Bolton: U.S. won't bend to North Korean bullying

[brien]

Quote by: bishop you lose nothing by talking. talking does not have to result in concessions of any sort - it is merely a way to better understand your opponent. no material agreements would be made outside of the 6-party talks, which is currently the case. all of the other members also talk with the north, to better understand the north's position.. why we can't do the same is beyond me, and something i understand that you're choosing to skirt around. i would suspect that any agreement made would have predefined consequences in the event that either side fails to live up to its obligations. i would also suspect that under no circumstances would any agreement include the transfer of weapons or nuclear equipment to the north. you support brinksmanship as the best strategy to resolve this situation..

Well, call it anything you like but it is realpolitik. NK continually refuses to negotiate with anyone in good faith. When they prove their honest intentions by working in agreement with the current UN Resolutions, then it would perhaps be time to "talk" to them. Their UN compliance needs to be monitored and assured before the US considers becomming involved in bilateral talks unless NK will merely continue to be disingenuous in their intentions.

The US has nothing to gain by negotiating with NK at this point in time. It has everything to gain by waiting to see what the UN can accomplish in keeping NK honest in its intentions with regard to nulcear arms. It is foreign entaglements such as these which embroil the US in foreign affairs where they don't belong. The US can't continue to act like the world's policeman.

[bishop]

what does talking in addition to the 6-party talks have to do with us being the world's policeman???

we DO have something to gain - a better understanding of the north's perspective and the establishment of interpersonal relationships that could be useful should we ever choose to work to resolve the issue, rather than continue to play the brinksmanship game and see how far this issue can devolve until it hits the breaking point. and in the process of doing this, we give up NOTHING at all, just as james baker also stated.


in any case, the new u.n. resolution seems to be functioning - and even china is now inspecting north korean cargo.. the resolution has a clause stating that the tacit embargo can be dropped if the north returns to the negotiating table - we'll have to see how this game of brinksmanship plays out.. when you don't talk, regardless of the party involved, diplomacy can't function and the risk of war increases.

TribStar.com - Terre Haute, Indiana News - CNHI Site Group

[brien]

Quote by: bishop what does talking in addition to the 6-party talks have to do with us being the world's policeman??? we DO have something to gain - a better understanding of the north's perspective and the establishment of interpersonal relationships that could be useful should we ever choose to work to resolve the issue, rather than continue to play the brinksmanship game and see how far this issue can devolve until it hits the breaking point. and in the process of doing this, we give up NOTHING at all, just as james baker also stated. in any case, the new u.n. resolution seems to be functioning - and even china is now inspecting north korean cargo.. the resolution has a clause stating that the tacit embargo can be dropped if the north returns to the negotiating table - we'll have to see how this game of brinksmanship plays out.. when you don't talk, regardless of the party involved, diplomacy can't function and the risk of war increases. TribStar.com - Terre Haute, Indiana News - CNHI Site Group

we DO have something to gain - a better understanding of the north's perspective and the establishment of interpersonal relationships

You must be joking when applying this to Kim IL Jong. LOL.

when you don't talk, regardless of the party involved, diplomacy can't function and the risk of war increases.

War??? War with whom? Surely not the US. NK will not dare to attack SK. This would totally destablize the Far East. The Chinese would step on Jong like the snake that he is in NK should he try that action. The Chinese must save all of their cards to negotiate the "issue" of Taiwan in the future. They have already retaken Hong Kong, and are poised to retake Taiwan in the future. They have publicly stated this and wouldn't let a crazy unstable dictator get in the way of the bigger game for China. I am not a expert but I have a basic understanding of the history of China, and thus, some of the motivation behind their actions / inactions. China is beginning to come up to the forefront of the situation because they understand the US will not engage NK in bilateral "talks." Furthermore, China now understands thay have to make a public statement through actions and deal with NK to show the world that they can tame the little shrew causing so much embarrasment to the Chinese.

However that said, the US is, in fact "talking" along with the UN, but apparently once again, NK is not listening because no one is saying what NK wants to hear.

We will see how this plays out. But as I have been writing all along, China has to step up to the plate because they know the US isn't going to be Jong's marionette. Over the weekend, we now see China cooperating more in step with what other nations deem reasonable by inspecting the cargo inbound to NK. The US further realizes, probably through historical persepctive, that China reacts slowly and methodically to world events, particularly when those events engage the Chinese so close to home.

Even a cursory overview of Chinese History will show that the Chinese have always acted slowly, and with great care, when dealing in foreign relations that affect their position in the world theatre of events. There is no cause for panic or pessimism when expecting China to work as the primary negotiator with NK. It is in their best interest, and also in the national interest of the US , to continue a forthright and firm dialogue with NK in order to keep NK from spinning out of the control of the Chinese in its own spehere of diplomatic influence.