The United States said on Wednesday that North Korea had agreed to a moratorium on nuclear tests and long-range missile launches and to allow nuclear inspectors to visit its Yongbyon nuclear complex to verify a halt to all nuclear activities including uranium enrichment.
For sixty years, North Korea has said we were itching to invade and/or nuke them, and only a nuclear program can save them.
But now they say "never mind."
One, I'd like to know why we have a mere moratorium. Or is the agreement to last only as long as North Koreans are so hungry that there is danger of starving. Is the moratorium over after the harvest? Or just after our presidential election?
Two, why is there only mention of the uranium program? Is the failure to mention the plutonium route to nukes a loophole that North Korea will exploit while we pretend we've made a real breakthrough? I thought the Yongbyon reactor was for the plutonium route, but after a decade has Pyongyang gotten another source of plutonium? Or do they have enough on hand so they can afford to suspend additional production?
Remember, in 1994 we had another triumph in which North Korea agreed to end their plutonium program. And in 2002, we accused North Korea of having a uranium program in place. That was an accusation that North Korea admitted and then denied.
And now after another decade of work, we only specifically mention a "moratorium" on the uranium program.
Rather than throw North Korea lifelines, I'd rather squeeze them until they collapse--before the program they don't mention gives them a nuclear weapon.
Here's a CRS report from a few years ago on North Korea's programs.
Forgive me for being cynical about this. If we really have made a breakthrough, I'll surely blog my congratulations.
