Has North Korea Joined the Nuclear Club?

 By

Barbara J. Stock

On October 8, 2006, the government of North Korea announced that it had tested its first nuclear bomb.  It was an underground test, so “sniffing” the air for traces of radiation have been difficult.  There remains a question about the size of the bomb or if it was even nuclear in nature.  Did North Korea fill a hole with tons of conventional explosives so that it could claim it had detonated a nuke and put the world in an uproar?  The world still does not know for sure.  But, for arguments sake, let’s say that for once, Kim Jong-il is telling the truth. 

The reaction from the liberals in America was predictable.  The fact that North Korea has nukes at all is George Bush’s fault.  His “failed policy” has forced North Korea’s “Dear Leader” to starve his people and spend the country’s treasure, meager as it is, on making nuclear weapons and buying expensive toys for himself.  Unlike most of his people, who have cleared the country of dogs and cats to keep from starving, Kim Jong-il is quite well fed and happy.  His small five-foot-two inch frame is very well padded. 

It is reported that his palace is well stocked with food and drink and pornographic movies from all over the world.  He apparently has a steady stream of young girls to keep him amused.   

But this little man who insists that his people call him “Dear Leader,” is not happy.  During the 1990’s, North Korea was able to pull the wool over America’s eyes time and time again.  All that was required was a promise to come to meetings where North Korea would lay out its demands and the world could accept them or not.  There were no real “negotiations.”  If North Korea wanted oil, it would demand oil in return for attending a meeting where it would listen to the requests of the United States not to make nuclear weapons.  It would then promptly agree to think about it and two days later would say, “No.”  But North Korea still expected its reward for at least considering some proposal and it always got what it wanted. 

A perfect example of this behavior can be easily traced over the years.  On June 7, 1994, the North Korean ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that North Korea would never allow inspections of its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon.  The next day, however, it changed its mind and said it would allow inspections if America would, for the third time, agree to face to face “negotiations” with them.  Twice burned and with the 1994 elections a few months away, Bill Clinton decided publicly to look tough and told North Korea for the first time, “No.”   

Taking its usual tact, North Korea withdrew from the IAEA a few days later to exact its revenge on the United States.  Behind the scenes, Bill Clinton sent ex-President Jimmy Carter to barter with the enraged regime and to let it know that the American government was still willing to cow-tow to its demands.  Once again, North Korea’s unacceptable behavior was rewarded.  The problem with the “carrot and stick” Clinton North Korean policy was that there was never any stick.

The Clinton administration had to know North Korea was lying to it.  Bill Clinton had to know that the North Korean government was breaking every agreement it made with him.  What Clinton wanted was for North Korea to behave long enough for him to get out of office.   

The United States House of Representatives Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare released a report in 1994 that gave an ominous warning about North Korea:  “Washington is buying time while maintaining the charade that the DPRK [North Korea] does not have nuclear weapons. Consequently, the United States and its allies have settled into the 'do-nothing-for-now' mode, merely postponing the hour of reckoning.”  This report was released two months before the now infamous 1994 November elections that turned control of the Congress over to the Republicans.  This report was issued by Clinton’s own task force. 

In March of 1999, the IAEA issued an alarm because critical parts from known reactors were disappearing and its fear was that a secret reactor was being built at an unknown site.  Bill Clinton ignored it all.  His time in office was beginning to wind down.  It had been plagued with one scandal after another.  Clinton had just dodged being found guilty by the Senate after his impeachment by the House of Representatives.  The last thing Bill Clinton wanted was a crisis with North Korea. 

Because of Bill Clinton’s knack for “kicking the can down the road,” that “hour of reckoning” may be upon us.  Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., makes the hypocrisy from the Democrats even more unbelievable with his statement condemning Bush for the existing crisis:  “The Bush administration has for several years been in a state of denial about the growing challenge of North Korea, and has too often tried to downplay the issue or change the subject.”  Is Senator Reid describing the Bush policy or the Clinton policy of the 1990’s?  George Bush never forgot about North Korea.  What he did stop doing was bowing to its every demand.  No doubt, liberals found this shocking. 

After her two-day trip to North Korea in 2000, Secretary of State Albright described Kim Jong-il in a State Department talking-points memo as “someone who is practical, decisive, and seemingly non-ideological.”  How many people would use the term “practical” when referring to Kim Jong-il?  Is he “decisively” starving his people?  We now know that in private “Dear Leader” was having a good laugh at the expense of America.  He knew that he was breaking every agreement he had ever made with Clinton and Clinton was stupid enough to send a high member of the government to offer him even more. 

Sandy Berger, a Clinton minion, is now making the rounds on the television talk shows claiming that Bill Clinton had everything with North Korea under control.  There is a noticeable pattern whenever a crisis erupts concerning Bill Clinton’s lack of presidential skills.  Former members of his staff or cabinet hit the television circuit to make excuses for him.  Ms. Albright can soon be expected to be making her statements about the grand relationship the United States had with North Korea until George Bush came along and messed it all up.  Americans should expect an onslaught of historical re-writings to make North Korea a compliant, harmless, and honest friend of America until the stroke of January 21, 2001.   

North Korea is yet another mess left behind for George Bush to deal with.  This rogue regime didn’t become a nuclear threat over night or just in the last six years.  It lied, cheated, threatened, and bullied its way for two decades to where it is today.  George W. Bush is the first American president to say, “NO!” to North Korea’s constant whining and demands.  If North Korea was going to break treaties and promises, it was going to have to break them with China, Japan, South Korea, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States.  No longer could Kim Jong-il squeal that the United States had reneged on a promise because of the bilateral talks North Korea constantly demanded. 

What the world is seeing is a frantic little man whose people have no more blood for him to suck out.  His people are dying.  There are reports some people have resorted to eating the bark of trees to try and stay alive.  His prisons are full, and so he needed to make world sit up and take notice of him.  He may or may not have tested a nuclear device.  He may well have tried to fool the world so that it will meet his demands once again.   

Kim Jong-il has miscalculated this time.  The world has grown weary of his tantrums and threats.  The only people siding with him are the American liberals.  The rest of the world seems to be standing with President Bush.