Bush managed to "wrangle" the same nuclear deal with N. Korea Clinton had

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.time.com/time/asia/news/daily/0,9754,1106477,00.html

An Agreement on Nukes

North Korea says it will end its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security guarantees. But have we heard this all before?

Monday, Sep. 19, 2005
After two years of fruitless talks, the U.S. and North Korea have finally agreed on a statement of principles that outlines how North Korea might drop from the ranks of the world's nuclear-armed powers—but that leaves a great deal of difficult negotiating for the months ahead.

The statement, signed in Beijing by diplomats from the U.S., North Korea, China Russia, Japan and South Korea, represented the first breakthrough since North Korea withdrew from international agreements in 2002 and announced its intention to build nuclear weapons. Since then, Pyongyang has declared itself a nuclear power and is believed to possess as many as seven atom bombs.

The key passage confirmed Pyongyang's commitment to disassemble its nuclear weapons program—and the weapons themselves—in a "verifiable" way. It also expressed North Korea's willingness to return to the international agreements it pulled out of in 2002 when it acknowledged its nuclear program, specifically the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and safeguards outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In exchange, The United States offered energy aid and the possibility of diplomatic relations, confirmed that it does not intend to invade North Korea, and agreed to a step-by-step approach to disarmament. Previously, the U.S. had insisted that Pyongyang surrender it's nukes completely before the country received any aid.

The U.S. also dropped its demand that North Korea abandon its hopes for peaceful nuclear power. The statement affirmed North Korea's "right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy," and said the six parties in the talks would consider assisting North Korea in building a light-water reactor "at an appropriate time." (Light-water reactors produce fewer materials that can be used in nuclear weapons than other types.) Chief U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill told reporters at a briefing that the U.S. would consider the light-water reactor issue "when North gets rid of its nuclear weapons and all of its existing programs and gets back into the NPT with good standing with IAEA safeguards."

[ET Awful]

1. So what you're saying is that if Bush hadn't reneged on the agreement

that was already moving forward under the Clinton administration, this whole lengthy drawn out hullabaloo could have been avoided?

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Somebody else noticed, not only me

[Zenlitened]

3. Quite a diplomatic breakthrough, huh?

It will be interesting to hear all the "Clinton tried to appease North Korea" assholes spin this one.

Or this tidbit, posted by another DUer earlier today, about Bush dropping his guard on NK back in 2002 (yep, post-9/11):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1908571.stm

[Vincardog]

4. So now we are a few months hard bargaining away from where we where before

* fucked it up by not meeting our end of the deal right? Another great victory for the NeoConVicts.

[lateo]

5. Appeasement? Doesn't that make us weak?

Shame, shame, shame...I thought appeasing our enemies is what the "weak-on-defense" Democrats do...

[wryter2000]

6. Awesome

Just what I need to counter repug spin. :applause: