Former Clinton defense secretary William Perry warned that the United States and North Korea are drifting toward war, perhaps as early as this year, in an increasingly dangerous standoff that also could result in terrorists being able to purchase a North Korean nuclear device and plant it in a U.S. city.
From his discussions, Perry has concluded the president simply won’t enter into genuine talks with Pyongyang’s Stalinist government. "My theory is the reason we don’t have a policy on this, and we aren’t negotiating, is the president himself," Perry said. "I think he has come to the conclusion that Kim Jong Il is evil and loathsome and it is immoral to negotiate with him." As our good friend Juan Gato would say, "with cheese!"
Interesting article. Here’s the real nut graf though:
Rather than escalate in this way, [high seas interdiction of NK drug and arms shipments] Perry said, the administration should engage in "coercive diplomacy," which he explained as, "You have to offer something, but you have to have an iron fist behind your offer." He didn’t specify what should be offered, but others have suggested that North Korea would like economic aid, trade deals, diplomatic recognition or a nonaggression pact.
There must be an echo in here--the echo of a failed Clinton NK policy? I’m sure the NKors would like the moon if they could get it, but Bush doesn’t want to make a deal with the Devil. At least I hope not... |