Diplomacy Without Precondition
In my latest for New Atlanticist, "Preconditions, Preparations, and Posturing," I argue that Matt Yglesias, Kevin Drum, and perhaps even Nicholas Burns are misreading the now 16-month-old debate over Barack Obama's pledge to meet "without precondition, during the first year of [his] administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea."Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on October 27, 2008 14:26
The Reappearance of Kim
North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-Il, has made his first public appearance in 50 days: SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, thought to have suffered a stroke in August, made his first appearance in about 50 days, the state's media said on Saturday. Last month, U.S. and South Korean officials said Kim, 66, may have suffered a stroke in August, raising ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on October 4, 2008 13:04
North Korean Talks Not Dead
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has rejected claims that talks with North Korea about dismantling its nuclear program are in trouble, saying that they are “by no means dead”: NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday that North Korea's actions to reactivate its nuclear plant did not mean an end to six-party nuclear talks ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on September 24, 2008 11:42
North Korea to Restart Nuclear Reactor
A North Korean diplomat has announced that North Korea is preparing to restart its nuclear reactor, partially dismantled last year as part of its negotiations over its nuclear program: PANMUNJOM, Korea - North Korea said Friday it is making "thorough preparations" to restart its nuclear reactor, accusing the United States of failing to fulfill its obligations under an international disarmament-for-aid agreement. It ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on September 19, 2008 09:13
North Korea Reassembling Nuclear Facility (Update)
Speaking of fragility Fox News and Japanese media are reporting that North Korea is reassembling the nuclear facility it began dismantling late last year: WASHINGTON — North Korea, after halting the disassembly of a key nuclear center, is now putting the facility back together in violation of the United States' conditions for improved diplomatic relations between the countries, U.S. officials ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on September 3, 2008 08:58
On Being a Citizen of the World
Said an American politician, speaking to an international audience:"I speak today as both a citizen of the United States and of the world. I come with the heartfelt wishes of my people for peace, bearing honest proposals and looking for genuine progress." I mean can you imagine? Didn't this politician know that he was an American? What kind of ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on July 27, 2008 22:48
Comic Book Foreign Policy (or the Batman Theory of Foreign Policy)
Readers may be familiar with the Green Lantern Theory of Geopolitics (short version: the US can do whatever it wants if it just has even willpower). Now, it appears we can add another member of the Justice League to our understanding of foreign policy. On Friday, author Andrew Klavan had a piece in the WSJ comparing Batman ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on July 27, 2008 17:47
Jesse Helms’ Foreign Policy Legacy
Christopher Hitchens joins the legions dancing on Jesse Helms' grave. Rather than piling on about the racism of a Southern politician whose career began sixty-odd years ago, he instead focuses on Helms' foreign policy: His chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was a period of national embarrassment and, sometimes, disgrace. The Helms-Burton Act of 1996, imposing additional economic sanctions on ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on July 7, 2008 12:57
OTB Radio - Tonight at 7 Eastern
The next episode of OTB Radio, our BlogTalkRadio program, will record and air live tonight from 7-8 Eastern. Dave Schuler and will be joining me tonight to talk about diplomacy in Iran, the dumbing of the presidency, the power of Google, and various other topics. Dumbing the Presidency Google Shuts Down Anti-Obama Blogs Iranian Nukes Breakthrough? North Korea Nukes Breakthrough: A Roadmap ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on July 2, 2008 16:30
John Bolton Slams Korea Nuke Deal
John Bolton, President Bush's former UN ambassador, is not at all pleased with last week's deal with North Korea on the nuclear stalemate. With much fanfare and choreography, but little substance, the administration has accepted a North Korean "declaration" about its nuclear program that is narrowly limited, incomplete and almost certainly dishonest in material respects. In exchange, President Bush personally declared ...Posted in Outside The Beltway | OTB on June 30, 2008 08:59
