President George W. Bush, speaking in Singapore on Thursday, ripped Democrats who took control of Congress last week, and warned that America must reject isolationism and protectionism. “We hear voices for us to retreat from the world and close our doors to these opportunities,” Bush told an audience at the National University of Singapore. “These are the old temptations of isolationism and protectionism, and America must reject them.” Bush also raised the specter of a nuclear-armed North Korea, vowing to defend America's Asian allies. “The transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States and we would hold North Korea fully accountable for the consequences of such action,” Bush said. “For the sake of peace, it is vital that the nations of this region send a message to North Korea that the proliferation of nuclear technology to hostile regimes or terrorist networks will not be tolerated.”
