North Korea,  Politics

North Korea Nuclear Watch: McCain vs. Clinton

UPDATE

Captain Ed has a post from Senator McCain

Captains Quarters: Guest Post: Senator John McCain On North Korea

This isn’t just about North Korea. Iran is watching this test of the Council’s will, and our decisions will surely influence their response to demands that they cease their nuclear program. Now, we must, at long last, stop reinforcing failure with failure.

READ IT ALL

mccainoctober10aweb

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. speaks during a campaign stop for Republican senate candidate Mike Bouchard in Southfield, Mich., Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006. McCain voiced support for tough U.N. sanctions against North Korea in response to North Korea’s reported test of a nuclear device.

AP: McCain criticizes Clinton on N. Korea

Republican Sen. John McCain on Tuesday accused former President Clinton, the husband of his potential 2008 White House rival, of failing to act in the 1990s to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.

“I would remind Senator (Hillary) Clinton and other Democrats critical of the Bush administration’s policies that the framework agreement her husband’s administration negotiated was a failure,” McCain said at a news conference after a campaign appearance for Republican Senate candidate Mike Bouchard.

“The Koreans received millions and millions in energy assistance. They’ve diverted millions of dollars of food assistance to their military,” he said.

Flap wonders if Slick will attempt to get McCain slimed with the Clintonesq politics of personal destruction now that Clinton has been duly ass-whipped because of his pathetic North Korean foreign policy. McCain is NO Chris Wallace.

Another tantrum Willy?

Remember The Path to 9/11?

Northkoreajuly4lKim_Jong_Il

Democrats have argued President Clinton presented his successor with a framework for dealing with North Korea and the Republican fumbled the opportunity. In October 2000, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made a groundbreaking visit to Pyongyang to explore a missile deal with Chairman Kim Jong Il. There was even talk of a visit by President Clinton.

The initial breakthrough occurred in October 1994 when U.S. negotiators persuaded North Korea to freeze its nuclear program, with onsite monitoring by U.N. inspectors. In exchange, the United States, with input from South Korea and Japan, promised major steps to ease North Korea’s acute energy shortage.

These commitments were inherited by the Bush administration, which made clear almost from the outset that it believed the Clinton policy ignored key elements of North Korea’s activities, especially the threat posed by the hundreds of thousands of troops on permanent duty along the Demilitarized Zone with South Korea.

McCain vs Clinton and an interesting prospective race between Hillary and McCain in 2008. Will Hillary run away from husband bill’s North Korean legacy?

Doubtful – Even if the policy is WRONG.

The Democrats will love to criticize Bush for this rogue nuclear test but who was it that appeased Kim Jong -Il and delayed the Missile Defense Agency?

Well, it was Bill Clinton.

Said McCain: “Prior to the agreement, every single time the Clinton Administration warned the Koreans not to do something — not to kick out the IAEA inspectors, not to remove the fuel rods from their reactor — they did it. And they were rewarded every single time by the Clinton Administration with further talks. We had a carrots and no sticks policy that only encouraged bad behavior. When one carrot didn’t work, we offered another.”

Stay tuned for Slick Willy’s response……..

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2 Comments

  • Gregg Newby

    I love how, after six years of a republican white house and a republican congress, this is still Bill Clinton’s fault. I mean, really, What has your purse-mouthed bumbler of a president done to discourage the North Koreans from pursuing nukes? Whatever Bill Clinton did 7 or 8 years ago, Georgy-porgy has had ample time to deconstruct, if he could just pull himself away from vacation that is. It seems that finger-pointing is the only solution republicans have left. I would have expected something a bit nobler from a man like John McCain, but I guess even the smartest baboon still has a big red ass. Doesn’t matter though. Point all the fingers you want. Come next month, the Gay Old Party will be going down harder than Mark Foley on a twelve-year old.

  • Flap

    The GOP will most probably lose majorities in the House and possibly the Senate in November. There will be stalemate in government for the last two years of the Bush Administration.

    But, this is not because anything the Democrats or LEFT has done. The GOP has done it to itself.

    The Clinton Administration can and will be held accountable for their foreign policy mistakes just like President Bush.

    Newby try advancing arguments instead of name calling. You may win some.