Sam Dealey

By Sam Dealey, Thomas Jefferson Street blog.

So just how bad was the Bush administration's hastily contrived deal with North Korea in October that led to the country's immediate removal from the U.S. terror list? As the AP now reports:

The top U.S. negotiator in talks to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons said Tuesday that Pyongyang must agree to a verification of its disarmament activities and the deal must be put in writing.

North Korea agreed last year to disable its nuclear reactor in exchange for aid. But negotiations have since stalled after the Stalinist state denied it agreed to allow inspectors to take samples from its nuclear complex to verify past nuclear activities.

So it turns out the brilliant "pragmatists" at State failed to get the nuclear verification agreement with North Korea in writing. And now, in what is surprisingly a surprise to these pragmatists, the North Koreans have proved yet again they can't be trusted and are reneging on their alleged promise.

Thankfully, there's a chance now to scrap the deal entirely. And would some responsible adult at the White House remember to please put North Korea back on the terror list, from which it never should have been removed?

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