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2007-02-20 China-Japan-Koreas

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Posted by ryuge 2007-02-20 00:17|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Hmmmmm. Not buying this, for now. And by that I don't mean I'm in the waiting mode that Zelikow alleges is the current US position, either. My understanding of the "deal" is that it does not include the rather aggressive design required for success against the Norks - i.e., an UP-FRONT, witnessed and completely verified root-and-branch dismantlement of all their nukyler work and infrastructure and even supervision of their personnel by a very very very intrusive ongoing and open-ended monitoring program.

But they'd never agree to this, you say? Well, OK - the point is to achieve our objective, not to put "diplomatic" points on the board.

Even prior to their little test back in October, I'd say that the extreme conditions laid out above were the only acceptable basis for a "deal". A security guarantee would even be acceptable in trade for the ultr-intrusive monitored dismantlement/demobilization regime.

I believe Bolton has criticized the deal as trading near-term benefits for longer-term Nork obligations. I'd stick with my assertion that the real and only issue is whether a complete and essentially inescapable dismantlement regime is in place - anything less may well not be worth the trouble (i.e., will leave us in no better condition - recall that we're not particularly concerned about some sort of diversified, flexible, "conventional" Nork militarized nuclear capability as we are about WMD transfer to non-state actors - so anything short of a complete and verified dissolution of the Nork nuke program will not address our central problem).

Posted by Verlaine 2007-02-20 00:41|| 2007-02-20 00:41|| Front Page Top

#2 The North Koreans will break their word, as always. This is just the high point in the cycle. Evidently, Banco Delta really put a crimp in their plans.

Posted by gromky 2007-02-20 07:19|| 2007-02-20 07:19|| Front Page Top

#3 This stuff is just wishful thinking. The NORKS are being backed into a corner. They are becoming a liability, even to the ChiComs, who are in there for the natural resources and to keep Korea from unifying. Chicoms have been playing both ends against the middle with their little dawg.

The quicker the Nork regime ends, the quicker the North Korean people can be rescued from their plight.

The NORKS are on the ropes and we give them a hand, thus enabling this inhuman dictatorship to survive. Give them millions of barrels of oil and we cannot have the authority to shut down and dismantle their reactors and missile installations. What a friggin deal.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2007-02-20 14:32|| 2007-02-20 14:32|| Front Page Top

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