William J. Perry: In Search of a North Korea Policy

North Korea's declared nuclear bomb test program will increase the incentives for other nations to go nuclear, will endanger security in the region and could ultimately result in nuclear terrorism. While this test is the culmination of North Korea's long-held aspiration to become a nuclear power, it also demonstrates the total failure of the Bush administration's policy toward that country. For almost six years this policy has been a strange combination of harsh rhetoric and inaction.

President Bush, early in his first term, dubbed North Korea a member of the "axis of evil" and made disparaging remarks about Kim Jong Il. He said he would not tolerate a North Korean nuclear weapons program, but he set no bounds on North Korean actions.

[FYI: William J. Perry, the writer, was secretary of defense from 1994 to 1997.]

	North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test	Yahoo! News	Mon Oct 9	0
	North Korea threatens war against U.S.	Associated Press	Wed Oct 11	16
	Kim's message: War is coming to US soil	atimes.com	Wed Oct 11	4
	N.Korea Threatens Japan Over Sanctions	Associated Press	Wed Oct 11	7
	Bush: North Korea a 'threat to international peace' - CNN.com	CNN	Wed Oct 11	1