Chronology of U.S.-North Korean Nuclear and Missile Diplomacy
When one takes a deep dive into this slice of international relations by way of Google, past news articles and immense volumes of punditry many red herrings emerge. Most of those relate to partisan attacks or excess celebration of ill fated diplomatic successes of the day. In Asia we have the overlay of long standing tensions, much propaganda in play and highly questionable heads of state.
Lots of blame to go around. I make no case among American Presidents or Congress on who to blame today. The belligerent party is unquestionably North Korea. The terrified man in the middle is South Korea. A South Korean acquaintance pointed out they face the same consequences of a conventional war, a small nuclear strike or WW3. The utter destruction of a vibrant nation with dense cities under the gun.
Japan looks warily on, determined to not ever develop nuclear weapons but that reluctance is perishable in the face of a threat. “America First” reverberates.
From the unforgiving perspective of actual results we have a colossal failure underway. One of those so large many instinctively look away.
We can’t. Nobody anywhere near my age wants to go back to a bunkered cold war mentality. Nor face public bomb shelters, backyard basements etc circa 1962-1990. Look at Hawaii these days in preparation for an attack.
However we have what we have. North Korea has a missile program sure to improve on a nascent hemispheric nuclear threat. Mutual Assured Destruction as managed by a madman in NK, and a belligerent America First MAGA US President. South Korea had an involuntary change of administrations via corruption charges.
missiledefenseadvocacy.org
That’s my $.02. Below is the official report on the full timeline. I think you will agree who is the real problem and who would sign reasonable agreements. Of course all is open for discussion. The link puts the dry facts at hand.
Contact: Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy, (Phone Redacted)
Updated: July 2017
For years, the United States and the international community have tried to negotiate an end to North Korea’s nuclear and missile development and its export of ballistic missile technology. Those efforts have been replete with periods of crisis, stalemate, and tentative progress towards denuclearization, and North Korea has long been a key challenge for the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.
The United States has pursued a variety of policy responses to the proliferation challenges posed by North Korea, including military cooperation with U.S. allies in the region, wide-ranging sanctions, and non-proliferation mechanisms such as export controls. The United States also engaged in two major diplomatic initiatives to have North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons efforts in return for aid.
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