Ted Turner 'Very Upset' Over North Korean Nuclear Test

Here is proof that you can have the mentality of chronic pot smoker and still be a Billionaire. Follow the link and read the whole story it's a good laugh.

By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
October 10, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - Liberal billionaire Ted Turner -- who last year claimed that North Korean officials were "absolutely sincere" in their intent to use nuclear power only for civilian purposes -- said Monday that he's "very upset" the Asian nation has conducted a nuclear weapons test.

Turner's position was quite different during a Sept. 19, 2005, interview on CNN's Situation Room after the billionaire returned from a meeting with North Korean officials.

"I am absolutely convinced that the North Koreans are absolutely sincere," Turner said then. "There's really no reason for them to cheat" and use nuclear power for weapons instead of generating electricity and other civilian uses.

"I looked them right in the eyes, and they looked like they meant the truth," he added. "I mean, you know, just because somebody's done something wrong in the past doesn't mean they can't do right in the future or the present. That happens all the, all the time."

Looking at the "challenging situation" around the world, Turner stated "the most dangerous thing is the nuclear weapons because they can end our lives in an afternoon." India, Pakistan and Israel also have nuclear weapons, and "Iran is probably trying to get them," he added.

In the end, the only real solution to nuclear proliferation is "for everybody to get rid of all nuclear weapons" under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Turner stated.

"The next most dangerous thing is probably global climate change or global warming, and then, right behind that are overpopulation -- we need to get serious about family planning -- and trying to alleviate poverty, to get clean, renewable energy, probably with solar panels to the billion and a half people in the world who don't have access to electricity," Turner said.

"There are a lot of things in our own government that are a mess," the billionaire said. "I always feel like if you really work hard and get to be nearly perfect, then you can go around and tell everybody else what to do.

"But if you're not perfect, you shouldn't tell other people what to do," he added. "You should let them work it out for themselves to a large degree.

"War just isn't the way to get things done anymore," he noted. "Blowing up bridges and hospitals and museums and everything, it costs a lot of money to rebuild them.