I was interested to read this lament from Robert Carlin on 38 North, not only for historical purposes, but for how it fits into the Republican pattern of arrogance:
January 8 marks 15 years to the day that the last ship carrying the last group of workers from the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) light water reactor project left the small harbor serving the construction site on North Korea’s northeast coast and headed home to the South Korean port of Sokcho. Unlikely, I realize, that anyone will mark the anniversary, except perhaps some of us who huddled on the stern of the fast ferry Hankyoreh, watching in mute disbelief as the project site—hundreds of acres of South Korean engineering and construction marvel (including a driving range and two churches), floodlit 24 hours a day using enough power to light a small city, all in easy sight of the North Koreans living nearby and many others who traveled up the east coast railway— slipped from view in the cold, gray afternoon. Maybe even a few of the North Koreans who stood sadly on the pier, waving their caps as the ship pulled away, will recall how they were witness to the final end to a decades-long effort at cooperation.
Does it really matter, thinking back to the day? After all, didn’t KEDO fail? Isn’t it only one of a series of failures in dealing with North Korea over the past 25 years?
No, in fact, KEDO did not fail. In those days of anything-but-Clinton, the Bush administration pushed it off a cliff. In the organization’s four-party Executive Board (US, Japan, ROK and European Union), Washington led the way, Tokyo was close behind, then, only reluctantly, did the South Koreans join the band. If anything, up to the end, the Europeans were the most sensible of the lot.
The rejection of the Clinton handoff is the key here. The Republicans were, by 2000, already suffering from Not Invented Here syndrome, which persists to the current day. Of course, the Republicans considered it appeasement – because, well, my conclusions on the matter scarcely rise above sarcasm. Briefly, this agreement, if it had reached fruition, would have sidelined North Korean efforts, and given cover for military strikes if they had continued military development of nuclear weapons; they would have replaced probable dirty power or dangerous antiquated nuclear plants with safer Western-designed power plants; and given the West influence over North Korea.
Instead, we’re left with nothing but moldy grapes. All because the Republicans couldn’t swallow that Clinton’s, and Democrat’s, accomplishments were legitimate. A sadly immature attitude has come back to bite us.
The replacement for the Republicans had best discard that damn attitude.
