North Korea as Bush's Berlin Wall moment?

North Korea says it plans to blow up the cooling tower of its Yongbyon nuclear plant, the one used to produce plutonium to build atomic bombs, possibly as early as Friday.

That highly dramatic, televised act would speak to the North Koreans’ commitment to stop building nuclear weapons, the culmination of 17 months of intensive Bush administration diplomatic efforts.

You can see where all this potentially points. Cable news would run endless slo-mo of the crumbling cooling tower as b-roll to Bush’s proclamation that his administration succeeded in heading off one of the leading threats to world peace. For Bush, it would be a rare foreign policy victory. It could even stand as a top legacy of his administration.

But it may be too soon to unfurl the "Mission Accomplished" banner.

First, much of this may not come to pass. After all, it depends on the notoriously unpredictable North Korean regime. Second, if it did, its true meaning and value may not be known for months or years.

The background: In a speech at the Heritage Foundation June 18, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began elevating expectations of progress in long-stalled "six-party" de-nuclearization talks between the U.S., North and South Korea, Russia, China and Japan. Very soon, she said, the North Koreans would provide a formal declaration about its nuclear stockpile that U.S. officials expected to see as long ago as last December. The White House said the declaration could be given to the Chinese, who chair the six-party talks, as early as today.

At the same time,  North Korea has begun issuing invitations to its planned destruction of the cooling tower at Yongbyon, which was idled as a result of the six-party talks.

If it all happens as scripted, the Bush administration would move to take North Korea off its list of state sponsors of terrorism and start easing U.S. sanctions.

Many conservatives angrily oppose this strategy, believing North Korea can’t be trusted. Many liberals have openly expressed smugness, believing Bush was wrong seven years ago to upend a deal worked out between the Clinton administration and North Korea.

Meanwhile, the definition of success grows smaller as it grows nearer.

The expected North Korean declaration probably won’t deal with two big Bush administration concerns: That Pyongyang has operated a secret uranium enrichment program, in addition to its plutonium program; and that North Korea helped build the alleged Syrian nuclear plant that was bombed last September by Israel.

-- Robert Ourlian

Photo Credit: KCNA via KNS/AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[Erik S.]

Smugness? Ok, let's get something straight, Clinton and Gore allowed Korea the time and the technology to build this reactor and get the fizzle material to make enough fuel for about 10 bombs. Do you think all of that is possible within the span of time when Bushg took office? NO! This revisionist history that goes on with Bill Clinton is getting to be a little much. Smugness indeed.

[Young Sook Kim]

It may not be an exaggeration if North and South Korean reconciliation by opening up demilitary zone is considered Berlin Wall, and even Bush's Berlin Wall if that happens during this administration. It goes without saying that behind any great action there are forces which influence it. So it is truly beyond the legacy of a president or an administration. On the other hand, the work or job to be done has enormous significance for history not only for the relationship between the USA and North Korea, or the six nations surrounding Korean peninsular. The reconciliation, as a way of putting it as it still needs to be figured out how the North and South Korea would be reunited as a family of people merely having been divided by DMZ, certainly shall have enormous, vital, and critical significance for the world, such daunting task,nevertheless, is so much deserving to be attended and taken on by whomever desire and capable to give hands and skills, and resources of any talents. I hope and pray for the success of the endeavor to free and open the North Korea for the world including the USA, South Korea, the Neighbors of the Koreas, and the rest of the world. Young Sook Kim, Ed.D. President, Korean Institute, Inc. : Center for Language and Culture, 229 Hurley Street Unit #1 Cambridge, MA 02141 (617)850-2108 Email : queendomofgod@yahoo.com

[Kirk Maberry]

How dumb are you? You write a story pooh poohing the end of nukes in North Korea one day before they are scheduled to blow up their cooling tower? You should have waited 12 hours and then written an article that didn't make you look like a douche. You media types need to pump your brakes. First a photoshop of those brave Marines on Iwo Jima hoisting a redwood? Now Korea blowing up their cooling tower is the Berlin Wall? Don't you guys have any ability to excercise perspective. It's pissant North Korea, for crying out loud, not the Evil Empire.

