Posted on 02/16/2007 7:57:42 AM PST by Schnucki
WASHINGTON - To win approval of a deal with North Korea that has been assailed by conservatives inside and outside the administration, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice bypassed layers of government policy review that had derailed past efforts to negotiate an agreement, several senior administration officials said this week.
After a meeting in Berlin in mid-January with her top negotiator on North Korea, Christopher R. Hill, who had just held lengthy sessions with his North Korean counterparts, Ms. Rice called back to Washington to describe the outlines of the deal to Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, and then to President Bush.
But to some, it seemed the usual procedures were cut short — vetting the details though an interagency process that ordinarily would have brought in Vice President Dick Cheney’s office, the Defense Department and aides at the White House and other agencies who had previously objected to rewarding North Korea before it gives up its weapons.
“There was no process here,” said an official who has been deeply involved in the issue. “Nothing. There was no airing of whether this is the way to deal with the North Koreans.”
White House and other administration officials dispute that, saying that all relevant agencies were consulted.
In lieu of the formal meetings where objections to such accords were usually voiced during the president’s first term, Mr. Hadley “walked it through with concerned people,” a senior administration official said. The official acknowledged that the process was much more informal, and rapid, than usual, although much of Mr. Hill’s work was built upon previous negotiations at the talks that had been widely vetted across the administration.
The result has been an unusual attack on the agreement from the right, starting with John R. Bolton,
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I never would have predicted the disaster that Condi has become as Secretary of State. Whether it's the "Palestinians," North Korea, or what have you, she is always on the wrong side now. What happened?
All she basically did is buy them off the same way Clinon did 10 years ago or so. And that's something to crow about?
Pls...don't get me started on Condi Rice...step sister to Maddy Albright...and worse!
....except this is a multilateral buy out with the ChiComms not all that happy with Kimmy....I felt the same way initially but with the Chinese and Japan breathing down North Korea's neck, it may just work.....I hope it does though those a**wipes never keep a deal.
I've always preferred sped to speeded.
Hey this is great, Condi can play the piano, and Maddy the Midget can dance on top of it while Comrade Chia Pet applauds and counts his money.
You usually have to pay a cover charge for that kind of entertainment.
Hey I think I've seen that tagline somewhere before! ;)
As Pops would say when he calls me, "Hey is that you? This is me."
:D!
Re: previous post to FR sysadmin. Wrong thread, my mistake.
Yes, we have simply reverted to the discredited and thoroughly violated 1994 framework, the deal for which so many of us correctly disdained the Clintonistas. North Korea should not get one joule of energy from outside the country unless/until they have verifiably disarmed and destroyed their nuke programs. Otherwise, we are just kicking the ball down the field yet again while propping up their sick regime......
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