North Korean Deal is Flawed

On the 13^th of February, a mistaken deal was struck between Washington and Pyongyang. According to U.S negotiation officials, the United States agreed to provide North Korea with the "energy aid" it has requested. This comes even though officials had expressed frustration with such an idea on the previous day. Less than 24 earlier, chief negotiator Chris Hill had just said, "I don't think there's any need to do any more bargaining. They just need to make a decision."

Under the energy aid agreement, North Korea is to receive 1 million metric tons of oil cumulatively from the five other countries in the six-party talks. 50,000 are to come in exchange for return for closing the Yongbyon nuclear facilities. Another 950,000 would be awarded to North Korea once all of its nuclear facilities had been shut down. Additionally, North Korea must accept foreign inspectors who will make sure Pyongyang has kept is end of the deal.

In September 2005, an accord was reached that would furnish North Korea with energy aid. However, there was a negotiations fallout when the U.S. accused them of counterfeiting American dollars. North Korea left the negotiations table, but returned under international pressure. Now the deal has been resurrected once more.

The deal leaves some outside spectators wondering what happened. In an interview with CNN former U.N. ambassador Michael Bolton said, ""It sends exactly the wrong signal to would-be proliferators around the world." The U.S. has given in to extortion with this most recent deal. Not only has the U.S. pacified a temper-tantrum, but it has also done so in the plain view of a handful of other's who are now inspired to do the same exact thing.