Spring Break
Bolton condemns handling of nuclear proliferation issue
Issue date: 2/28/08
John Bolton, former United States ambassador to the United Nations, addressed a very small audience in Shriver Hall yesterday.
Bolton, a Baltimore native, spoke on the effects of nuclear proliferation on national security and safety around the world. His speech was part of this spring's Foreign Affairs Symposium.
Bolton began his speech immediately condemning the Bush administration's handling of the proliferation issue. North Korea, which he called "a fundamentally criminal regime" is particularly dangerous as a nuclear regime because it "would sell anything to anyone … I believe if Al-Qaeda came up with the money to pay for [a nuclear ballistic weapon] they would sell it to them."
North Korea, aware of the fear this possibility inspires in western powers, has exploited their position of power since the late '90s, continually promising to cease nuclear programs in exchange for economic and political gains, and then never following through on their commitments.
This has set up a pattern in which "first [North Korea] negotiates, then it renegotiates to get what it wants. The trouble is that North Korea is lying about its programming [and getting away with it] because its negotiating partners are so eager to keep negotiations alive," Bolton said.
"Any other country in the world would have long ago been shut down" for the threat North Korea poses to international safety, Bolton said.
Bolton blamed the problem on "lazy journalists" who reported that North Korea is conceding when all evidence suggests otherwise.
Bolton discussed the recent Israeli discovery of a North Korean nuclear facility in the Syrian desert.
Although little has been released publicly about the discovery, Bolton found reason to believe Syria and North Korea were working together to build this factory.
Syria has remained silent on the issue.
"Syria knows how to fill a security council chamber with agitated people," Bolton said, adding that for some reason they didn't.
Bolton, a Baltimore native, spoke on the effects of nuclear proliferation on national security and safety around the world. His speech was part of this spring's Foreign Affairs Symposium.
Bolton began his speech immediately condemning the Bush administration's handling of the proliferation issue. North Korea, which he called "a fundamentally criminal regime" is particularly dangerous as a nuclear regime because it "would sell anything to anyone … I believe if Al-Qaeda came up with the money to pay for [a nuclear ballistic weapon] they would sell it to them."
North Korea, aware of the fear this possibility inspires in western powers, has exploited their position of power since the late '90s, continually promising to cease nuclear programs in exchange for economic and political gains, and then never following through on their commitments.
This has set up a pattern in which "first [North Korea] negotiates, then it renegotiates to get what it wants. The trouble is that North Korea is lying about its programming [and getting away with it] because its negotiating partners are so eager to keep negotiations alive," Bolton said.
"Any other country in the world would have long ago been shut down" for the threat North Korea poses to international safety, Bolton said.
Bolton blamed the problem on "lazy journalists" who reported that North Korea is conceding when all evidence suggests otherwise.
Bolton discussed the recent Israeli discovery of a North Korean nuclear facility in the Syrian desert.
Although little has been released publicly about the discovery, Bolton found reason to believe Syria and North Korea were working together to build this factory.
Syria has remained silent on the issue.
"Syria knows how to fill a security council chamber with agitated people," Bolton said, adding that for some reason they didn't.
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matt
posted 3/06/08 @ 12:14 PM EST
What about Israeli nulclear proliferation ? - Bolton does not address this of course. The safest option would be to make the middle east a nuclear free zone which is what Tehran has suggested. (Continued…)
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