Questions of Timing…

North Korea's recent announcement left many observers questioning its timing. One factor may have been the recent visit to China by members of President Bush's National Security Council. During their visit, US officials told their counterparts in Beijing that Libyan nuclear materials had been scientifically tested. These tests showed that certain materials had come from North Korea, raising fears that the North Koreans might sell these to a terrorist group like al-Qaeda. Unfortunately, in addressing North Korea, the US has few good options other than using the Chinese as an intermediary. But as this Washington Times op-ed argues, the United States should not give in to China on issues like a potential China-EU arms deal in exchange for cooperation on North Korea. "In the end," the author writes, "North Korea is a Chinese problem." – YaleGlobal