Clinton warns Iran of "crippling action"; Iran protesters return to the street; Burma-North Korea military links; Kenya strengthens border patrols; and more

Top of the Agenda: Secretary Clinton Warns Iran, North Korea

Speaking from Thailand, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Iran on Wednesday that the United States will take “crippling action” against it if it seeks nuclear weapons. She said the United States is prepared to raise a “defense umbrella” (Jerusalem Post) over the region. The United States could boost the military capacity of local U.S. allies, making a nuclear weapon for Iran less valuable, she said in an interview with Thai television.

Clinton is in Thailand attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN conference. North Korea is sending a delegate to the ASEAN conference, but had no meeting with Clinton planned (NYT).

Clinton said on Tuesday that U.S. concern is growing over possible military ties between North Korea and Burma (WashPost). Clinton said military cooperation between North Korea and Burma would be “destabilizing for the region.”

Background:
Clinton addressed U.S. policy toward Iran in a speech at CFR last week. Video and a transcript of the speech are available here.

This CFR Backgrounder profiles ASEAN.

PACIFIC RIM: South Korea Autoworkers, Police Fight

South Korean riot police clashed on Tuesday with laid-off autoworkers who have been occupying the Ssangyong plant (Korea Times) for nearly two months. Ssangyong, South Korea’s fifth-largest automaker, has been under bankruptcy protection (al-Jazeera) since February.

ELSEWHERE:

Protests in Pakistan over power outages
Kenya to bolster troops on border with Somalia
Iran protesters arrested.

This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org