But interestingly enough, they are starting to see the US in a new light (see March 3, 2005) despite decades of propaganda:
As more and more North Koreans find out the truth about their situation previously North Korean propaganda had stressed that North Korea was the best of all possible worlds), the more popular the United States has become up north. The U.S. has consistently condemned the North Korean government, and the starving North Koreans appreciate that, as well as all the food aid they have received, that was clearly marked as from the United States. The North Korean government has long proclaimed that this American food aid was provided because the U.S. was frightened by the mighty North Korean armed forces. Cell phones and a break down in discipline have enabled more North Koreans to discover that this was all a lie as well.
If North Korea collapses, I want a lot of people who insisted we had to deal with North Korea before dealing with Iraq to explain how it would have been better to take on a regime when it was a bit more solid and capable of fighting. And give Iraq more time to prepare for us if we weren't too tired from invading North Korea. Instead we nailed Iraq and North Korea could fall with a good push.
And this is aside from wanting to hear why they know North Korea has nukes even as they continue to insist the war with Iraq was fought based on WMD lies. After all, we don't have proof of North Korean nukes. Just their assertions they do.
Oh who are we kidding, the North Korea firsters merely wanted to do nothing about North Korea first. It was always about stalling forceful action against our enemies.
In any case, squeezing the North Koreans and letting them collapse always seemed the best policy and this may lead to a better outcome than I had hoped for. We have friends in the North! Who knew?
We'll see.
