North Korea to Win War

The Taepo-dong 2-s Missile

As both of my faithful readers know, the Korean War has not yet ended. Hostilities came to an end in 1953 with the signing of an armistice between the United States (who sign on behalf of the now worse than worthless United Nations), North Korea, and China. The state of war between the United Nations (fought for them by the United States) and South Korea, and North Korea still exists.

It seems like someone the the US government thinks that it is a good idea to just go ahead and hand the victory to the DPRK.

U.S. Said to Weigh a New Approach on North Korea

WASHINGTON, May 17 - President Bush's top advisers have recommended a broad new approach to dealing with North Korea that would include beginning negotiations on a peace treaty, even while efforts to dismantle the country's nuclear program are still under way, senior administration officials and Asian diplomats say.

Aides say Mr. Bush is very likely to approve the new approach, which has been hotly debated among different factions within the administration. But he will not do so unless North Korea returns to multinational negotiations over its nuclear program. The talks have been stalled since September.

North Koreans have long demanded a peace treaty, which would replace the 1953 armistice ending the Korean War.

It is tempting to try anything that will end the current deadlock with North Korea and there is a recognition that dealing with them is too dangerous and difficult.

Now, said one official who has participated in the recent internal debate, "I think it is fair to say that many in the administration have come to the conclusion that dealing head-on with the nuclear problem is simply too difficult."

The official added, "So the question is whether it would help to try to end the perpetual state of war" that has existed, at least on paper, for 53 years. "It may be another way to get there."

We have already seen in negotiations with other tyrannies (Iran or the Palestinian Authority for instance) that giving them what they want only validates their tactics. A peace treaty with North Korea will give them something that they dearly want, and that can only reinforce them in their behavior. They act the way that they do because it gets them what they want.

Still,

As described by administration officials, none of whom would speak on the record about deliberations inside the White House, Mr. Bush's aides envision starting negotiations over a formal peace treaty that would include the original signatories of the armistice - China, North Korea and the United States, which signed on behalf of the United Nations. They would also add South Korea, now the world's 11th-largest economy, which declined to sign the original armistice.

Japan, Korea's colonial ruler in the first half of the 20th century, would be excluded, as would Russia.

And this at a time when North Korea may well be preparing to test a long range missle capable of striking all of the US.

North Korea missile site under observation

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Activity detected this month at a North Korean missile site was being closely watched yesterday, but officials in northeast Asia expressed doubts that a test launch was imminent.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said the North has transported a missile to the facility, without specifying what kind.

Media in Japan reported it was a ballistic type that some analysts believe could reach the United States.

"In fact, we understand that it (the missile) has been brought to the site," Aso said in Parliament. "But we are not sure about any subsequent moves."

While North Korea's intentions remained unclear, any test-firing would escalate tension in the region and could deal a blow to international efforts to get the communist state to disarm, analysts said [which is no doubt what they want. - ed.].

As to the missile in question,

NHK said if the missile is an advanced version of the Taepodong 2, it would have a firing range of 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles) that could reach as far as the US mainland, [in fact it would cover all of the US. - ed.] citing unidentified US government officials. Japan's Kyodo News agency had a similar report.

An official at South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy, that the government was "closely monitoring and making many-sided efforts to confirm, but (such signs) haven't reached a credible level."

I think that giving North Korea what they want, a peace treaty, is a huge mistake.