“Washington needs to forget its obsession that South Korea has to take sides if the U.S and China are involved in a conflict.” —South Korean National Security Council Spokesman I’ll just let you digest that one. Now, Korea may well reasonably draw that conclusion and make it known to Washington through diplomatic channels that that “Mutual Defense Pact” stuff shouldn’t be taken at face value. In fact, I’ve advocated us informing the South Koreans of the same thing and drastically...

Predictably, China is pouring cold water on a leaked U.S. strategy to bring North Korea before the U.N. Wang Guangya told reporters a U.S. attempt at a Security Council resolution “would destroy the whole process” to resolve the North Korean nuclear dispute and “push a solution to this issue even farther away.” China is working with the other parties to get the talks back on track as soon as possible, he said. Of course it is. What China really wants...

Predictably, China is pouring cold water on a leaked U.S. strategy to bring North Korea before the U.N. Wang Guangya told reporters a U.S. attempt at a Security Council resolution “would destroy the whole process” to resolve the North Korean nuclear dispute and “push a solution to this issue even farther away.” China is working with the other parties to get the talks back on track as soon as possible, he said. Of course it is. What China really wants...

Syria’s occupation of Lebanon ended today. Meanwhile, the President of Iraq puts things in perspective. Well said, Jalal . . . so what’s the latest on forming a government? Update: I get results.

Bolton Update: I’ve considered myself a solid Bolton backer until now, but these new allegations are troubling indeed. More: Lawrence Eagleburger, from the Realpolitik wing, weighs in in the WaPo.

Syria’s occupation of Lebanon ended today. Meanwhile, the President of Iraq puts things in perspective. Well said, Jalal . . . so what’s the latest on forming a government? Update: I get results.

Bolton Update: I’ve considered myself a solid Bolton backer until now, but these new allegations are troubling indeed. More: Lawrence Eagleburger, from the Realpolitik wing, weighs in in the WaPo.

Move Along, Nothing to See Here: The eponymous Thomas Awe inspires my, well, great interest, with this first-hand report from the Great Pyongyang Soccer Riot: Arriving in Pyongyang for his third visit on March 29, Awe found himself caught in the center of a violent mob the following day as North Korean fans rioted during a football match with Iran at Kim Il-sung Stadium. “It was a very dangerous situation,” the 51-year-old said during an interview at his office in...

Oil-for-Food Update: Two of Paul Volcker’s three investigators have resigned in protest. They claim the U.N. leadership whitewashed their findings so that Kofi Annan could claim that he was exonerated (despite the fact that one of his close aides was found to have shredded reams of potentially incriminating documents). Maybe someone should remind Senators Biden and Voinovich about the consequences of an excess of diplomacy when bluntness is needed. Sending a Warren Christopher to the United Nations is no way...

Exit Neville? This headline claims that the United States and South Korea have agreed to “get tough” if North Korea tests a nuke. Color me suspicious, although these words from the MoFA are certainly a departure from the official line at the Ministry of Silly Talks: “If North Korea goes through with a nuclear test, it will start along a road where the future cannot be guaranteed,” Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said in a debate of the 21st Century North...

Boycott It: “Made in Korea. Gaesong.”

The Death of an Alliance, Part XVI: The Joongang Ilbo is asking whether the alliance is in trouble. There isn’t anything new in there, but it’s a nice, brief review of events over the last year.

Move Along, Nothing to See Here: The eponymous Thomas Awe inspires my, well, great interest, with this first-hand report from the Great Pyongyang Soccer Riot: Arriving in Pyongyang for his third visit on March 29, Awe found himself caught in the center of a violent mob the following day as North Korean fans rioted during a football match with Iran at Kim Il-sung Stadium. “It was a very dangerous situation,” the 51-year-old said during an interview at his office in...

Oil-for-Food Update: Two of Paul Volcker’s three investigators have resigned in protest. They claim the U.N. leadership whitewashed their findings so that Kofi Annan could claim that he was exonerated (despite the fact that one of his close aides was found to have shredded reams of potentially incriminating documents). Maybe someone should remind Senators Biden and Voinovich about the consequences of an excess of diplomacy when bluntness is needed. Sending a Warren Christopher to the United Nations is no way...

Exit Neville? This headline claims that the United States and South Korea have agreed to “get tough” if North Korea tests a nuke. Color me suspicious, although these words from the MoFA are certainly a departure from the official line at the Ministry of Silly Talks: “If North Korea goes through with a nuclear test, it will start along a road where the future cannot be guaranteed,” Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said in a debate of the 21st Century North...

Boycott It: “Made in Korea. Gaesong.”

The Death of an Alliance, Part XVI: The Joongang Ilbo is asking whether the alliance is in trouble. There isn’t anything new in there, but it’s a nice, brief review of events over the last year.

Today’s New York Times reports two major new developments in the North Korea story. The Administration’s long-lived patience with North Korea may finally be at an end as it contemplates asking the U.N. for a resolution that would authorize any nation to stop North Korean ship and planes to search for nuclear material. Meanwhile, North Korea may be preparing to test a nuclear weapon. First, the general terms of the conceptual resolution: The resolution envisioned by a growing number of...