Nonproliferation and denuclearization policies toward North Korea have continuously failed since Pyongyang confirmed its nuclear intentions by threatening to leave the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1993.

From the abandonment of the Agreed Framework in 2002 to Pyongyang’s unilateral walk-out of the Six-Party Talks in 2009 to the disintegration of the “Leap Day deal” just weeks after its announcement, there have always been different justifications in the U.S. and DPRK for the dismal record of failure.

But whoever is really to blame, could this history actually now be preventing leaders in Washington from making new and creative efforts to resolve differences with Pyongyang? Put another