As a candidate, President Trump seemed open to talks on North Korea. All other options are fundamentally flawed, says Leon V. Sigal.
First came denial: that North Korea cheats so there is no point to negotiating, which denies that past deals did stop its fissile material production and missile tests for nearly a decade and that Pyongyang was not the only one to renege. So did Washington and Seoul.
Next came anger: since North Korea was violating UN resolutions by continuing to test nuclear weapons and missiles, it should be punished with sanctions and isolation.
Third has come bargaining: hopes that missile defense, cyberattacks or some other technological fix could somehow shield the United States and its allies from the threat. Those hopes have so far been in vain.
Fourth came depression: the problem had no solution, which was summed up by characterizing North Korea as the « land of lousy options. »
Is now the time for acceptance: that negotiating is worth another try before it is too late?
Time for talks?
Candidate Donald Trump seemed to reach that conclusion during his election campaign. He first broached talking to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on January 6, 2016, the very day North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test.
» You have this madman over there who probably would use it, and nobody talks to him other than, of course, Dennis Rodman, » he told « Fox and Friends. » « But nobody is talking to him whatsoever, and nobody is discussing it with China. »
Trump was more explicit on May 17. » Who the hell cares? I’ll speak to anybody , » he said. « There’s a 10% or 20% chance I could talk him out of having his damn nukes, because who the hell wants him to have nukes? »
In a campaign appearance on June 6, he disparaged experts’ « qualms about bargaining with North Korea.
