The Long War Journal: North Korea to End Nuke Program

Written by on September 19, 2005 1:58 PM to The Long War Journal

Available online at: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2005/09/north_korea_to.php

North Korea--The North will have to build trust by fulfilling all its pledges before that issue would be discussed, said Sasae, who is director of the Asia and Oceania Bureau at Japan's Foreign Ministry.

North Korea has also refused to totally disarm without getting concessions along the way, while Washington has said it wants to see the weapons programs totally dismantled before granting rewards. The statement, however, says the sides agreed to take steps to implement the agreement "in a phased manner in line with the principle of 'commitment for commitment, action for action.' "

The other countries at the talks said they were willing give energy assistance to the North, including a South Korean plan to deliver electricity across the heavily armed border dividing the peninsula.

"This is the most important result since the six-party talks started more than two years ago," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, Beijing's envoy.

North Korea was promised two light-water reactors under a 1994 deal with Washington to abandon its nuclear weapons. That agreement fell apart in late 2002 with the outbreak of the latest nuclear crisis, when U.S. officials said North Korea admitted having a secret uranium enrichment program.

Now if North Korea is lying, they don't get their dessert before they eat their dinner. And they are not just lying to the Great Satan, but Japan, China, Russia, South Korea... The countries that they "need to be protected" from.

This is a major win for US Foreign policy and for the safety of the world as a whole. North Korea sells their technology for weapons abroad and has sold information and equipment to several different groups and countries with terror ties. North Korea has basically thumbed their noses at the UN and the US since well before 1994. The test is whether this agreement lasts unlike the 1994 agreement that lacked teeth and gave concessions without any checks or requirements.

In several respects, our foreign policy towards Iraq and Afghanistan has encouraged Libya and North Korea to come back to the table. The view that we are run by a reckless cowboy who doesn't play the UN bribe game and ignore problems intimidates these fringe nations. Unfortunately, it is not working as well as hoped with Iran.

Does "W" win the North Korea-Bilateral Talks debate with Kerry now?

From the 2004 Debates--In a televised debate ahead of November elections, Mr Bush defended his six-nation talks approach while Mr Kerry backed bilateral talks with the North. ... Analysts believe Pyongyang is waiting to see who is the next US president before it makes its next move.

"I want bilateral talks which put all of the issues, from the armistice of 1952, the economic issues, the human rights issues, the artillery disposal issues, the DMZ issues and the nuclear issues on the table," said Mr Kerry.

Mr Bush responded: "I can't tell you how big a mistake I think that is to have bilateral talks with North Korea. That's precisely what Kim Jong-il wants."

He argued that face to face talks between the US and North Korea would "unravel" the current framework, which brings pressure on Pyongyang from its traditional ally China, in addition to Japan, Russia, and South Korea, as well as the US.

"If Kim Jong-il decides not to honour an agreement, he's not only doing an injustice to America, he would be doing injustice to China as well. And I think this will work," said Mr Bush.

The current administration believes the bilateral approach taken by former President Bill Clinton gave too much to Pyongyang in exchange for too little.

But Mr Kerry argued that Mr Bush's approach was not working, and had given Pyongyang the time to build up its nuclear arsenal.

Sorry for those Kerry supporters, but on the foreign policy issue with NK, history proves Bush right. And on the jobs numbers that Kerry loved to tout, history is proving Bush right again. Both of these were very major issues in 2004 that Kerry put much emphasis in. And Bush's win on North Korea should be noted and hailed as a major victory that makes America Safer by both sides of the aisle. Stay tuned for the expected media and Democratic silence.