N. Korea now has control over how the Western world turns



Opinion N. Korea now has control over how the Western world turns U.S. has lost whatever bargaining position it might once have had Robert E. McCoy October 25, 2016 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Rodong Sinmun The worm has turned, and it is now Pyongyang that controls when discussions regarding the Korean peninsula will be held and what those discussions might entail. Washington has lost control of the situation by dithering away years of opportunities. Admittedly, those were not optimal opportunities, but as it has been said in a number of cultures since 1600 AD, perfect is the enemy of the good. As pundits comb through materials on North Korea trying to glean some tiny bit of new insight, such a focus implies trying to increase our understanding of Pyongyang, something the West has yet to © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Opinion

N. Korea now has control over how the Western world turns

U.S. has lost whatever bargaining position it might once have had

Robert E. McCoy October 25, 2016

N. Korea now has control over how the Western world turns

Rodong Sinmun

The worm has turned, and it is now Pyongyang that controls when discussions regarding the Korean peninsula will be held and what those discussions might entail. Washington has lost control of the situation by dithering away years of opportunities.

Admittedly, those were not optimal opportunities, but as it has been said in a number of cultures since 1600 AD, perfect is the enemy of the good.

As pundits comb through materials on North Korea trying to glean some tiny bit of new insight, such a focus implies trying to increase our understanding of Pyongyang, something the West has yet to

About the Author

Robert E. McCoy

Robert E. McCoy is a retired U.S. Air Force Korean linguist and analyst/reporter who was stationed in Asia for more than fourteen years. He continues to follow developments in East Asia closely. Mr. McCoy’s book Tales You Wouldn’t Tell Your Mother is now out. He can be contacted via his website http://musingsbymccoy.com/ which also lists his previous essays and has personal vignettes on Asia (Tidbits) not published elsewhere.

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