Today, North Korea took the not-so-surprising move of asking United States nuclear experts to leave the country. They have also expelled IAEA inspectors from their Yongbyon nuclear plant. This was after they decided to withdraw from the six-party talks on Tuesday while calling for bilateral talks with the US. They have declared to the world that they will restart their nuclear program. It looks like Kim Jong Il’s temper tantrum has gone beyond threatening to turn South Korea into “debris” and launching rockets.

It is interesting to note that at a time when the current administration is considering meeting Iran without preconditions (though today they denied it as reported here) and has softened its policy towards the Cuban dictatorship, another dictatorship takes the bold step of kicking out inspectors and restarting its nuclear program while demanding bilateral talks. Actually, that’s not so interesting… it’s expected. These nations have realized that all they need to do is keep the pressure up and the current government will cave in to their demands… or they will drag out the issue for years, essentially running out the clock, while they develop nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. It seems that the administration’s new softer, kinder, gentler approach to foreign policy is not paying off… in fact it is merely emboldening the enemy. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

-AG