WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry accused the administration yesterday of letting "a nuclear nightmare" develop by refusing to deal with North Korea when President Bush took office...Kerry argued that it was the Bush administration's refusal to follow Powell's advice in March 2001 and continue the Clinton administration's direct diplomacy with the North that created the conditions for the current crisis.
Clinton's direct diplomacy, eh? Thankfully, Johnny Walker Red provides us with a timeline of Clinton's policies toward North Korea.
May 25-28, 1999: Former Defense Secretary William Perry visits North Korea and delivers a U.S. disarmament proposal.
Sept. 13: North Korea pledges to freeze long-range missile tests.
Sept. 17: U.S. President Bill Clinton eases economic sanctions against North Korea.
December: A U.S.-led consortium signs a US$4.6 billion contract for two safer, Western-developed light-water nuclear reactors in North Korea.
July 2000: North Korea again threatens to restart its nuclear program...
While I'm not exactly convinced that Bush has done a good job in handling North Korea these last four years I can tell you that reverting back to Clinton's policies aren't the solution.