February 27, 2007: Bolton Bashes Bush

Well, not exactly. But he did say this to Kyodo News: "I think the deal violates the principle that President Bush followed during his first term in office that we don't reward bad behavior, especially by rogue states and proliferators like North Korea," [former US UN Ambassador John] Bolton said.

He was talking about the recent six-party talks agreement with the NORKS. He added: "My concern is that we had North Korea in a corner after the nuclear test and now we've helped them get out of the corner," he said, pointing to the resumption of talks between the two Koreas, the probability that Seoul will resume the flow of aid to Pyongyang stopped after the nuclear test and reports that Australia will resume diplomatic ties with the North Koreans.

Bolton, the assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation at the State Department before his stint as U.N. ambassador, said North Korea will not give up its nuclear program voluntarily and will inevitably cheat on the agreement.

Is Bolton right? Most probably. At least past experience makes it look that way.

Well, it was fun while it lasted (having Bolton in the UN, I mean).

Comments

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I don't think this is bashing Bush, it is just disagreeing. People do that.

As for the deal with NK. Well who knows? The Chinese are a part of the deal now and that might make a difference or it might not. I suppose we will find out in time.

But one thing I will disagree with Bolton on...we never had NK in a box.They went right ahead and tested that nuke whatever we said. They have always done what they wanted anyway.

I don't think that most Americans or most South Koreans want to see a military strike right now so our options remain limited.

Posted by: Terrye at February 28, 2007 3:05 AM

"...we never had NK in a box.They went right ahead and tested that nuke whatever we said. "

Sure, because they have seen from personal experience of the past decade or so that America is just talk.
The image America has presented to them is a divided people and even, until recently, would not tackle Iranians in Iraq head on.

Posted by: Cynic at February 28, 2007 6:03 AM

Of course, they will cheat.

This is not Bush bashing; it is reality. Bolton speaks his mind. In fact, it may strength the president's game plan in the end. Lest we forget -this president is a long term card shark.

Bolton's loss at the UN is symbolic,
Khalidazhad goes in. Bolton speaks from the outside; getting headlines, talking conservative sense and realpolitik reality, the media and talking heads at Brookings babble on talking 6 party talks and then the N. Koreans cheat again. Bingo. A neat ploy to silence the critics and ratched up the pressure.

Posted by: jedrury at February 28, 2007 7:24 AM

The problem with Bolton's position on Korea is that there is never any there there.

If you can't DO ANYTHING to bend reality to your viewpoint then all that you can do is lament the fact that reality sucks. And we all agree it does, but after that --- ?

What exactly can the US do to REALLY 'influence' North Korea if it chooses not to be 'influenced' ?

And the answer is ---- Nothing. Not a thing. Nada. Unless you count a severe dressing down as 'influence'.

When China grows tired of the regime in the North, it will soon be on last-ditch life-support. Thusfar China has more to lose than to gain by its end,namely a wave of Koreans flooding into China. That situation will not likely continue forever. And speaking of the Koreas, what exactly does the US gain by keeping 50,000 troops wasting away in South Korea ? Let the South deal with its own problems. It has the money now and the assets. It's past time the South stood on its own feet in its conflict with the North. Its 'neighbour' is essentially its problem, although the nukes are EVERYBODY'S problem. And a withdrawl of the troops has the added benefit of making Kim's rants about American Imperialism even more unbelievable than they are now.

It's not the Cold War any longer. Time to jettison all those cold war remnants and concentrate on the 'new' problems.

Posted by: dougf at February 28, 2007 8:27 AM

It's not the Cold War any longer. Time to jettison all those cold war remnants and concentrate on the 'new' problems.

Hush now Doug, or someone might actually listen to sense. ;-)

I think you're probably right. America has a lot of pull in some countries, but North Korea really doesn't seem to be one of them. I think Kim pulled the entire stunt to get the US back to the table, and lo it worked. (Who's influencing whom?)

I fear Bolton will prove correct in his assessment. Though, in the President's defense (rare position for me to be in) any advance is better than stagnation. Maybe this won't be the last time we butt heads, but at least it provides us with a bit of breathing room and hopefully, by the time Kim becomes a problem again, we'll have settled Iraq in one way or another. If the US military is free of encumbering engagements, I somehow think Kim may reconsider his brashness.

Posted by: dclydew at February 28, 2007 8:48 AM

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