Senator Kerry and President Bush are each known to have different opinions on how the issue of North Korean nuclear armament should be approached, even if those opinions are not immediately clear. Kerry articulated his solution with great clarity last week, tonight the issue may be touched upon again. The format of the debate is that of a town-hall. In all likelihood one of the participants will ask a question regarding the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. Bush, having been able to recoupe from his mind-numbing performance last week, has an opportunity to explain why his solution may be more productive than bilateral talks. But are their views really so different as they are percieved to be?
The US Ambassador to South Korea has announced that regardless of who is elected President in November, US policy towards a nuclear North Korea will not be affected. His statements reaffirm my belief that there is little disparity in the foreign policy views of both candidates.
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The differences between Kerry and Bush to NK negotiations is in methodology and not so much substance at this point. Kerry stated plainly that he would consider bilateral negotiations in addition to the current multilateral talks. Bush attacked Kerry warning that bilateral negotiations would play into the hands of the NKoreans. He did not explain why he though Kerry's bilateral approach would be so disadvantgeous. The NKoreans themselves have insisted from the earliest that they want direct bilateral negotiations. The current multilateral talks are at a stalemate after three sessions with the NKoreans threatening to pull out. Pressure from the Chinese has so far kept them from leaving the talks. My impression of the US strategy is they are stalling for time hoping that the NKorean economic crisis will sooner rather than later create conditions for an internal revolution. This is reinforced in my view after reading blogs over the past year by an emphasis on human rights violations of the Kim Jong-il regimes for a quick regime change that will make it unnecessary to do serious negotiations over the future fate of NKorea.
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