OPINION & EDITORIAL
Bush’s diplomacy admirable
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by Will Smith
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Five years have passed since President Bush identified the "axis of evil" — composed of Iraq, Iran and North Korea — as the greatest threat to the United States and world peace. Since that declaration, our military has invaded Iraq and overthrown Saddam Hussein and his oppressive government. Concurrently, we listen to and observe Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, violate any standard of human decency by declaring the Holocaust a myth and vowing to eliminate the state of Israel, all while vigorously pursuing a nuclear weapons' program. The third rogue state, North Korea, and its pesky dictator, Kim Jong Il, surprised us last year by testing a nuclear device. One can only conclude that President Bush was absolutely correct in his identification of these three rogue states as an axis of evil.
At first glance, it looks as though the members of the axis of evil have gotten individually and collectively more threatening since Bush's 2002 State of the Union Address. Just as it appears news cannot get worse, we had a moment of optimism this week when North Korea tentatively agreed to give up its nuclear ambitions. The agreement, negotiated through six-party talks including China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and the United States, establishes an exchange in which North Korea immediately shuts down its Yongbyon nuclear facility and allows inspectors back into the country in exchange for 50,000 tons of oil or equivalent financial aid. During phase two, North Korea would cooperate with an extended timeframe to completely shut down its facility and take inventory of its plutonium, in exchange for another 950,000 tons of oil or equivalent financial aid. Economically, the deal is worth approximately $300 million; politically, its value is priceless.
President Bush has received much criticism for his handling of North Korea, as critics disparaged the administration's unwillingness to enter bilateral negotiations with the North Koreans, insisting instead on multiparty talks. These same critics also blame President Bush for North Korea's successful nuclear bomb test in October 2006. Yet this new agreement, the first major breakthrough with North Korea since its announcement in 2002 that it was pursuing nuclear weapons, vindicates President Bush. Indeed, the Bush administration put pressure on China to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table, as China possesses unmatched financial and security leverage with the North. This strategy worked as Kim Jong Il understands that the Chinese will not react well to being double-crossed, and Kim could lose one of his last sources of revenue and protection.
The Bush administration's tactic to squeeze Kim Jong Il — known affectionately as Dear Leader by his few supporters — into cooperation worked only after years of diplomacy spent convincing China and Russia to support the United States at the United Nations Security Council, which resulted in an October 2006 resolution banning the sale of luxury goods to North Korea. This cut off Kim's perks of office and without luxury goods to shower on his inner-circle of supporters and government officials, he sensed his power waning and decided to engage the regional powers once again.
This agreement is not as comprehensive as many hoped because it does not yet address existing stockpiles of nuclear weapons, but it is the first step toward resolving peacefully the only nuclear member of the axis of evil. The international community has no choice but to recognize the success of President Bush's diplomatic steadfastness, commend China for cooperation and realism and seek another round of multi-party talks.
Tomorrow is Kim's 65th birthday and, as he grows old, we can hope that he goes out not with the nuclear bang, but with a whimper. For the first time in a long time, it seems possible, but only with continued multilateral pressure on Dear Leader.
Will Smith (wsmith@badgerherald.com) is a freshman majoring in political science and religious studies.
Anonymous (February 15, 2007 @ 8:11am):
Oh, freshman, President Bush should be commended for acting like Bill Clinton. What, diplomacy works? Shocking.
Ahmadinejad declaring the Holocaust to be a myth is not a good reason to invade a country. Ahmadinejad ALLEGEDLY perusing nuclear weapons is not a threat to Israel or the United States.
Do they want to blow up the Temple of the Mount in Jerusalem, or ruin Palestine for decades? Do they want to use nuclear weapons on their neighbors and face immediate retaliation? Do they have intercontinental ballistic capabilities?
No, no, and no.
Anyone worried about unstable countries having nuclear weapons, I have one word for you: Pakistan.
Anonymous (February 15, 2007 @ 11:51am):
Bush's "diplomacy" got us in the wrong war, has costed thousands of Americans their lives, and in the end will result with a Theocratic oligarchy that may be no better than Sadaam Hussein was in control of Iraq, if not a Pan-Arab Civil War. Yeah, great job.
Anonymous (February 15, 2007 @ 12:28pm):
Where was this diplomacy a few years ago? The reason a deal hadn't been reached yet is because Bush refused to play ball. Now you want to give him credit for the mess he could have solved years ago? I agree, the deal is a great first step, but it comes very late.
Also, you say this vindicates President Bush? I hope you mean solely in this instance because I can sure think of other areas where he is far from vindicated -- basically all of them.
Anonymous (February 15, 2007 @ 3:57pm):
I'm sure glad that Bush has finally seen the light on appeasement. I'm sure this bribe being paid to NK will work out just like the last one paid out via Mr. Peanut and Billy.
Now all we have to hope for is that Bush will turn tail in Iraq and leave the Middle East to the tender mercies of the Allatolahs.
To bad we just didn't leave Saddam in Kuwait. The USA would be soooooo much better off right now. Seriously - I mean it, no 9-11, OBL still our buddy, Saddam keeping Iran in check, it'd all be good.
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