We held trade with Zimbabwe for a long time. And look where we are. We have extensive trade links with Iraq pre-Gulf War. And look where we are. Trade increases the riches of the despot, increases their military strenght. These despots have no intention whatsoever of having peace

Hmm wonder if Ol Kimberly has gotten any major research grant checks from Nk recently. The Galloway factor.

Are we suggesting a unilateral concession while NK is ratching up the rhetoric about Nukes? Machiavelli wouldn't approve. Why show weakness? When Dictoators sense weakness they increase demands & the distance between positions grows - not a good way to reach resolution. To actually get things moving on the right track, NK needs to show that their word means something - to date it is meaningless. We should talk - but any concession should go hand in hand with verifyable steps on NK's part. Otherwise we are onlly playing Clinton/Carter all over again and NK will once again take what is offered and continue to build Nukes.

North Korea is the most paranoid nation on earth. Threatening them is just going to push them over the edge, and I think we all know how that story will end.

I bring up the old school-yard politic argument. Most of the kids involved in school shootings are suffering from mental instability, paranoia etc. They never recieved the help they needed, instead, they were teased, taunted and bullied. Their threshold broke, they found a gun, and they shot their tormentors.

Sanctions should be lifted, and the West should start pumping dollars into the North Korean economy. Show them what the free-market economy can do. Link the western economy to theirs. Good relations between nations is oddly proportional to the amount of money they have invested in one-another.

The North Korean problem is paranoia.....and you don't treat paranoia with a sword.

There has got to be concrete evidence that NK is actually living up to any promises they give. The schoolyard analogy is laughable. These are old men, not spoiled kids, even though thay act like spoiled kids.

To buy more empty promises a la Clinton/Carter is a failed policy. As harsh as it sounds, Korea needs to be shown the folly of their latest brinksmanship. Speak softly, but firmly, and remind them of the big stick. There is no way they can prevail with threats to their neighbors. If they continue on their present course, they are risking turning their back yard into a smoldering heap, not ours.

Just who are these "experts" anyway? "Think-tank policy experts", are they? Worthless. For every leftist think-tank, there is a centrist, rightist, or libertarian one that recommends a competing strategy. Just b/c the Washington Times chose this particular recommendation doesn't mean it is worth anything. Just the WT trying to play king maker among the intellectuals.

Help me out here...lift trade sanctions in order to trade for...? What is it they have that we want to buy? I think we should do business with those nations that have similar vallues and interests to ours. NK certainly doesn't qualify. If NK had no nukes, what would they have that we want?
I think that using trade for "socal engineering" is about as big as waste of time as trying to use the tax code for "social engineering". (Show of hands of who messages their tax returms) Trade policy should reflect easing the ability to get the things we desire or need and not be transformed into some attempt at contry level social work. Lay out the standard for trading with the US, meet it and you can trade with, don't and forget about it. How about this for the epitomy of reason, we'll trade with you and our trade rules for you will be exactly what your trade rules are for us. Aren't we nice ...now you won't have to learn two sets of rules.

Massages tax returns nt messages them...sorry not enough coffee in me yet

lol Genghis - almost made me lose my coffee, thx

no trade with liars who violate agreements. Paranoia is their problem not ours, they are deliberately provocative, banging their spoon on the high chair to try and force everyone to satisfy them, and tell SKorea if they are found to have given the North more bribes to behave we should pull our troops out

banging their spoon on the high chair to try and force everyone to satisfy them

heh, one of the most apt descriptions I've heard. Except, these babies have wmd's...

bdawg: Lift trade sanctions? For what reason? No.1:ANY $$$ we give them or allow them to have goes right to their weapons program, WMD, delivery systems, nukes, etc,. What doesn't go to that, feeds the fat little pigs on top of the heap. Give 'em nothing. Tell ROK to STOP letting investment $$$ go north, which only encourages more of number 1 above. End of story.

Hey! Bugger N. Korea, how about a fair trade deal with Australia. Our (albeit not very enigmatic) prime minister is over with you guys in the US and reports are that he is excited that some trade deals may be "tabled" in December.

Look after your allies first!

No need to threaten NK.

No need to give in to their demands.

I have heard rumors that the NK Army is not eating well. Hunger will bring them around. Patience without rancor is our winning card.

Here is a url on the NK food problem.

http://ncafe.com/northkorea/NKcrisis-suicides.txt

Of course a single report is no proof.

Well, I consider myself a bit of a hawk, but I've thought for many years that economic sanctions desperately just hurt the population and only moderately annoy the rulers.

Economic sanctions are an act of war, IMO. If we care enough to go to war, let's go to war, but let's not do it halfway with sanctions.

If anyone can give me an example when economic sanctions worked, I would love to hear it.

I'm doing a debate over this topic on Friday. I say no way to sanctions, but I need stats. If we place them on NK, then they will just buy what they need from another country (let's say China for example) Therefore, we are just making China's economy better through exports. Help me out here>

I think NK will be one place where sanctions will be found to have worked.

The cost may not be commensurate with the results. But if the army is starving they will not be marching. If they do march we can destroy their cohesion by dropping food instead of bombs.