Comments on: John Bolton Unplugged On North Korea

By: sid davisson

sid davisson — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 15:04:26 +0000

According to the new South Korean guy at the U.N.,who I agree with,North Korea has been playing everybody for a long time.I have come to believe that because South Korea won’t play nice on Ocean bottom trawling,America should unilaterally withdraw all our military,starting at the DMZ.Then,when all are out and safe,we should tactically neutron bomb the North.Things are only going to get alot worse if we don’t.

By: The Anaconda Gambit : Left Flank

The Anaconda Gambit : Left Flank — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:30:42 +0000

[...] Former UN Ambassador John Bolton is one of those hardliners who has ridiculed the deal. Bolton risks sounding like he’s offering parental advice about not underestimating one’s enemies. The Reason.com quote Justin Gardner supplies is priceless: [...]

By: Daniel J

Daniel J — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:07:16 +0000

Bolton is a miserable human being. His death is reason to celebrate.

By: ryuge

ryuge — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 05:25:52 +0000

What Bolton said was that givingup financial leverage on North Korea by agreeing to lift banking sanctions is a huge mistake, and that “that leverage is what brought them to the table . . . The Chinese were paying them to come to the talks. Now we’re paying them.” This rather different than saying that “a desire for negotiation over war is one of AmericaÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s regrettable weaknesses”.

If North Korea keeps their end of the bargain, Bolton’s critics couldn’t be blamed for some crowing. But given the Dear Leader’s track record, Bolton could very well be exactly right – that we are being used in a manner comparable to the way in which Chamberlain was used in Munich. Will Bolton’s sneering critics admit he was right all along if this is what eventually happens? On that point, I’m not optimistic.

By: probligo

probligo — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 22:52:33 +0000

Y’know, there was a time when I thought that the US was actually going to follow a diplomatic line, a path that at least paralleled what little I know of international law, a road on which many others would be the US’s company.

Then I watched Powell address the UNSC and the ideal died along with Powell’s long term political future.

Then came Iraq2.

Even without Bolton I would doubt the sincerity of at least one of the other major players as much as I would doubt the intentions of the North Koreans.