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North Korea: How Not to Handle a Tyrant
Câmon, Rantburgers, donât fade on me yet (lazy eastcoasters)... help me hate this:There they go again. In a July 31 speech in Seoul, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control & International Security John Bolton called North Korean strongman Kim Jong Il one of the worldâs "tyrannical rogue-state leaders" and mused publicly how Kim lives in luxury while his people starve. It reminds me of President Bushâs statement in March, 2001, that Kim couldnât be trusted. Infatuated with what they consider candor, the Bush folks too often substitute rhetoric and name-calling for policy. O.K., so Kim is a tyrant and lives in luxury while his people starve. Whatâs U.S. policy toward North Korea? ...But their language is undiplomatic and counterproductive. K, a fair and balanced look... Such name-calling often generates fistfights on playgrounds. But on the world stage, comments like these merely raise the temperature on the volatile Korean Peninsula, enflaming Pyongyangâs paranoia about an imminent U.S. attack. And in the absence of a clear policy, such statements simply undermine Americaâs national-security interests. Indeed, what passes for North Korea policy in Washington already has been botched. shoulda let DOD handle it In pressing for talks with North Korea aimed at defusing tensions, the Bush team first insisted that Kim dismantle his nuclear programs before talks begin, then demanded that discussions take place only with South Korea, China, and Japan present. That was a nonstarter. Indeed, the Bush team already is backing off its demands. It already has met with just the North and China instead of all the parties. And it did so before any dismantling had taken place. The problem was that the Bush team has already met with just the North and China instead of all the parties. And it did so before any dismantling had taken place. We are not supposed to solve world problems unilaterally... repeat... we must always solve world problems unilaterally
...we have one, itâs called an "armistice" Washington also would recognize Kimâs regime and open a mission in Pyongyang. In return, the North would renounce its nuclear-weapons program, permit inspections of its nuclear facilities, help develop a complete inventory of its weapons and materials, and rejoin the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. And in the final part of the first phase, the U.S., both Koreas, Japan, Russia, and China would hammer out an economic and security arrangement for the Korean Peninsula, with funding of up to $5 billion a year in aid for a decade. So we meet with the NKORs privately and negotiate a deal that the rest of the world will just show up and sign... simplisme, no? After all this happens, the nonaggression pact would become permanent. To stop the Northâs weapons proliferation, it would be required to sign the Missile Technology Control Regime. The Stalinist state also would have to lay out a timetable for improving human rights and assume observer status with the Helsinki Commission, a U.S. agency that monitors democratic, economic, and human-rights developments. And in one of Weldonâs pet projects, Congress would establish links with North Koreaâs parliament to develop programs on everything from agriculture to judicial systems to environmental cooperation. This scheme has much to recommend it. It should allay North Korean fears of a U.S. attack and defang Kimâs nukes. It would give the North Koreans the legitimacy they crave at little cost to the U.S. It also would demonstrate solidarity among North Koreaâs neighbors — something the Bush Administration has sought with mixed results so far. The success of the Weldon plan depends on key factors that are also still unknowns: Does Pyongyang intend to develop nukes regardless of what the U.S. does? Can Pyongyang be integrated into the world economic community in this timeframe? Finally, can any deal be verified and enforced? After all, U.S. intelligence knew nothing about the highly enriched uranium program for years. As things stand now, the North could destroy that operation and its Yongbyan facility, and we still wouldnât know of a third, fourth, or fifth site where nuclear work might be ongoing. Then again, we wonât know the answers until the U.S., North Korea, and its neighbors sit down, talk, draft a proposal, and sign it. The sooner, the better, for everyone. In the meantime, Bush and his aides would do well to stop the name-calling. AAAAGGGHHH!!! Please edit, with a bullet. On second thought dump the whole mag. Business Week??? Posted by: Mark IV 2003-07-31 |
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