US divided over how to deal with North Korea

Straits Times ^

[DeaconBenjamin]

Bush's advisers are torn between talks and economic blockade

WASHINGTON - As US President George W. Bush enters two weeks of intense diplomacy over disarming North Korea, American and Asian officials say new arguments have surfaced over how to prevent the starving, desperate nation from lashing out at the world.

When South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun arrives in Washington later in the week from New York where he touched down yesterday, he will discover Washington remains divided over what strategy to adopt towards the North.

Mr Bush's advisers are split on whether to continue negotiating or organise an international economic blockade meant to leave North Korea with a stark choice between collapse and dismantling its nuclear programmes.

Mr Roh, who has never before visited the US, fears that Washington is headed towards a repeat of its confrontation with Iraq.

He himself was elected on a platform of conciliation with the North five months ago.

South Korea, and Japan too, are increasingly viewing the North Korean problem in the light of their own domestic political agendas.

This complicates the task of working out a unified strategy with Washington.

The next leader to visit Mr Bush will be Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whose own efforts at reconciliation with North Korea ended badly last year.

He will join Mr Bush at the US President's ranch in Texas next week.

Tokyo is talking about expanding its definition of self-defence to embrace active containment of North Korea.

'You've got two sets of challenges here for Washington,' said a senior US official.

'One is the challenge of maintaining a common front with South Korea and Japan, the other is coming up with the right mixture of a willingness to negotiate with a willingness to confront.'

But the biggest challenge facing Mr Bush for now will be to find common ground with Mr Roh.

The South Korean leader has promised to continue trade and investment in North Korea in an effort to draw out its isolated leader, Kim Jong Il.

The question is how will he handle a US president who has said publicly that he loathes Mr Kim?

'Roh Moo Hyun and the President will get along well as people,' said Mr Donald Gregg, a former US ambassador.

'The problem is, how will they get along when they start talking about North Korea.'

Mr Park Jin, a member of South Korea's National Assembly, said: 'All in all, Roh's government is on a learning curve about how to deal with North Korea, how to deal with the United States.

'We have to maintain and restore our trust, as our trust has been impaired.'

Therefore, disagreements on North Korea will be kept private. Both sides want to prevent Pyongyang exploiting their differences as the nuclear crisis continues.

US officials say they expect that after meeting Mr Roh and Mr Koizumi, Mr Bush will authorise limited talks with North Korea.

[Pylot]

The thing you never hear in the news is that N Korea acts at the behest of China.

Korea is China's pit terrier.

So called "disarmament" will be more problematic than deposing Kim Il Jung.

And, N Korea may well have 100 nukes and 99 of em are Chinese.

[Williams]

I have no problem with trying diplomacy. But even the "hardliners" only want a blockade?? NK must not be allowed to become a nuclear power. Destroy that damn reactor and reprocessing plant. And NK must be told that if they attack Seoul, they will be wiped out. I would even consider wiping them out from the beginning if they can't be deterred. We are not seeing the forest for the trees. This nut country could easily visit catastrophic damage on the US and its allies.

[Sonny M]

My strategy, stall'em for now. Gather as much solid Intel as possible, find out where the nukes are, where they are made, where they are stored, how many are there, at the same time, get SDI up and running, the sooner its operational, the better, and the more effective, the better. Bug anything you can, get as much info as possible, and use assaniation liberally, if the oppurtunity presents itself, Finally take the hardline stand, and, if necessary, go in for "regime change".

[SunStar]

A blockade? I'd bomb the hell out of their nuke plants. I must be a hard-hardliner.