The cancellation of disarmament negotiation with North Korea should not come as a surprise to anyone. Like the Peanuts cartoon where Lucy pulls the ball away just as Charlie Brown is running to kick it so has North Korea pulled away from completing an agreement to end its nuclear/ballistic missile program. North Korea has pulled away from every agreement.
Here is a an abbreviated list of the previous failed efforts as reported on a CNN web site.
1985
North Korea signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
1994
North Korea and the United States sign an agreement. North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its old, graphite-moderated nuclear reactors in exchange for international aid to build two new light-water nuclear reactors.
2002
October – The Bush Administration reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.
2003
January 10 – North Korea withdraws from the NPT.
2005
North Korea tentatively agrees to give up its entire nuclear program, including weapons. In exchange, the United States, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea say they will provide energy assistance to North Korea, as well as promote economic cooperation.
2007
February 13 – North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million.
2008
December – Six-party talks are held in Beijing. The talks break down over North Korea’s refusal to allow international inspectors unfettered access to suspected nuclear sites.
Donald Trump did the right thing in cancelling a Singapore summit.
Coast Contact 