Russia offers support to North Korea amid Sony hack

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia on Thursday offered sympathy to North Korea amid the Sony hacking scandal, saying the movie that sparked the dispute was so scandalous that Pyongyang's anger was "quite understandable."

Washington failed to offer any proof to back its claims of Pyongyang's involvement in the hacking, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said at a briefing, adding that the U.S. threats of retaliation were "counterproductive."

The U.S. has blamed Pyongyang for the recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which produced "The Interview," a comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Pyongyang has denied a role in the hacking, but also praised it as a "righteous deed."

Sony initially decided not to release the film because of threats against U.S. cinemas, but released the movie online Wednesday.

FULL story at link.



FILE - This Wed., Dec. 17, 2014 photo shows a movie poster for the movie "The Interview" on display outside the AMC Glendora 12 movie theater, in Glendora, Calif. In an unprecedented move, Sony Pictures broadly released "The Interview" to digital platforms Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014, a reversal of its previous plan not to show the film after hackers released thousands of documents online and threatened violence at theaters showing the comedy that depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141225/eu--russia-sony_hack-253b82bd19.html

[Brother Buzz]

1. Of course Russia is cozying up with North Korea

Russia needs North Korean's cooperation to build a natural gas pipeline to South Korea. The project could be a win, win, win for all three countries.

[newthinking]

8. I don't know why people need to view the world through a "punitive" lense

Russia is playing "good cop" and we are playing the "bad cop" in several places. In cases like this that is likely to be a good and effective thing. Simple punitive policies don't work and just isolate regimes.

Just look at Cuba. People here are probably not aware that Canada and Europe have had unrestricted travel to Cuba for a while. There are modern resorts already in place and an international tourism industry.

I have no doubt that their softer approach was helpful in the changes that have been occurring there.

[Brother Buzz]

9. Not to many years ago, I seem to remember Clinton was playing "good cop" with North Korea...

and one of the first action the Chimp did was to undo the policies Clinton put it place to help 'normalize' relationships with North Korea. Hell, some of us even believed reunification with the south was a remote possibility down the road.

Would have, could have, should have been. Here's a quick summery of what Clinton's administration almost accomplished:

http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/agreedframework

[Ykcutnek]

2. Birds of a feather... nt

[PersonNumber503602]

3. I find it oddly hilarious that a Seth Rogen movie can be such an international topic.

It's SETH ROGAN!

Damn Canadians always bringing humanity to the brink of extinction.

[Sunlei]

4. It's a hacker country love-fest!

[Hulk]

5. Surprise, surprise.

Sort of like the repuKKKes siding up with ANYONE against the current administration. "You against the black President? Hell, we're with you!"

[1step]

6. Skip the first 2 minutes

[Drunken Irishman]

7. Russia is so desperate for friends they're now hanging out with North Korea.

[branford]

10. I think Sony need to film "The Interview 2," a comedy with Putin as the assassination target.

He should be attacked with something thematically appropriate like being mauled by a bear in a gay nightclub while he's dressed in drag.

Regardless of my feeling about the movie (I've not yet watched it), I don't like leaders of other countries with "dubious" democratic and free speech standards telling our citizens what movies we should or should not film, no less support threats, blackmail and cyber-terrorism.

[PatrynXX]

13. Isn't there one with George W assasinated?

didn't exactly cause a mass ban.

[daleo]

14. A British TV movie

Washington objected to it. It was a serious film about the possible consequences of an assasination, rather than a comedy, though.

[Cha]

11. "Russia on Thursday offered sympathy to North Korea amid the Sony hacking scandal, saying the

movie that sparked the dispute was so scandalous that Pyongyang's anger was "quite understandable."

Good they can whine together about Seth Rogan's movie. Two despots crying in their vodka.

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. A couple of broke assholes, smellin' up the joint. "My currency ain't the worth the paper it's.....

printed on". Asshole #2: Mine ain't either, which is why I can use it for toilet paper. It's cheaper than Quilted Northern".