U.S., N. Korea to normalize ties

North Korea’s top nuclear negotiator was on his way to the United States yesterday for talks on issues that a State Department official said would include the first steps toward the normalization of diplomatic relations.

Normalization, eh?

Maybe diplomatic recognition might not be totally bad – but it would certainly give the NorKs an opportunity for more, dare it be said – espionage against us?

The problem here is the inevitable payment of “vigorish” to the NorKs to bribe them into faking an abandonment of their nuke projects. This is an exercise in futility…and based on their track record, how could any rational mind trust anything they had to say.

Hmmmm. Then again, this IS another example of the State Department’s Foggy Bottom Boys at work again…so never mind about the rational bit. At least it seems like the reaction may have brought a semi-flash of reality to at least part of this wildly optimistic plan:

N. Korea, U.S. talks ‘just a first step’

The State Department yesterday ruled out “immediate results” from U.S.-North Korea talks on establishing full diplomatic relations, which officials said will take place on Monday and Tuesday in New York.

Unfortunately, this silver lining has a dark cloud with it – the above-mentioned payment of assistance aid Danegeld.

U.S. intelligence officials, meanwhile, said the North has taken preliminary steps to shut down its main nuclear reactor, as required by a Feb. 13 agreement under which it would scrap its atomic programs in exchange for about $300 million in aid.

As noted in a previous post – the US is getting rolled again.