White House national security advisor John Bolton did his best to dampen enthusiasm for efforts underway to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, recalling what is widely considered to have ultimately been a disastrous foreign policy in Libya.
“If [North Korean leader Kim Jong-un] has made a strategic determination that North Korea would be better off without nuclear weapons then I think we’ve got something to talk about,” Bolton said on CBS’s Face the Nation.
When asked whether the North would have to give up all nuclear weapons before any concessions would be offered, Bolton cited previous efforts in Libya.
“I think that’s right, I think we’re looking at the Libya model of 2003, 2004,” Bolton said.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi agreed to eliminate his nation’s program to develop nuclear weapons, only to be ousted years later by US coalition-backed forces. Analysts have noted that in the aftermath of Gaddafi’s removal from rule, and subsequent brutal death, other countries would be reluctant to nix weapons of mass destruction programs, which could serve a deterrent to regime change.
Bolton went on to echo widespread skepticism among observers that the Kim regime will commit to full denuclearization.
“We’re also looking at what North Korea itself has committed to previously. And most importantly, I think, going back over a quarter of a century to the 1992 joint denuclearization agreement where North Korea committed to giving up nuclear weapons, and committed uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing,” he said
Whether the Libyan deal in 2003 would make an appropriate model for denuclearization in North Korea is up for debate. But by bringing it up Bolton also reminds US foes why they might not want to give up their weapons.
Bolton is a weak namby pamby hiding under a moutache and beligerence. He should be tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
America. Who can trust you after Libya? All those respect that you have earned is now down the drain. Perhaps Bolton is still thinking America still call the shot.
BOLTON IS ANYTHING BUT WEAK! HE WAS PUT INTO THE TRUMP REGIME FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF WREAKING THE IRAN AND N KOREA ACCORDS/AGREEMENTS. HIS CO PARTNER POMPEO WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TOGET TRUMP TO ATTACK BOTH N KOREA AND IRAN. ESPECIALLY IRAN AS THAT IT THE ZIONIST IARAELI BIGGEST NEMISIS. NETANYAHU JUST SENT TRUMP A MESSAGE FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TO SEE .
How about NK and SK re-unify as a soveign nation but two special admin regions or self-ruled autonomies with each a self-defence force but no garrison at the NK/SK boundary. Half of the nukes will be given to SK as security guarantee, there will be no need for foreign army garrison and foreign military "exercise". Economic, social and political homogenization will take decades perhaps, but the question of a single sovereignty and inter-Korean peace can be structually fixed within 24 months. (same as Brexit but reversed)