North Korea Deal

Good news, I would say. Of course the fly in the ointment is that we could have gotten a better version of this deal years and years ago had Bush and Cheney not stomped on it. The tragedy of it is that not only could we have gotten this deal years ago, but the personnel who were ready to get it have been there inside the administration all along, being overruled by the blinkered ideogues they work for.

I was joking earlier today that we should just send Christopher Hill to Teheran to try and work something out. It turns out, though, that Hill's opposite number as Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs David Welch is another career foreign servive officer with a long record. Odds are he could do a fine job, too, were it not for the fact that, like the rest of the Cossacks, he works for a crazy Czar.

Comments

Am I the only one who thinks that, as tough as "real 'Murkins" perceive Bush & CO for doing things like this, the whole "we're willing to talk (only) so long as you get rid of your nuke program" rhetoric of Bush & CO actually sends the message of "we may have objections to your evildoing, but as long as you get rid of any nuke programs you may have, we'll gladly make any sort of compromise", which makes us actually look super-afraid (of nukes) rather than making us look strong and invites (c.f. criticism of farm subsidies) countries to have nuclear programs that way they can use them as negotiating tools?

E.g. before Bush & CO didn't wanna play ball (at least over the table) with "axis of evil" member Iran, but now that they act like they have a nuclear program, our Sec. of State is willing to talk with her Iranian counter-part anywhere and anytime so long as they get rid of that program? What a message to send, nu?

Posted by DAS | February 13, 2007 1:54 PM

What I can't figure out Matt is just what induced The Evil Ones to accept such a major tactical defeat and reward North Korea in the bargain? Under the deal North Korea gets to keep its nukes and really it only needs a couple to provide insurance against attempted "regime change" as well as possible future saber dancing. Recall that not long ago Shrub announced that it was just as "unacceptable" for North Korea to have nukes as it is now for Iran. Bolton is on the warpath over the offer.
My concern is that this deal was made to soften opponents and free up BushCheney and resources for an intensified IraqIran showdown. What other upside is there? He's not getting a Nobel nomination in any case.

Posted by jaimie | February 13, 2007 2:09 PM

And the moral of the story is: if you proliferate a little you get invaded and smashed but if you proliferate to the point of detonating a nuke you get some respect.

Posted by Footloose | February 13, 2007 2:22 PM

Hopefully what's happening is that the voices of reason within the Bush administration are finally winning the debate over North Korea. Now if they could do that with Iraq (and Iran).

Posted by Korha | February 13, 2007 3:30 PM

Maybe the change had to do with the fact that Bolton is no longer at the UN. The North Koreans hated him, after all. The only reason Bolton is not at the UN is that the Democrats took the Senate. See what happens when you vote for Democrats: national security near-instantly improves.

Posted by Reality Man | February 13, 2007 4:11 PM

What's with all the lefty bloggers saying this sounds like "good news"? It's Bush declaring success to cover up a very very BAD thing. Shutting down the reactor gets us back to the way thing were when Bush took office in that one small way only. The reactor was shut down when Bush took office.

More relevant is that Kim now has nukes he didn't have when Bush took office. Shutting down the reactor slows them down a bit. Bush got nothing else out of the deal. Nothing. It's far worse than the agreed framework, because now we're negotiating with a lunatic who has nukes. A lunatic who has nukes and who has connections to some of our worst enemies.

It makes the US look weak. It gives Bush an excuse to go back to ignoring Kim Jong Il, so he can focus on finding an excuse to bomb Iran. There's nothing about this that is "good news" by any stretch of the imagination. It's another "mission accomplished" moment.

Posted by alicks | February 13, 2007 8:22 PM

Reality Man: spot on. but quick aside: It wasn't just the North Koreans who hate Bolton. EVERYBODY hates Bolton.

Posted by Tom | February 14, 2007 12:32 AM