The Shock Waves From North Korea
[New York Times, Letter to the Editor]
To the Editor:
David Frum’s prescription for dealing with North Korea’s nuclear program is typical of a former Bush administration official (“Mutually Assured Disruption,” Op-Ed, Oct. 10).
All his ideas — expanding missile defenses, ending humanitarian aid to North Korea, expanding NATO and encouraging Japan to develop nuclear weapons — are sure to isolate and anger North Korea and China and to destabilize the region, when what is needed is calm, smart diplomacy, which the Bush administration has shown zero aptitude for.
North Korea’s nuclear test, while deplorable, is just the latest disaster in the administration’s failed, incoherent nonproliferation policy.
Iraq gets invaded over phantom nuclear weapons. Pakistan opens a veritable nuclear Wal-Mart and barely gets a slap on the wrist. India develops a nuclear bomb and gets rewarded with a deal for nuclear material and technology.
Israel’s robust nuclear arsenal is winked at, while Iran is threatened with sanctions, bombing and regime change over its nuclear program, which is years away from weaponization, if its government actually wants that.
Add in the Bush administration’s refusal to resubmit the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to the Senate for ratification, and is it any wonder the United States has no credibility on nonproliferation?
Kevin Martin
Exec. Dir., Peace Action
Silver Spring, Md., Oct. 10, 2006
