Back to the Talks! at No Man’s Blog

North Korea now says that it’s willing to come back to the six-party talks. This comes only three weeks after it stuck its thumb in the eye of the international North Korean Negotiation Strategy community by blowing up some sort of radiological device. The fact that they’re acting conciliatory now doesn’t surprise me in the least. I assume this means that big brother China has been leaning on them somewhat, and that Kim Chong Il feels a modicum of obligation to appease its historic neighbor (read: 800-pound gorilla) and primary benefactor. But I certainly hope that no one of international importance takes this “concession” as a sign that North Korea might eventually agree to dismantle its nuclear program. It ain’t gonna happen (colloquial English intentionally inserted here). Anyone who believes that the sanctions invoked by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718 somehow convinced Kim to toe the line ought to have their head examined. This is the way North Korea operates; it’s the way they’ve always operated. They’ll do anything, say anything, or sign anything to get their way, even if only to buy themselves a few weeks or a few months in order to work on their various policies and programs. Please take a look at the graphic I included in this post. It’s a simplistic, but nevertheless accurate, graphic depiction of North Korea’s modus operandi.