And now: Syria

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

NYTimes article

I had thought that with the amassed military in the Middle East, N. Korea would have been placed in the diplomatic washing machine and put on the "stall" setting. Apparently (to the surprise of no one posting here ;) I was dead wrong.

So! Round Two. Powell's State Dept vs. Rumsfeld's Defense Dept. once again.

Just days before President Bush approved the opening of negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear program, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld circulated to key members of the administration a Pentagon memorandum proposing a radically different approach: the United States, the memo argued, should team up with China to press for the ouster of North Korea's leadership.

(*checks the Wolfowitz policy original draft* Ah. Right. N. Korea was right up there with Iraq in the recipe. I misread about Syria. Syria comes during the same timeframe as Pakistan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. My mistake.)

White House officials say a change of government in North Korea is not official administration policy — and some suggest that the secret memorandum was circulated for discussion among high-level officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, and may not represent Mr. Rumsfeld's view. Mr. Rumsfeld's spokeswoman, Victoria Clarke, said today that the defense secretary completely supported the president's diplomatic strategy for disarming North Korea.

(Sure you do, Don... as long as the Strategy is your's...)

Mr. Powell's approach, officials familiar with his thinking say, is to offer North Korea assurances that the United States is not trying to undermine its government, but to make clear that until the nuclear programs are dismantled, the country will get no aid and investment. Mr. Powell received final approval for his approach in a meeting with President Bush last week, a session Mr. Rumsfeld did not attend.

Isn't the first time Powell has pushed for his methodology in a closed doors meeting. I believe it was that Methodology that managed to get Bush to go to the UN re: Iraq back in the Summer/Fall of last year: Powell asked for a private dinner with Bush, Conde Rice and himself. 'Course, that was back before Ms. Rice painted her feathers to Hawk colors.

Interesting times... interesting times, indeed.