On July 4, Chinese president Xi Jinping concluded a two day summit in Seoul, South Korea. During the summit, Xi met with South Korean president Park Geun-hye to discuss, among other matters, the pressing issue of North Korea’s nuclear program.
America’s Massive Missile Defense Mistake
This week, The National Interest published an op-ed by Lt. General (USA, Ret.) Robert Gard and Phil Coyle on the implications for U.S. missile defense of the successful test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system last Sunday. The authors argue that one successful test of the GMD system every five years and one-half years should not justify the deployment of more flawed interceptors.
The Standard-Times Publishes OpEd on North Korea by Lt. General Gard & Claudia Cheffs
‘Patience’ with North Korea is akin to doing nothing By Lt. General Robert Gard & Claudia Cheffs South Korea and U.S. intelligence sources believe that North Korea is on the brink of another nuclear test. What is Washington doing to stop it? Very little. Washington hasn’t even picked up the phone to call Pyongyang. Defense […]
As Another North Korean Nuclear Test Looms, What’s Washington’s Response?
This week, OtherWords published a piece I wrote alongside Lt. General (USA, Ret) Robert Gard on the Obama administration’s “strategic patience” policy toward North Korea. Here is an excerpt:
It’s time to put North Korea back on the foreign policy agenda and re-engage it in serious and responsible negotiations.
Given Chinese support for North Korea, heavy sanctions won’t compel Kim Jong Un to comply with American preferences or engage in negotiations on dictated terms. However much the United States may detest the authoritarian North Korean regime, it’s in America’s interest to engage in a dialogue to protect its national security and that of its Asian allies.
Refusing to negotiate with the North Koreans unless they make concessions dictated by Washington is counterproductive. Watchful waiting simply results in further advances in the North Korean nuclear weapons program, making America and its allies less secure. Kim Jong Un is willing to talk, and it’s in America’s interest to pick up the phone and call him.
Read the full piece here.
Christian Science Monitor Story on Joint U.S.-South Korea Military Exercises Quotes Duyeon Kim
US-South Korea joint military exercises – three things you need to know By Steven Borowiec Later this month, the US and South Korea will stage annual military exercises around the Korean peninsula. Last year’s war games led to months of high tensions as North Korea vociferously objected to joint drills being held near its territory. […]