First, it is another (in a long line of) foreign policy success for Bush. Second, we will see if North Korea is Cartering us. Regardless, it is good to know that they can no longer enrich uranium irrespective of how many nukes they may have already produced. As for Bush's successes, we are winning the war on terrorism, the Iraq government is being given control of the lone province not under Iraqi control, professional oil companies are going to save Iraq's oilfields while providing the jobs and capital Iraq needs to generate growth from their main export and the Iranian militias are thwarted along with Al-Qaeda. Lastly, There is now only one member left of the Axis of Evil, Iran. North Korea and Iraq are now in line with our ideals. All in all, as much as I hate to admit it, Bush looks pretty smart right now. Who'd of thought this goofball, who can't even pronounce "nucular", would be so successful with these thugs?

By-the-by, Carter and Clinton gave us nukes in North Korea, Erik S. Cry revisionist history all you want, it will never change the facts. I will always wonder why a guy as bright as Clinton would have allowed Carter to make such a fool of him? Otherwise Clinton did a good job. You can't kill him for the terrorism stuff. There was no will among the American people to take the fight to these buttclowns until 9/11.

[Alcin]

Lets get it really straight, if Bush was still going to be president next year the only negotiation would be to threaten war against North Korea. If he really thought that this was a real threat he would not have given this country 17 months to hide or simply sell off their arsenal. So get off your complacent ass and really look into Bush seniors dealings with North Korea.

Oh yeah, the only notable foreign policy success Bush can truly claim is suckering Tony Blair into Iraq.

[Cathryn]

the media will never give any credit to Bush and admin no matter what he does
the tower is gone now , by the time i read this article..
now what can the critics and media say..
some one else will get the credit again..
sad

most of the comments here are true
hats off to Kirk Mayberry - great statements!

[bob e.]

you lefties are just precious. you wouldnt give president bush credit for anything
if your life depended on it. the more you take this delusional stance, the more you open the eyes of critical thinking people. thank you so much, and good luck in november! a marxist as president in the middle of an economic slowdown!!??
like i said, you guys are just precious.

[reality]

you righties...

The Clinton 1994 agreement didn't work because the Republican House (remember Newt Gingrich?) refused to fund the American side of the deal - i.e., the US broke that deal long before the North Koreans did. So much for Erik S.'s revisionist history. (And Kirk M.'s misreading.)

Speaking of misreading - Yongbyon is a low-yield plutonium facility they no longer needed, not a uranium facility. The North Koreans haven't admitted anything about uranium. Dubya flip-flopped on that requirement.

And Dubya could have followed up the Clinton/Albright work of 2000, but an ABC foreign policy (Anything But Clinton) and a need to score points in a January 2002 speech ("Axis of Evil") gave North Korea the go-ahead to build the bomb.

Given that North Korea's declaration 1) doesn't admit how many plutonium bombs they have or where they are, 2) doesn't mention anything about the uranium project, and 3) doesn't say which countries they've given nuclear info to, only someone desperate to support the President would call this a breakthrough.

[Reality Check]

Reality? You need to look up the definition of the word.You have to be over 13 to post on here,so reality stop posting you prepubescent twit.

[Tony Huff]

"… a rare foreign policy victory ?"
Are you forgetting about the dismantlement of the Libyan nuclear program?
The Media is so poisonously opposed to Bush, they choke at the prospect of success for this country. It is treasonous how disrespectful those that are charged with providing the public with accurate and unbiased information slant and skew the news to fit their cynical personal political views.
When did the country abdicate its reason and allow openly biased, personal opinion to substitute for factual, accurate and useful analysis of historic important issues?
There are so many problems with our society I cannot tell if the Media circus act is a cause of societal ills or is a consequence of it.
President Bush is not perfect by any means but he is an honest man of integrity that has served his country with honor. How can such vehement opposition be targeted toward the highest office in the land.

[reality]

Yeah, I'm over 13, and I know the definition of "reality".
Was it too much work for you to find even a single fact to contradict my points?

