The nattering naybobs of negativism are still, as they are wont to do, digesting the fall out of whatever it was that happened on Friday when ROK President Roh Moo-hyun met up with U.S. President Bush.
“Every time we meet together, Mr. President, questions abound regarding the possible existence of differences between Korea and the United States surrounding the North Korea nuclear issue,” Roh said in a noontime Oval Office appearance with Bush. “But every time I meet you, Mr. President, in person, I come to the realization that there, indeed, is no difference between our two sides with regard to the basic principles.”
Roh, downplaying any hint of ” discord or cacophony between the two” on the question of North Korea, asserted “that our alliance remains solid.” They have other differences, Roh allowed, suggesting that these will be settled “smoothly.”
The Boston Globe suggests that Bush is still uncertain about what to do with the DPRK.
Bush has had five years to start bargaining in earnest with the Stalinist regime of Kim Jong Il. Instead he has blustered pointlessly about refusing to reward bad behavior, and his advisers have touted the three rounds of six-party talks in Beijing as an improvement on Bill Clinton’s bilateral diplomacy with North Korea — as if the six-party talks could somehow produce a deal without Washington putting an offer on the table that the North might accept.
[...]
Over the last two months, however, Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have derided Kim Jong Il in public and implied a readiness to use military force against the North. And those hints were backed up with a deployment of F-117 Stealth fighters and Aegis cruisers with cruise missiles to the region. These provocative measures were taken just as Chinese intermediaries were trying to persuade the North to return to Beijing for a new round of the six-party talks.
If Bush goes on making threats and refusing to offer incentives for a deal with Pyongyang, South Korea and the rest of Asia may logically conclude that the Americans don’t want a deal and are not reliable guarantors of Asian security. South Korea’s President Roh may have been too discreet to say as much to Bush, but if Bush does not soon make North Korea a credible offer suited to produce a phased dismantling of the North’s nuclear program, leaders in Seoul and other Asian capitals will draw their own conclusions.
Meanwhile, one person thinks China is the key to solving everything.
I just think we should scare the crap out of them. At least do something, anything, rather than playing Hamlet on the Potomac.
Yes, the title of the post came from this.
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7 Comments
Whack as it may seem, Bush is someone Koreans (or someone of her mentality) can work with. I hate his policies, but I think he’s someone Koreans can understand (and hopefully, can work with).
What kind of hippies work at the Boston Globe? What they want the U.S. to do? Talk to NKs and give them what they want? Talk is just another word for “giving in and burying your head in the sand”.
What do these good-for-nothings suggest:
1) Talk with the North Korea? : the U.S. has been talking to NK all along. The recent one being only a few weeks ago when NK representatives promised that NK would return to the six party talk.
2) Give NK more economic aids? : Only if they give up the nukes and open the country for free arms inspection.
3) Promise NK the U.S. would never invade? : What if they misbehave? The U.S. should not promise this.
4) Respect Kim Jongil? : How can you respect the leader who threatens other countries and starves millions.
The U.S. does not have to give in to this dictator. Canada or France might do just that, but not the Home of the Braves. These Boston hippies can go live in Canada or France.
That’s “the home of the brave” Baduk. http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anthem.html
Or did you deliberately add the “s” in reference to that almost-forgotten old professional baseball team the Boston Braves?
The Braves were “distinguished” as the first pro baseball team to “relocate” due to declining fan attendance (starting a trend that was much denigrated by old-time baseball fans; but, the problem with “old-timers” is that they die off). The Braves left Boston after the 1952 season for Milwaukee (then moved again in the 60’s and are currently located in Atlanta).
Hmm, from what I recall of your views, this may not be the analogy you’re looking for. It brings to mind the thought that maybe the “USA” team should “relocate” out of “ROK stadium” to someplace where they’ll be more welcome.
Milwaukee sounds good to me.
“Scare the crap” out of the North Koreans?
You mean something like this?
Operation Paul Bunyan 2?
(Yes, I am the author and yes, it is a shameless plug for my own work.)
“I just think we should scare the crap out of them.”
This is not a rhetorical question and I’m just curious to know how it was meant…. who is “we” in that sentence? “The world,” “we Americans,” or some other grouping?
YoMo, I’ll keep Chirac, and Dubbya is all yours.
I, for one, think “we” means whoever possesses the capacity, will and desire to “scare the crap” out of North Korea. Raise your hands.
Oh. I guess it’s just us Americans. And maybe the Japanese too (when they get tired of “satellite lanuch attempts” into their airspace).