It’s interesting that anyone with two shakes worth of knowledge about foreign policy advised the Bush administration to meet directly with North Korea, and the idiots in the administration went with their same old tired stubborn path that just gave North Korea more time to build up its nuclear infrastructure. Then, we had direct talks with them and they’ve now apparently shut down the reactor in Pyongyang.
The administration’s decision making is like the kid who holds his breath and throws a tantrum for no good reason.
The Bushies just ignored North Korea, making some token moves at troop shifts in the Pacific. The North Koreans rightly recognized these for what they were, and went right on with their nuclear program. After five years and North Korea testing a nuke, it got everything it wanted, and all we got was five years of worry. We could have capitulated in 2002 and spared everyone the worry. They pissed and moaned how what Clinton did didn’t work, then they did what Clinton did after being shown how weak they really were.
For a bunch of guys who try to project an image of strength, they sure are wussies.
Thanks Bill Richardson.
Bush is going to get SO MUCH CREDIT for this.
Yes, I’m looking forward to the spin that says Bush knew the proper strategy was to ignore N. Korea until just this exact moment.
It’s foreign diplomacy according to The Rules.
Don’t you get it yet?
They *wanted* North Korea to become more of a threat. Without the threat, there’s no justification for spending craploads of money on the ‘defense shield,’ and no way to swagger and show what a badass you are.
It’s all about optics and corruption.
The truth no one here is capable of visualizing: This was a major foreign policy coup for the Bush Admin. Well done Condi!
The truth no one here is capable of visualizing: This was a major foreign policy coup for the Bush Admin. Well done Condi!
Rolling back the clock to 2000 is a coup?
I think Mr. Bush had something to say about “low expectations,” didn’t he?
You are of course absolutely right Nimrod.