Let me help - the Chosun Ilbo (a right wing South Korean newspaper) claimed that the North Korean declaration listed how much uranium was in the country, but did not mention if there was a uranium bomb program or any uranium bombs.

My apologies for the inaccuracy.

[Rev. Dr. J.H. Miller / Diplomat of the U.S. Policy Review]

I am glad The New York Phil. Orchestra went to North Korea...they are excellent ambassadors of peace and goodwill!
Thousands of tons of relief food via ship has just arrived in North Korea....we should send so much more relief aid of all sorts to North Korea that their leaders will be amazed and motivated to be a proper member of the world community.

We should send all the heavy fuel oil the North Koreans can use to meet their needs.
President Bush should set Air Force One down in North Korea for personal talks with its leader and take him some more sunglasses as a token of good will.
Further, the President and the two leaders of the Koreas should sit down and within minutes work out details to eliminate the Demilitarized Zone seperating Korean people.
Who cares who gets the credit?....just make things better between all parties with peace, mutual cooperation and true good will.
Further, God, move positively on the minds and hearts of all parties involved for peace and reconcilation. God, work your miracles for the good of the Korean people!!!!

[dennis]

whoever thinks BUSH is honest,should put down there bible and stop smoking there dope and open there eyes,his admin. is the most corrupt we have ever had get real,he has only hurt the american people,looking forward to the day he is out of our office/

[Robert Marquardt]

It is amazing how the Bush lovers are trying to find one thing positive about this administration, just one thing! The important change that should take place in North Korea is that its people are fed and can have a good life. They will never be a threat to their neighbors, i.e. China. Bush has changed nothing in this regard! He doesn't care about people, lets face it. He bad mouths the leaders of Myanmar and then is upset that they won't let US troops into their country for the relief effort. Surprise! Surprise! Sure they are not good leaders, but you think they don't know what he says about them? What about his administration, liars and thieves. Many people in the USA may not understand what he did in Iraq...but most of the rest of the world is disgusted and wary of what he did there. That is the part of the world that he is not paying to be on his side or promising them big oil deals. Also remember that without China, South Koreans, Japan and others nothing would have happened in North Korea...but as usual Bush tries to take the credit...he is a loser, the world knows it! Asia is so fed up with this guy...visit and you will see. They are fed up with him or laugh at him. They will be celebrating the day he leaves office like most of the world. The South Koreans demonstrated in the streets by the thousands against him for trying to cram down their throats tainted USA beef. The South Korean President almost lost his job because he cowtowed to Bush. While China and India build their infrastructure and economy this loser is destroying our country by two wars and is threatening another. He is fiddling in Iraq and Afghanistan while the USA burns!

[Frenchie]

Thank you, Kirk - Great Comments...

I was wondering if anyone was going to mention the Libyan Nuclear dismantlement. Thank you, Tony

Now for all of the folks who are on the far left AND the far right, it's President Bush and President Clinton and such, NOT “Dubya” or “Slick Willie” or any of the other cutsie names you seem to continually come up with. We are talking about the Office of The President of the United States of America, let's show a little respect here.

Folks, I'm getting a little tired of hearing all the rhetoric about how President Bush is a cause of all the despair and frustrations that the American people are currently experiencing. I would not be surprised to wake up tomorrow to see someone claiming that the slipped disc in someone's back is President's Bush's fault because he is ultimately in charge of OSHA and the OSHA laws didn't cover the throw rug that the guy slipped on that resulted in him hurting his back...

Face the fact, history judges the competency of our Presidents NOT the people who live through the times. There is little doubt that President George W. Bush will go down as one of the most brilliant when it come to foreign policy. When the dust settles and Iraq becomes the impetus that transformed the Middle East, the courage and intestinal fortitude that President Bush had to step in and remove a tyrant from power will prove to be one of the great turning points in achieving peace throughout the world.

This coupled with the dismantlement of the Nuclear Programs in BOTH Libya and North Korea will go down in the annals of history as truly great feats and yes, right up there with the falling of the Berlin Wall.

The American people are frustrated with the current state of the economy and rightfully so. They are taking their frustrations out on current Presidential Administration, which, while not surprising, is wrong headed. The causes of the current economic strife are two fold, the meltdown of the U.S. housing market coupled with the huge upswing in crude oil prices.

