2007.12.27: December 27, 2007: Headlines: COS - Korea: Figures: COS - Congo Kinshasa: Foreign Policy: Brookings Institute: Washington Times: Michael O'Hanon writes: Korea out of a corner?

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Congo - Kinshasa (Zaire): Special Report: National Security Expert and Congo Kinshasa RPCV Michael O'Hanlon: 2007.12.27: December 27, 2007: Headlines: COS - Korea: Figures: COS - Congo Kinshasa: Foreign Policy: Brookings Institute: Washington Times: Michael O'Hanon writes: Korea out of a corner?

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-15-2.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.15.2) on Monday, December 31, 2007 - 12:44 pm: Edit Post

Michael O'Hanon writes: Korea out of a corner?

Michael O'Hanon writes: Korea out of a corner?

Whatever one thinks of President Bush's 2002 axis of evil speech and subsequent doctrine of pre-emption — and I consider both to have been mistakes, not so much on the underlying substance as on the image of a unilateral, messianic America they created in the eyes of the world — clearly, North Korea managed to use these American ideas to create an image of victimization. Incredibly, many then saw American saber-rattling and intransigence, rather than the basic nature of the North Korean regime, as the fundamental cause of tensions on the peninsula. The subsequent U.S.-led invasion of Iraq reaffirmed this interpretation for many around the world. Michael O'Hanlon, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute and a Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Congo Kinshasa.

Michael O'Hanon writes: Korea out of a corner?

Korea out of a corner?

By Michael O'Hanlon
December 27, 2007

With the election last week of Lee Myung-bak to be South Korea's next president come February, a new phase is beginning in efforts to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program — and ideally, to begin a gradual reform and integration with the rest of the world.

The prospects are uncertain at best, despite the Feb. 13 accord by which North Korea has committed to disable its existing nuclear facilities and move to talks on ultimate denuclearization. Many doubt North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will be willing to relinquish the eight to 10 nuclear weapons he probably already has — one or two dating back to the first Bush presidency, the rest presumably built over the last five years.

The change in key South Korean leadership, with change coming as well in the United States in a year, raises the question of optimal negotiating tactics with North Korea, formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK. Few in Seoul, Washington or anywhere else really differ on what the world's core goals should be in these talks. The differences are about how hard- or soft-line our approach should be. Unfortunately, the wily North Koreans are quite capable of exploiting differences of opinion, not only between Americans and South Koreans but also Chinese and Japanese and Russians and others.

Whatever one thinks of President Bush's 2002 axis of evil speech and subsequent doctrine of pre-emption — and I consider both to have been mistakes, not so much on the underlying substance as on the image of a unilateral, messianic America they created in the eyes of the world — clearly, North Korea managed to use these American ideas to create an image of victimization. Incredibly, many then saw American saber-rattling and intransigence, rather than the basic nature of the North Korean regime, as the fundamental cause of tensions on the peninsula. The subsequent U.S.-led invasion of Iraq reaffirmed this interpretation for many around the world.

The invasion also took America's eye off the Korean Peninsula, with none other than Colin Powell incredulously claiming just before the Iraq invasion that North Korea's steps to break out of its nonnuclear obligations and expand its nuclear arsenal did not constitute a crisis.

Circumstances did not really change until 2006, when a combination of a more flexible American negotiating approach under Ambassador Chris Hill and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, together with North Korea's decision to push its luck a bit too far and test a nuclear device, finally rallied more of the world around the U.S. position.

Subsequent U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea, and quite probably some private tongue-lashing — or worse — from the Chinese to their North Korean allies paved the way for the Feb. 13 accords.

With Mr. Lee now poised to replace South Korean's incumbent President Roh Moo-hyun, we will witness a different approach. Mr. Roh was as soft-line on the DPRK as George Bush was hard-line. The long and short of it, for most of Mr. Roh's five-year tenure, seemed to be that South Korea would offer North Koreans carrots irrespective of their behavior, while the United States would emphasize only sticks. Never were Washington and Seoul able to articulate a common roadmap or broad vision for their North Korea policy. In Pyongyang, Mr. Kim figured that out easily. He accepted South Korean and Chinese aid, investment, and diplomatic attention (and some U.S. food aid too), while dragging his feet on the six-party talks aimed at denuclearizing his country.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: December, 2007; RPCV Michael O'Hanlon (Congo Kinshasa); Peace Corps Korea; Directory of Korea RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Korea RPCVs; Figures; Peace Corps Congo Kinshasa; Directory of Congo Kinshasa RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Congo Kinshasa RPCVs; Iraq





When this story was posted in December 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Contact PCOLBulletin BoardRegisterSearch PCOLWhat's New?

