond a reasonable doubt - if they launch a preemptive nuclear attack on any of their neighbors, their countries and their people and their civilizations will vanish a few hours later. So having that knowledge and having the power to reason makes me sleep well at night and makes me think that all this hysteria is just that - hysteria. Let' s just ignore them and let them build all the weapons they want because giving them all this attention is not working is it?

[silencer]

so.... only the USA is supposed to have thousands of nuclear weapons?

[roninroshi]

NK's launch was taking a measurement...

[John Denton]

Leisure Suit Kim fired one defective rocket.

Why do we need a constant diet of hysteria? You can bet that if say, Iran was annoying a US ship in the Persian Gulf, then North Korea's launch would be in the Style section of the New York Times.

[DRaymond]

People like to create linkages.

But if it had happened the week before everybody would have presumed that it was linked to the economic summit. If it was launched next week everybody would have presumed that it was linked to something else. Something allways is going on somewhere that something could be linked to.

But even if you buy that it is linked what does that mean? That Obama shouldn't have made a speech on nonproliferation? That Obama is somehow to blame for the launch by daring to make a speech about nonproliferation?

[johnsopinion]

"coincidence"

What a convenient word, signifying nothing, saying nothing.

Coincidences don't exist. Except in the mind, where they
originate.

Nothing in the universe happens by "coincidence."

Nothing.

[Hans Knecht]

The sad reality is North Korea is just a country where the people life exclusively for the pleasure and benefit of their leader.

And,

There is nothing we nor the world can do about it.

[Hans Knecht]

NK has a missile fizzle after 42 sec in 2006, they do a nuclear test, just recently arrested two Americans and convicted them, and they are playing a silly game with the South over terms of the truce.

After all that how can anyone see this a legitimate attempt at a space program?

If they wanted to really pursue a space program and/or improve the conditions of their people then step up and engage in the six party talks.

This is purely an attempt to demonstrate that they are relevant in the world stage. The motivations of their "great leader" is not anything close to rational. He will do whatever he wants when ever he wants regardless of the consequence. The history is there for all to see and it was there long before Bush or Obama. Our leader doesn't matter to them. What matters is that the US is consistently and constantly presented as a big evil bully to their population.

Do you believe any of the food, energy and technological assistance we have ever provided them has ever been presented to their people in a positive light?

[sviolette]

It's pretty hypocritical of us to criticize their treatment of prisoners after what we are doing in Gitmo, They see the US do whatever we want so why would they think that they can't. It's pretty apparent why they look at us as being evil.

[sviolette]

Don't get me wrong. I don't it's a good thing that they are doing this but, I can see where they could think that way.

[Hans Knecht]

North Korea used kidnapping, and torture long before Gitmo.

Their leader's issue with us stated a long time ago. Well before Bush and the "war on terror"

And we are free to criticize the behavior of their country even though we have made mistakes ourselves. We have learned from and corrected many of our past mistakes and will learn and correct from our future ones.

If we were not able to due to our own past wrongs then I guess we should never criticize any form of suppression or intimidation of any group. Since our country has it's fair share of experience in doing just that.

I don't believe that is the right course. I believe we should face our wrongs with open eyes and find a way to move forward. We shouldn't ignore the injustice just because our history has injustice. It was wrong with what we did, but it is equally wrong what they do.

[rdiaz921]

ok, ease up on the self hate. Just because the Bush administration effed up doesn't mean the Obama admin has to pay for it.

in response to the two Asian Americans being held in NK and the rocket launch - this is a test to how Obama will responde. I have full trust that President Obama WILL make the right decision. But, Kim Jong IL can learn alot of what kind of leader he is dealing with in how President Obama reacts. This is a chess game.

[idisVA]

I like that....first underwater satellite. Look out Jacques Ceasteau

[v eyepete]

At this point the question is moot with the rocket in the ocean and the satellite there with it. Perhaps it is the first underwater satellite, or some sort of long range torpedo. I hope someone is checking on what happened to what went in the water. With all the satellites up there circling the planet now, how does any one know what country has what up there? Who or what governs this?

[sviolette]

We can track a piece of space junk that is as small as 2 inches in size. We know exactly what is up there and to whom (is that correct grammar? I always forget) it belongs. We have the capability to destroy anything in earth orbit. Don't worry we will know if there is a new satellite in orbit.

[RG59U]

Time for some calm heads over this. After all, Mr. Gates said last week we won't do anything to stop this on Meet The Press.

North Korea was going for a Sputnik: launch a small thing, and get huge PR, money from the US/Japan/South Korea as blackmail, etc.

Unlike Sputnik - where we had a very clever President Eisenhower hold fire for US satellite civilian launches after an initial failure - to allow the Russians to circle the globe unmolested first, setting precedent for our spy satellites, we are now running around like headless chickens. (Go back and watch "Ice Station Zebra" to see how funny that movie looks in today's context of everyday spy satellites monitoring everything from your car in the driveway, to your cell phone communications: written before the international law precedents were established.)

The Koreans love manufactured-controversy (both North and South - it makes them have status, and get face-time. Their semiconductor suppliers do it all the time with their vendors: "This software is bad, I won't pay the final 10 percent!!! Send your VP over immediately for consultations.)

Time for the US back off for a few months with absolute silence, and very limited points-of-contact through the official administration (they love playing DOD bureau person A off against DOE person B against whoever jumps on the flight to Incheon the next day....)

[obamagal]

I was just reading an article on Mudflats. Palin is trying to change the rules in appointing a Senator because she is not getting her way. I mention this because I shudder to think what would have happened if McCain had won the election, something had then happened to him, and it was Sarah Palin who had responded today regarding North Korea's actions today.

[1sparrow]

not to denigrate the importance of nuclear disarmament- but the timing points to a cover up of the financial collapse- - from wall street to timmy geithner--- all reporters or producers of news are being muzzled-- i should say all media--- idiotic reality shows ,idiotic comedy movies, sing and dance competitions, E.R. HOUSE C.S.I.--- all cover up this dastardly deed and prepare to rewrite history.

[marchamlin]

Wow.

[obamagal]

I agree with you. Wow.

[AgentMacGyver]

Does anyone know enough about space treaties to say whether a North Korean satellite could be shot down? I don't think the US-S Korea reports of launch failure are disinformation, but I'm curious whether such a satellite, if it existed, could be intercepted without violating the terms of the agreement.

[EmberOfTruth]

No, you can't legally shoot down another country's satellite.

[Dana Nicole]

What a wasteful question? The question should be "What's the President gonna do about it?" What do I care if the N. Koreans planned to launch the same time as Obama made a speech about nuclear proliferation? I knew they were gonna it regardless!