Center for International Policy

As printed in U.S. News

April 25, 2005

North Koreans Send a Signal: We'll Wait Till Bush Is Gone

North Koreans Send a Signal: We'll Wait Till Bush Is Gone

Senior North Korean officials in Pyongyang have told a visiting American scholar that later this month they will begin unloading 8,000 nuclear fuel rods--a first step toward extracting their plutonium--from the reactor at Yongbyon, unless Washington agrees to their terms for a freeze in their nuclear programs. Selig Harrison, director of the Asia Program at the Center for International Policy in Washington, told U.S. News the new North Korean position takes dismantling of nuclear facilities "off the table." The North Koreans say they would freeze nuclear development if the United States assures them it would accept peaceful coexistence with the Pyongyang regime.

The new posture suggests stronger influence by the North Korean Army, Harrison says. One senior North Korean Army general told Harrison that if the United States imposes economic sanctions, enforced through a naval quarantine or blockade, "it would be the beginning of a war." Harrison's interpretation of the latest position: "They basically have given up on this administration . . . they're going to wait it out for another administration." -Thomas Omestad, Julian E. Barnes and Paul Bedard

Drip, Drip, Drip--the GOP's Big DeLay Fear

While House Majority Leader Tom DeLay dodged questions last week about the ethics allegations swirling around him, he also jumped back into the spotlight by calling on a House committee to review court decisions in the Terri Schiavo case. Christian conservatives have rallied to his aid, sending out alerts asking the faithful to pray for his vindication so he will not be abandoned. But some GOP insiders worry that they'll have to spend too much time defending him back home. "The thing to worry about is the drip, drip, drip," says one top-level House GOP aide. High-ranking House GOP officials say that the Schiavo case made DeLay a household name, and now ordinary Americans have questions about him and his behavior. In the end, it may come down to the power of politics vs. the power of prayer. -Thomas Omestad, Julian E. Barnes and Paul Bedard

Remember the Old Third Rail of Politics?

Democratic pollster Mark Penn said his new poll suggests that the more President Bush talks about reforming Social Security, the worse his ratings get. "From a presidential initiative point of view, this has been a disaster," he said. Penn, former President Clinton's pollster, said that his polling finds that Americans favor some changes but not the partial privatization Bush has proposed. Penn also said that the issue has hurt Bush's overall standings--personally and on domestic policy. "The more he's gotten involved in domestic policy, the more his popularity has gone down," said Penn. -Thomas Omestad, Julian E. Barnes and Paul Bedard

Who Knew, Buying Is Better Than Leasing

The Air Force is now promising that any purchase of new air refueling tankers will be a "conventional" acquisition. The Air Force had hoped to lease new tankers from Boeing, a $40 billion plan detailed in U.S. News in September 2003 and ultimately derailed by Sen. John McCain. Now, says Gen. Gregory Martin, the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, the Air Force will decide whether to upgrade its KC-135 tankers or buy new ones. But leasing, which would have cost more than buying, is clearly out of the picture. -Thomas Omestad, Julian E. Barnes and Paul Bedard