August 05, 2020
Bolton memoir: guide for how not to negotiate with North Korea
Even self-serving interpretations of history can be useful. Ambassador John Bolton's recent memoir, "The Room Where It Happened," offers something counterintuitively useful to those who wish for progress in nuclear negotiations with North Korea. As Trump's former national security adviser, Bolton confesses with self-satisfaction that he helped sabotage nuclear negotiations with North Korea at multiple points.
Even self-serving interpretations of history can be useful.
In Bolton's mind, though, sabotage was a kind of success. He holds a peculiar set of beliefs about North Korea that depend on a selective reading of history and a feeble understanding of Seoul's neighbor to the North. These beliefs, which are widely held in Washington, help us understand how the U.S.' North Korea policy has persisted over decades despite repeated failures.
Read the full article in The Korea Times.
More from CNAS
-
Commentary
For decades, North Korea's authoritarian dictatorship has threatened Northeast Asia's regional stability, challenged U.S. interests, and subjected its own citizens to an unpar...
By Kristine Lee, Joshua Fitt, Jason Bartlett, Chris Estep & Cole Stevens
-
Commentary
Pyongyang may wait and see before reporting the result domestically and making its next move....
By Duyeon Kim
-
Reports
The U.S.-South Korean alliance has the potential to play a central role in bolstering a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond....
By Kristine Lee, Joshua Fitt & Coby Goldberg
-
Commentary
It appears the faux bromance is finally over....
By Joshua Fitt