Policy Forum 09-028: Reading North Korea Right

Stephen Noerper, Senior Fellow at the EastWest Institute and a Nautilus Institute Senior Associate, writes, “A Chinese adage suggests that a ‘cornered dog bites.’ President Obama and the international community should signal that we are not simply responding to a crisis or ‘managing’ the North Korean problem. It is time to address and, where possible, eliminate problem areas with North Korea-while maintaining a ‘stern and unified’ stance on the core issues.”

NAPSNet Daily Report 07 April, 2009

NAPSNet Daily Report 6 April, 2009

NAPSNet Daily Report 03 April, 2009

Examining North Korea’s Satellite Launch Vehicle, April 2nd, 2009

I. Introduction David Wright, co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists’ (UCS) Global Security Program, notes that “between April 4 and April 8 North Korea will attempt to place a satellite into space using the Unha-2 launcher. While some have characterized this as a ballistic missile test, a successful satellite launch wouldn’t necessarily demonstrate the […]

Examining North Korea’s Satellite Launch Vehicle

David Wright, co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists’ (UCS) Global Security Program, notes that “between April 4 and April 8 North Korea will attempt to place a satellite into space using the Unha-2 launcher. While some have characterized this as a ballistic missile test, a successful satellite launch wouldn’t necessarily demonstrate the ability to launch a nuclear warhead to intercontinental range. Modifications to increase the capability of the launcher pose both material and manufacturing challenges that North Korea may have yet to overcome.”

NAPSNet Daily Report 2 April, 2009

Policy Forum 09-026: Not an Impeccable Argument

Mark J. Valencia, a maritime policy analyst based in Kaneohe, Hawaii, writes, “US government arguments and immediate follow up actions regarding the incident seem to constitute a ‘might makes right’ approach that only increases the damage being done to the US image in Asia. Real change is needed in US maritime diplomacy in Asia and elsewhere.”

NAPSNet Daily Report 1 April, 2009

Policy Forum 09-025: DPRK Trip Report February 24-28th, 2009

Paul Carroll, Program Director at the Ploughshares Fund, writes, “Depending on how the U.S. responds to any DPRK action, as well as our partners in the region, we may be in for rough stretch of road for some time. The alternative could be that if the responses are creative and bold, we may just be able to snatch some victory from the jaws of defeat and make some progress toward the goals of denuclearizing the peninsula and transforming the regional security situation.”