We have no one to blame but ourselves for the housing crisis, it was ultimately caused by people trying to jump onto a band wagon that could not be sustained, much like the “dot bomb” – oh, I meant the busting of the “dot com” bubble - of the 1990s. People were buying houses that they could not afford simply because they were holding onto the speculation that prices would continue to increase into perpetuity and they would make a ton of money – they ended up losing the bet. Constructing is the engine that drives a National economy and a meld-down in this sector will, without a doubt, have huge ramification even the most vibrant of economies. We are seeing that now.

Couple that with the escalation in oil prices and it is a recipe for economic disaster. Our huge dependencies we foreign oil and hence the current huge escalation in its price can rest firmly on the shoulders of the far left. Yes, the oil companies have leases on a lot of areas that they could have been drilling, but the areas that have the greatest most odds of success are off limits because of the restrictions imposed due to the rhetoric spewed by the various environmentalist groups and support they’ve been able to muster from the far left leaning politicians.

Once again, President Bush is right on the mark in pulling the restrictions for exploration into areas that have a far greater chance of producing good results. Is it possible to pull more oil from the areas currently available to the U.S. oil companies? Of course it is… But it is also possible to extract water from the Mojave Desert – it is just infinitely more logical and economically feasible to get it from areas where it is more readily available.

Folk, these are troubled times that we live in and troubled times calls for bold solutions. And bold solutions are at times difficult to live through, but only history will be able to judge the merits of the policies of the current Administration, but I suspect that the legacy of the Presidency of George W. Bush will go down in the annals of history as being one the greatest that we have seen.

Even if it does not, there is little doubt that he sleeps well at night knowing that, even against continual criticism and public outcry, he stood tall above the rhetoric and did what he truly believed was best for the long-term benefit of the country and the world.

Remember one thing, even though President Bush’s approval ratings are dismal and among the lowest of any President in the U.S. history at the moment, his approval rating is still much higher than the current approval rating of the Democrat-controlled Congress. Just something to think about.

[frenchie]

Ah, Mr. Robert Marquardt, I wonder if you realize that the SOuth Koreans have been protestin the U.S., well basically since the Korean War. Hhmmm... I seem to remember when I was stationed there (in South Korea while in the military) in '84-'86, '90-'91, and '97-'99 that there were demonstrations for all sorts of reasons and yes a lot of them was against the U.S. However, the general population are NOT against the U.S., but rather a few VERY vocal radical groups that garner all the media attention, much like our own (read far left-leaning liberals)...

[Jonathan]

You righties and lefties are so naive...are you so intertwined in the politics of your respective parties that you can't realize the truth of what's happening around you?
President Bush and all of his predecessors, and any future president all aim for the same thing, the destruction of your constitutional rights, and by the time you people realize what's happening you will all be living in a regime worse than any the world has ever seen. Wake up and smell the roses!
Dark, unseen powers rule our government, and if people continue living in this fantasy filled news media and just sit there absorbing everything thrown at them from these outlets of lies, then prepare for the consequences of regret, because when your freedoms are stripped away by a government without the Constitution, then you will ask yourselves "why didn't we see this coming..." Rebulicans...Democrats...HA!...what bufoonery.

[Byron]

Dude . . .Frenchie . . . are you really that stupid? Here . . . .have some of your heros freedom fries, it might bring you back to reality

[Tomcat]

I think Frenchie made some great points. And I hope Frenchie and Bush are right, about the Iraq war ultimately resulting in a transformed progressive middle east. Could the middle east really have been much worse prior to the Iraq invasion? The whole region was a bastion of American haters, constantly killing Americans and burning American flags whenever possible.

One thing for sure, right or wrong, Bush definately had the resolve and fortitude to make a decision, and stick to it despite swings in public support. Some people call this leadership. You can argue all you want he led us in the wrong decision, but he is a leader, just can't speak worth a crap.

History will be the judge of his actions. I tend to agree with Frenchie. History will be kinder to Bush than we are now. Lincoln was not thought highly of in his day either.