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2007年1月 From The Korea Herald, December 29th 2006Roh takes aim
at Washington Commentary
By Chris Gelken
Love him or hate him, President Roh Moo-hyun is making absolutely sure you don't ignore him. Apparently unaware he is supposed to be a lame duck, Roh came out with all guns blazing in a speech to the National Unification Advisory Council last week.
Taking aim at the Americans, the military, his party, and his former prime minister, Goh Kun, the president essentially declared war on critics and rivals who were doubtless hoping he would accept his role of an "outgoing president" with good grace and simply fade away into oblivion. The target of derision for what the opposition claim are a raft of failed domestic policies, Roh has additionally been lambasted as an "appeaser" for his dogged determination to pursue his engagement initiative with North Korea. Questioning Washington's foreign policy these days or challenging them on issues related to Korea puts one in dangerous territory and immediately earns the pejorative of being a left-wing liberal and a cheerleader for anti-Americanism. Roh Moo-hyun is guilty as charged. Consequently the obvious conclusion is that Korea's president is a dangerous anti-American left-wing liberal with pro-North Korean tendencies. Or mad. Or so conservatives in the National Assembly and the media would have us believe. But in his alleged madness, the president may have hit the nail squarely on the head when he questioned the manner in which Washington has been conducting its diplomatic policy and negotiations process with North Korea. In his speech last week, Roh gave voice to widespread suspicions among so-called "conspiracy-theorists" that the U.S. Treasury Department had colluded with six-party negotiators from the State Department over the timing of its crackdown on the Macau-based Banco Delta Asia, something Washington emphatically denies. In September 2005 as the six-party negotiations in Beijing were winding down to their successful conclusion, the U.S. Treasury released a statement claiming (but has so far provided no conclusive evidence) that BDA was acting as North Korea's conduit for illegal funds, and was an active partner in laundering counterfeit U.S. dollars produced by Pyongyang. With the hard-won September Agreement roadmap for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula signed and sealed, Treasury ratcheted up the pressure on BDA, forcing the bank to sever its correspondent links to Pyongyang and freeze all North Korean accounts held on its books. The financial screw had begun to turn. North Korea reacted, as was possibly Washington's intention, with its customary belligerence. They accused the United States of negotiating in bad faith, and tore up the September Agreement. The North's reaction, albeit a provoked reaction, allowed the Bush administration to claim the high moral ground and they quickly denounced Pyongyang's "unreasonable" behavior. Expressing disappointment, Washington added with a theatrical sigh, something to the effect that this is what happens when you deal with a rogue regime. When the six-party talks finally got underway again last week after a 13-month hiatus, the North opened its bid with the demand that Washington lift its financial stranglehold before any negotiations on denuclearization could take place. Once again, with theatrical exasperation, Washington's envoy told the participants, the press, and just about anybody else who was willing to listen; the financial action against the BDA was a law-enforcement issue, and had nothing to do with the nuclear negotiations. The North is being obstinate, U.S. envoy Chris Hill told reporters. For the sake of $24 million they are giving up some wonderful opportunities. So sad. So stupid. We are doing everything we possibly can, we are willing to compromise, they wailed, heaving exasperated sighs for dramatic effect. That has been Washington's line since the beginning, but obviously President Roh isn't buying it. And neither is anyone with common sense. Roh suggested Treasury and State were playing a cunning three handed "go-stop" - a Korean card game - in which these two conspirators were secretly ganging up on their mark to gain the upper hand. The timing of the Treasury's move on the BDA was just too convenient to be a coincidence. Convenient that is if you wanted to sink the September Agreement and still give the impression of being reasonable, of holding the high moral ground. It is beyond belief that two departments of the U.S. government dealing with North Korean issues were not collaborating, or at least exchanging memos. The move against BDA is part of a global effort by Washington to put a financial chokehold on the remaining countries of the "axis of evil" -- Iran and North Korea. This policy has been sanctioned by the White House, and in an interview with the Associated Press, Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levey admits putting pressure on private banks and other institutions. "To figure out how to work with the private sector so they amplify what we want to have happen." And the financial collapse of the "axis of evil" is the thing that they "want to have happen." This course of action could not possibly go ahead without the consent of the Oval Office. Not unless you still believe the U.S. bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was an accident because the most powerful nation on earth was using out of date maps issued by a French tire company. Given the current climate in relations with the North, a good many people would probably support a coordinated two-pronged approach by Treasury and State to bring a successful conclusion to the nuclear impasse. But when the parties involved attempt this foolish charade, it throws just about anything and everything they say into doubt. So were Roh's comments just another example of his anti-Americanism? Not really. Disagreeing or taking an opposite view from your friends isn't disloyal, especially when they are being so transparently disingenuous. (chrisgelken@heraldm.com) 引用通告此日志的引用通告 URL 是： http://chrisgelken.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2ED692167BC7EF1F!257.trak 引用此项的网络日志
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