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Although North Korea has made its position clear that it is willing to resolve U.S security concerns, including nuclear program, if the Bush administration respects its sovereignty, lifts economic sanction and dosen't attack it. The Bush administration, however, does not seem to be willing to negotiate with North Korea and even ignore the Clinton administration's effort to peacefully resolve the Pyoungyang's nuclear and missile issues. Even though the best way to ease the nuclear tension on the peninsula is 'direct negotiation' between the US and NK, the Bush administarion is more concentrated on the uncertain capability of missile and nuclear development in North Korea rather than negotiation.
What is Mr. Bush's intention, then?
Let's see following figures, for instance. US Congress is deliberating on the budget for FY 2004 that was submitted by the administration.
See the details below:
==========================================
FY 2004 National Defense budget authority (Function 050)
==========================================
$379.9 billion - Pentagon
$ 16.9 billion - Department of Energy nuclear weapons activities
$ 2.4 billion - other (Coast Guard)
$399.1 billion - TOTAL : Military budget request for FY 2004 (Budget Authority) $16.9 billion increase from FY 2003
Note: These figures do not include the cost of a supplemental appropriations request expected to be presented to Congress for fiscal year 2003 to cover the war on terrorism and the cost of the likely war against Iraq. The Pentagon estimates that it needs more than $13 billion *without* including the costs of the war.
Ballistic Missile Defense: $9.1 billion, an increase of $1.5 billion over last year
Note : prepare for the threat of ballistic missile in North Korea and it is three-times as higher as total military budget in NK.
(Source : Council for a Liable World (http://www.clw.org - Analysis of New FY(fiscal year)2004 Military Budget ) [You want to know more? Click here >>]
It should be noted that the so-called 'Threats from North Korea' is suggested at the time of deliberation and planning on the budget. Hawks within the administration and intelligence community have even stated that North Korea could attack continetal US within a few years.
Although it is not fully verified as 'present danger', the possibility of being attacked by North Korean ICBMs itself has stired substantial public anxiety. In addition, Mr. Bush has anncounced to deploy the unverified MD system late last year as a shield against North Korean Daepodong-2 missile.
The Bush Administration has been pursuing the MD program as national agenda priority No. 1. MD would be the largest weapons program in history demanding at least 250 billion to 1 trillion USD in the next 20 to 30 years. If there were a goose that could lay golden eggs for the Military-industrial complex of defense industry, politicians, and some portion of the media corps etc., you know MD would be it.
Any understaning of current US policies towards North Korea will inevitably be limited, if not flawed, if it does not take account of this fact. The Bush Administration seemed to ignore the series of negotiations that the Clinton administraion has led, in its waning day, to a near peaceful resolution regarding North Korea's WMD issues. The consequence has been damaging interruptions and disappointing setbacks in US-NK relations. Even with tenstions rising over North Korean nuclear program, the Bush administraion has refused to consider Pyongyang's request for peaceful negotiations and has gone so far as to even elevate international pressur and spur its preparation for possible military operations.
It could be argued that the fundamental reason why the Bush Administration refuses to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis through negotiation is due to its fear that such a solution would undermine the rationale for ever ambitious military programs with increased defense spending such as MD. That is to say, the Bush administration is more worried about losing 'the North Korean threat' than about the existance of North Korean nuclear and missile programs. (*)
What is Mr. Bush's intention, then?
Let's see following figures, for instance. US Congress is deliberating on the budget for FY 2004 that was submitted by the administration.
See the details below:
==========================================
FY 2004 National Defense budget authority (Function 050)
==========================================
$379.9 billion - Pentagon
$ 16.9 billion - Department of Energy nuclear weapons activities
$ 2.4 billion - other (Coast Guard)
$399.1 billion - TOTAL : Military budget request for FY 2004 (Budget Authority) $16.9 billion increase from FY 2003
Note: These figures do not include the cost of a supplemental appropriations request expected to be presented to Congress for fiscal year 2003 to cover the war on terrorism and the cost of the likely war against Iraq. The Pentagon estimates that it needs more than $13 billion *without* including the costs of the war.
Ballistic Missile Defense: $9.1 billion, an increase of $1.5 billion over last year
Note : prepare for the threat of ballistic missile in North Korea and it is three-times as higher as total military budget in NK.
(Source : Council for a Liable World (http://www.clw.org - Analysis of New FY(fiscal year)2004 Military Budget ) [You want to know more? Click here >>]
It should be noted that the so-called 'Threats from North Korea' is suggested at the time of deliberation and planning on the budget. Hawks within the administration and intelligence community have even stated that North Korea could attack continetal US within a few years.
Although it is not fully verified as 'present danger', the possibility of being attacked by North Korean ICBMs itself has stired substantial public anxiety. In addition, Mr. Bush has anncounced to deploy the unverified MD system late last year as a shield against North Korean Daepodong-2 missile.
The Bush Administration has been pursuing the MD program as national agenda priority No. 1. MD would be the largest weapons program in history demanding at least 250 billion to 1 trillion USD in the next 20 to 30 years. If there were a goose that could lay golden eggs for the Military-industrial complex of defense industry, politicians, and some portion of the media corps etc., you know MD would be it.
Any understaning of current US policies towards North Korea will inevitably be limited, if not flawed, if it does not take account of this fact. The Bush Administration seemed to ignore the series of negotiations that the Clinton administraion has led, in its waning day, to a near peaceful resolution regarding North Korea's WMD issues. The consequence has been damaging interruptions and disappointing setbacks in US-NK relations. Even with tenstions rising over North Korean nuclear program, the Bush administraion has refused to consider Pyongyang's request for peaceful negotiations and has gone so far as to even elevate international pressur and spur its preparation for possible military operations.
It could be argued that the fundamental reason why the Bush Administration refuses to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis through negotiation is due to its fear that such a solution would undermine the rationale for ever ambitious military programs with increased defense spending such as MD. That is to say, the Bush administration is more worried about losing 'the North Korean threat' than about the existance of North Korean nuclear and missile programs. (*)
