Diplomacy and North Korea Posted by James Lamond

This weekend it was announced that North Korea would be taken off America’s list of state sponsors of terrorism - followed the next day by an announcement from Pyongyang that they would resume dismantling their nuclear arms projects.  The Bush administration’s North Korea policy has in essence been a microcosm of its overall foreign policy.  It starts with an ideological refusal to negotiate and charged rhetoric that goes nowhere and makes us less safe.  It is then followed by a realization that diplomacy, though imperfect and messy, usually works. 

The latest agreement, brokered by Christopher Hill comes as a result of a recent boost in negotiations following a near collapse of talks due to the insistence of hardliners in the Bush administration- led by Dick Cheney- on a verification program, that that the New York Times editorial board described as conditions “that only a state vanquished in war might accept.” 

For the first six years of the Bush administration the hardliners had won over the agenda with North Korea, blocking any serious negotiations with the communist regime.  In that time North Korea produced enough plutonium for several nuclear weapons, even detonating one. 

Following the 2006 nuclear test in North Korea, Secretary Rice was able to convince the President to pursue a new course involving negotiations and compromise.  Throughout this time, the fighting between Cheney and Rice over the proper approach to North Korea got pretty intense.  However, Rice was able to win over the president saying that the most likely way to build a legacy was through negotiations and diplomacy.  For the past two years this has been the approach taken, and there has been progress in reaching an agreement with North Korea dismantling their nuclear facilities.

Then, in June, President Bush announced that he was prepared to take North Korea off the terrorism list in recognition of the country’s commitment to halt its development of nuclear weapons.  The conservative hardliners had a fit.  Cheney apparently was so angry that he canceled a meeting with visiting US foreign experts, and when asked why he said,

"I'm not going to be the one to announce this decision. You need to address your interest in this to the State Department," then left the room.

Of the June announcement, Richard Perle said,

"Usually the word 'meltdown' applies to a nuclear reactor. In this case it applies to Bush administration diplomacy which once aimed to halt the North Korean program and has now become an abject failure."

And Danielle Pletka, vice-president of the American Enterprise Institute, argued the deal would encourage nuclear proliferation saying,

"The evolution of the administration's approach to North Korea has been an object lesson in muddled diplomacy, a 'how-not-to' guide for handling rogue states. "

For a while now it seemed as if the Cheney and the hardliners had the president’s ear again.  As this influence grew, the administration took a stronger stance on an extremely strict and invasive verification program.  Which resulted talks with North Korea beganing to fall apart, and they ceased their dismantling efforts.  It looked pretty grim, until this weekend’s announcement that the U.S. was to take North Korea off of the list.

What does this show? Well it is pretty obvious that in this situation, as in many others, trying diplomacy seems to work better than forsaking it.  While our problems with North Korea may be far from over, surely this is a better result than what was going on in the first six years of the Bush administration.

In the past few years President Bush himself has demonstrated that the progressive strategy of engagement and diplomacy to be successful while proving his own administration’s ideologically-driven policies as failures.  Joe Cirincione and John Wolfsthal, two non-proliferation experts, write:

“The core of the Bush doctrine was the idea that military-backed regime change was the way to prevent proliferation. Iraq was the first application of this strategy and its most devastating failure. This has stayed the hand of those who would repeat the strategy with Iran and other countries. Indeed, the greatest successes of the administration have come where Secretary Rice broke from this strategy. Libya abandoned its nuclear program only when - over the opposition of Vice President Dick Cheney and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld - direct negotiations were used to change a regime's behavior rather than force a change in the actual regime. The total failure in North Korean policy was reversed in 2006 only after Rice convinced President Bush to negotiate with Pyongyang, a process they are now bungling.”

Regardless of what happens with North Korean between now and January, the next president will surely have to address  our relationship with the country. The problem is that John McCain has shown he is determined to continue policies of the conservative hardliners and return to the early years of the Bush administration.  In his statement following the announcement McCain said:

"I expect the administration to explain exactly how this new verification agreement advances American interests and those of our allies before I will be able to support any decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism."

McCain is not only out of line with his party’s president, but even with his own running mate, who said of the decision:

"[Secretary of State] Condoleezza Rice, of course, having worked on this strategy for quite some time, I have faith in her that they're making this wise decision and North Korea, of course, better live up to its end of the bargain there, in speaking with the other countries whom they've been working with, in promising the verification. That end of the bargain has got to be lived up to."

North Korea is just the latest example of McCain’s extreme approach to foreign policy.  Columnist Nicholas Kristoff writes that

“North Korea is one of the Bush administration’s greatest failures, and Mr. McCain seems intent on making it worse…  Even President Bush recognized the failure of his first term’s hard-line policy and abandoned it, instead pursuing negotiations and diplomatic solutions with North Korea. Mr. McCain fumes that this is accommodation and seems to prefer the first-term fist-waving that was emotionally satisfying but failed catastrophically.  A McCain administration would thus apparently mean no more diplomatic track with North Korea.”

The hardliner warmongering policies of Dick Cheney, Richard Perle, Danielle Pletka, and John McCain have gotten us into enough trouble over the last seven years. When the mainstream republicans in the Bush administration and even Sarah Palin have accepted an approach of diplomacy first, it is curious how out of touch with his own party John McCain really is.

Comments

[Jake]

"It is then followed by a realization that diplomacy, though imperfect and messy, usually works."

