DAR AL HARB - U.S.A. / NORTH KOREA: HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH DICTATORSHIP TO SPEAK TO CONCERNING THEIR NUKES

On nuclear issues, U.S. must decide which enemy is worth talking to

WASHINGTON: When it comes to finding a way to disarm your enemies, here is a puzzle: How do you decide which dictatorial, nuke-building regimes to negotiate with, and which to freeze out, sanction or intimidate with a couple of aircraft carriers?

That, in a nutshell, is a looming question raised by last week's long-delayed nuclear deal with North Korea. Even while hard- liners and conservatives were assailing the administration last week for "selling out" to Kim Jong Il, some in Washington were wondering whether there were lessons here for dealing with Iran.

The deal President George W. Bush approved requires North Korea to stop producing plutonium, seal its giant nuclear facility at Yongbyon and — after a negotiation yet to happen — take apart the nuclear complex.

Over the next 60 days, North Korea also has to invite back the inspectors it threw out of the country four years ago, and declare where it has hidden the rest of its nuclear materials and facilities.

That would seem hard enough for the hermit nation, but the next part could be even harder: In return for concessions no one is yet talking about, North Korea would give up its nuclear arsenal.

Many hardened North Korea watchers say it will never happen. After all, that arsenal, estimated by U.S. intelligence agencies at six to a dozen weapons or the fuel for them, is the only source of power for the isolated, bankrupt Hermit Kingdom.

But here's the curious part: Bush's aides worked out this "first step" in one- on-one talks in Berlin of the kind the White House refused to hold a few years back, while North Korea was still busily producing nuclear fuel to make its next generation of weapons.

Those are exactly the steps Bush refuses to take with Tehran.

On Wednesday, even while celebrating the North Korean deal, Bush repeated his bottom line on opening talks with Tehran: They must stop enriching uranium first.

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Here are my posts concerning this 'new' agreement reached with the North Koreans:

1) U.S.A. / North Korea hold bi-lateral talks.

2) The United States makes concessions to the tin-pot dictator of North Korea.

3) North Korea helps Iran with nukes.

4) U.S.A. / North Korea talks resume.

5) "North Korea Agreement" is a bad signal to Iran.

6) North Korea will not give up its weapons.

Pertinent Links:

1) On nuclear issues, U.S. must decide which enemy is worth talking to