Strohmaier, James

Abstract
For the past year the six—party talks and the September 2005 ‘joint statement’ for dismantling North Korea’s nuclear weapons program have been put on hold as both the United States and North Korea have engaged in tit—for—tat coercive diplomacy. U.S. financial sanctions against the Kim regime to address alleged issues of North Korea’s counterfeiting, money laundering, and illegal activities led North Korea to boycott the talks. In July 2006 North Korea retaliated with a multiple missile test, and the United States retaliated by pushing forward with UN Security Resolution 1695 condemning the North and increasing the likelihood of it being subject to more sanctions. Both countries have lost all trust in cooperation, and now the Bush administration is pursuing two—pronged policies to pressure the Kim regime while simultaneously defending against potential retaliatory policies aimed at causing utility losses to U.S. interests. Aspects of the U.S. strategy are examined and possible future ‘moves’ in this game of threats are explored.
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