Shocking that it takes an administration 6 years to abandon a clearly failing hard-line approach before it tries something that has empirically worked forever. Equally shocking that McCain has stuck to his hard-line stance on diplomacy and expects to win the election.

[runescape gold]

Welcome to our game world, my friend asks me to buy runescape . I do not know how to use the rs gold ; my friend tells me how to use. I will thank for my friends bringing me in this world. I am not regret to buy runescape money . We all love game, if you want to play it, please buy cheap rs gold and join us. Please do not hesitate to have game.

[Tibia coins]

When you have Tibia Gold, you will become strong. With Tibia coins, you can upgrade and admire by others. You can use Tibia money to start the journey of the world. So, do not hesitate, let us move to buy tibia gp

[rs gold]

At present, I want to say thanks to the people who stole my account, if he did not to do that, I would not play rs, I would not have rs gold . Although I have little runescape money , I will on the way of the rs for long time.

[dd]

I hope i can get Sho Online Mun in low price,
Yesterday i bought Sho Mun for my friend.

[cheap aion kina]

I am so happy to get some aion kina from my friends. It makes me happy that I can still earn some cheap aion kina.

[Louis Vuitton Purses]

I hope i can get Sho Online Mun in low price,

[Gucci Bangle]

hope i can get Sho Online Mun in low price,

[luxury watches]

I am so with you,rolex watch
luxury watch

[sohbet odaları]

sonra bedava chat
burasıda var bedava sohbet

[chanel handbags]

Chanel Handbags are woman’s dream come true.

Chanel, a fashion name that has become synonymous with femininity since 100 years, is on the must-have list of every fashion-conscious woman.? And we bring these must-have Chanel Handbags at never before discounts, just for you.

It is only when you come across an Chanel New Arrivals, do you realize the power of her words.? Chanel handbags are crafted not just to be trendy, but trend-setting.? Hardly has lived a celebrity who has not been seen carrying a Chanel handbag under her arm; such has the influence of Chanel handbags as a fashion statement.

Chanel handbags have been so popular in the elite classes of the society, that their pricing is usually prohibitive for everyone else.? Discount Chanel handbags are really difficult to come across, but today should be your lucky day.? We bring you a superb unbeatable range of Chanel Flap bags, all at fantastic discounts.? With us, you have an incredible chance to buy your favorite Chanel handbags at rock bottom prices!

Chanel Handbags have always been at the forefront of luxury and style.? The Chanel classic quilted leather handbags and its reinventions have ruled fashion since forever.? Chanel handbags have remained extremely popular as they continue to merge evolving modern trends with the class and simplicity of its original avatar.

An Chanel 2008 Collection and Chanel 2009 Collection single handedly enhances the look you are carrying.? The reason you would buy a Chanel handbag is own a bag that mingles with your charm and intensifies it with its inherent simplicity.? If you have owned an authentic Chanel handbag before, you know what we are talking about.? If you are one of the unlucky people who haven’t yet gotten a chance to own an Chanel Cambon, now is your chance to shop for an authentic Chanel handbag and discover its ability to transform your look completely.

Buy Chanel handbags with us, and get fabulous discounts which you will never get at your favorite store.? We offer cheap authentic Chanel handbags and they are all up for grabs!

[Louis Vuitton handbags]

Both sides of the symmetrical lines, wantonly flaunt a perfect Louis Vuitton handbagsline, in the right case, the border, from 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock position to develop a unique design to show the whole concept of asymmetry, resulting in visual surprise, crown, located in the the right to beautiful, 4 o'clock position of the bright red jujube board. Black dial with white silkLouis Vuitton handbags screen printing, second hand with red paint, resulting in the formation of brand image is more out of color.

[Timberland boots uk]

it looks nice and I want to give my opinion

timberland boots uk is the classic American success story of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps - literally. In 1918, Nathan Swartz began a boot-making career as an apprentice stitcher at The Abington Shoe Company in Massachusetts. He started on the lowest rung on the ladder, learned his trade, and through hard work and determination eventually became the owner of the company.timberland sale Swartz and his sons continued to make shoes and boots for many manufacturers, and in the 1960s they produced the first truly waterproof boots. The innovation came by fusing soles to leather uppers without stitching.Comfortable enough to wear all day and rugged enough for all year round.waterproof bootstimberland boots sale are equipped to help people make a difference in their world, whatever your definition of that may be. Whether a true hiker or just hiking to work, from boots to chukkas to boat shoes to dress casual oxfords, ShoeMall has men's Timberland shoes of all styles. Our women's timberland boots sale range from rugged boots to delicate ballet flats, for however you want to walk through your day. We also have a brand new selection of kids' Timberland shoes. They're the perfect way to start your little adventurer's day off right! And, as always, we offer free shipping on all cheap timberland boots

[k247br]

e biodegradablechanel bags when you "stoop and scoop."
Dispose of animal waste according to the campground rules or bury it off-road.
Observe fire coguccinditions and always keep a full jug of water nearby.
Remove flammable brush near fire pits and keep campfires small.
Don't burn plastics and metalshermes.
Use non-toxic, phosphate-free, biodegradable cleaning supplies and sanitary additives.
Reduce the need louis vuitton for air-conditioning by parking in natural shade, opening windows, using awnings or portable sun shelters.
Wash air-conditionidesignerng filters when dirty, instead of buying new ones each time.
Reduce the need to turn on heat designer handbagsby parking in a sheltered spot, out of the north and west winds.