Since we here at the Marmot’s Hole occasionally like to break up our offensive and generally mind-numbing content with posts that are actually informative and insightful, I link to the International Crisis Group’s report on the fallout, er, repercussions of North Korea’s nuclear test. Just so you know what to expect, here is what the ICG suggests from here on out (copied straight from the executive summary):
- appoint a full-time senior envoy for North Korea, as suggested by Congress, who should be empowered to oversee all issues relating to that country and to negotiate both at the six-party talks and bilaterally;
- agree with the Security Council a timetable to ease sanctions if North Korea meets requirements to freeze its nuclear program and readmit international inspectors;
- focus on the nuclear issue, even if this means postponing other important concerns including human rights, drugs, counterfeiting and missiles, since priority must be placed on the most serious risk;
- provide North Korea with a detailed plan of the steps it must take to end its weapons program and what benefits it will receive in return, including a response to North Korea’s basic security and regime preservation concerns; and
- discuss proliferation risks in the region with key powers, especially China, with whom a broad dialogue on nuclear and other security issues is required, and ensure an understanding among them about the implementation of Resolution 1718 sufficient to keep pressure on North Korea, without causing splits among those involved in the renewed six-party talks.
The Marmot’s Hole: Because we care about your intellectual well-being.
(HT to reader)
2 Comments
Marmot, your concern for our intellectual well-being is touching. I suppose it’s pointless to shoot rotting fish in a barrel, but what the heck:
I particularly like that third point in your summary, since it neatly encapsulates why the norks will never surrender their nuclear program. The norks read this and congratulate each other: ‘See, as long as we have nukes, we can do whatever we damn well please in crushing dissent, selling drugs, counterfeiting, and popping off No Dongs’.
I was also quite charmed by this comment in the press release (not quoted by the marmot): ‘North Korea’s major security concern is the U.S. Unless this concern, whatever its origins, is addressed, the regime is not likely to give up its nuclear weapons.’
See, it’s the bad ol’ USA that makes the poor norks into delinquents, nothing to do with the norks’ power lust and criminal desires. Reading that report, what this group really wants is another illusory agreement with the north, the previous illusion having produced a ‘welcome delay of some years in the nuclear program’.
One point studiously avoided by them is the way American freedom of action is frozen by the ‘alliance’ with South Korea.
The norks are partying now. The Chinese want the regime to go on, the South Koreans want the regime to go on, the ‘international crisis management groups’ want the regime to go on, America is frozen in place. The only fly in the ointment is those damnable financial controls…those Russian ‘bankers’ just want too much off the top…
“focus on the nuclear issue, even if this means postponing other important concerns including human rights, drugs, counterfeiting and missiles, since priority must be placed on the most serious risk;”
I guess I’ll echo watchingfromLA since he beat me to it.
When I read this part I thought — “chaaaaaa-chiiiiiiiinggg”
and had pictures of Kim Jong Il and crew popping the corks on some good bubbly smiling and talking about how much fun it was to bend the world over and poke up the arse and then have them pay you for it….
Then when I read the part from watchinginLA about NK’s “security concerns” I was — A) Happy I had not bothered to read the whole report yet and B) Wanted to know who the f- these idiots were?
I shouldn’t call them idiots. They are all probably well educated, well informed, and possibly fairly well paid experts. But since they seem to have decided to best way to handle North Korea is to consider how NK needs to be pleased and take the North Korean point of view (since all feelings and points of view are valid, don’t ya know) — they just seem like a bunch of jackasses to me.