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed
Dodd vows to filibuster Surveillance Act Date: October 27 2007 No: 1206 Dodd vows to filibuster Surveillance Act
Senator Chris Dodd vowed to filibuster the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that helped this administration violate the civil liberties of Americans. "It is time to say: No more. No more trampling on our Constitution. No more excusing those who violate the rule of law. These are fundamental, basic, eternal principles. They have been around, some of them, for as long as the Magna Carta. They are enduring. What they are not is temporary. And what we do not do in a time where our country is at risk is abandon them."

Peace Corps News Peace Corps Library Peace corps History RPCV Directory Sign Up

November 12, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Date: November 12 2007 No: 1210 November 12, 2007: This Month's Top Stories
Chris Dodd's service began with Peace Corps 9 Nov
Matthew McCue called back to Iraq from Peace Corps 9 Nov
Tschetter Visits Turkmenistan 9 Nov
Lara Weber writes: Oprah Winfrey's stumble 9 Nov
Heather Thompson works with P Diddy 7 Nov
Karen Hughes' public diplomacy came to nothing 4 Nov
James Rupert writes: Musharraf seizes power 3 Nov
Martin Puryear is Man of Mysteries 2 Nov
Sarah Chayes says Taliban score major victory 1 Nov
John Sullivan runs Sudan Divestment Task Force. 30 Oct
Tom Bissell writes: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro 28 Oct
Chris Shays to seek 12th term 25 Oct
Helen Dudley can't stop giving 25 Oct
Joseph Acaba named to STS-119 Shuttle Crew 22 Oct
Vince Floriani in USA Today's All-USA Teacher Team 22 Oct
Kelly J. Morris writes "The Bight of Benin" 20 Oct
Charles Shelan was Buddhist monk Wondam’s teacher 19 Oct
Peace Corps returning to Liberia 18 Oct
David Peckham started Village Bicycle Project 16 Oct
Alberto Ibarguen announces grant for "Project Impunity" 15 Oct
Campbell Memorial Park boosts ecotourism 15 Oct
Bowers Family keep daughter's dream alive 15 Oct

What is the greatest threat facing us now?  Date: September 12 2007 No: 1195 What is the greatest threat facing us now?
"People will say it's terrorism. But are there any terrorists in the world who can change the American way of life or our political system? No. Can they knock down a building? Yes. Can they kill somebody? Yes. But can they change us? No. Only we can change ourselves. So what is the great threat we are facing? I would approach this differently, in almost Marshall-like terms. What are the great opportunities out there - ones that we can take advantage of?" Read more.

Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings Date: July 25 2007 No: 1178 Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings
Read PCOL's executive summary of Senator Chris Dodd's hearings on July 25 on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act and why Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter does not believe the bill would contribute to an improved Peace Corps while four other RPCV witnesses do. Highlights of the hearings included Dodd's questioning of Tschetter on political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters and the Inspector General's testimony on the re-opening of the Walter Poirier III investigation.

Paul Theroux: Peace Corps Writer Date: August 15 2007 No: 1185 Paul Theroux: Peace Corps Writer
Paul Theroux began by writing about the life he knew in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His first first three novels are set in Africa and two of his later novels recast his Peace Corps tour as fiction. Read about how Theroux involved himself with rebel politicians, was expelled from Malawi, and how the Peace Corps tried to ruin him financially in John Coyne's analysis and appreciation of one of the greatest American writers of his generation (who also happens to be an RPCV).

Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director Date: June 27 2007 No: 1166 Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director
A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania.

Suspect confesses in murder of PCV Date: April 27 2007 No: 1109 Suspect confesses in murder of PCV
Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences .

He served with honor Date: September 12 2006 No: 983 He served with honor
One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.


Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Washington Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Korea; Figures; COS - Congo Kinshasa; Foreign Policy; Brookings Institute

PCOL40207
87


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: