Those silly communists:

I have tried and tried to come up with some meaningful analysis of North Korea for you, oh dear readers. I have written and thought and written some more, then given up, contemplated, and started again. It's intractable.

Sparing you the details, it comes down to a choice between 1) renegotiation the Agreed Framework in hopes of keeping NK docile, even knowing that Jong-Il is certain to cheat and that we're condemning the NK people to further suffering; or 2) cutting NK off from all aid and economic interaction, and hoping for a coup, revolt, or collapse (and risking a devastating war).

The Bush administration seems to favor the latter, South Korea and China (and probably Russia) the former. Japan is just pissed. Rightly. I have no wisdom to share; I can only hope that the synthesis of these views can produce a useful course of action. I am not, however, hopeful.

By the way, I posted earlier about those visitors to Yongbyon and I was hopeful. Forget it. It's window dressing. As is NK's latest "offer." Just a paraphrase of their earlier positions.
- posted by Dactyl @ 9:15 AM