This book, both thought provocative and easily assimilated, would greatly benefit
both the political-military analyst and the intuitive reader seeking a broad exposure to
the security environment of Asia. Finally, without reservation, I strongly recommend
The United States and Asia: Towards a New U.S. Strategy and Force
Posture for all regional policymakers.
Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea. By Leon V.
Sigal. Pages 322. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1998. Price
$47.50, hardbound.
By Major James M. Minnich, Northeast Asia Foreign Area Officer
Dr. Leon V. Sigal, a career professor of thirty years, has published several literary
works in the field of international relations and US foreign policy. In addition to Sigal's
achievements in the academia, he has worked with the State Department as both an
International Affairs Fellow (1979) and as a Special Assistant to the Director, Bureau of
Political-Military Affairs (1980-81).
Leon Sigal, in his book Disarming Strangers, provides an authoritative
account of the events surrounding the 1994 Agreed Framework Between the United
States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The Agreed
Framework is a policy instrument designed to eliminate North Korea's developing
nuclear weapons program. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with policymakers from
the countries involved, Sigal does more than deliver the details of the issues centering
on the signing of this agreement; he uncovers how the American aversion to
cooperation, nearly led the world into a second Korean War. Sigal's thesis is that the
US too often attempts to achieve policy ends through coercion rather than cooperation,
and as a result the US unnecessarily provokes confrontation instead of ameliorating
crises.
Specifically, Sigal compares the Bush and early Clinton Administrations' inability
to alter North Korea's nuclear weapons program through the use of verbal intimidation,
economic sanctions, and the show of military force, with the success that was
eventually achieved following cooperative bilateral negotiations. Additionally, Sigal
recognizes the necessity of the US to serve as lead nation for many international crises;
however, he caveats that with a responsibility to work multilaterally, thereby permitting
other regional actors a voice within their neighborhood.
In a final comparison, Sigal reminds the reader that in the past, negotiations have
proved successful in eliminating nuclear weapons proliferation in at least eight other
countries -- South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Ukraine, Belarus, and
Kazakhstan.
Certainly it would be premature to declare the Agreed Framework successful. In
fact eight years since its signing, offensive acts and verbal threats continue to slow its
progress, whereby today, completion of the Agreement has been delayed by no less
than seven years. Whereas many of these problems could be worked out through
close association, the US has held North Korea at arm length, and consequently, not
one high-level talk has taken place since the initiation of the Framework. In Sigal's
closing remarks, he reminds us that among US vital interests, resolving issues of
proliferation are paramount; and while this proliferation issue is well in the working,
other problems are certain to arise. And if the US is to successfully resolve these
crises, we must forego our persistent attitude of "criminalizing proliferation and
demonizing so-called rogue states," in favor of a policy of positive engagement and
negotiation.
To date, seven other authors have written books about North Korea's efforts to
build nuclear weapons and US efforts to eliminate these programs. I have read each
book, and while each is different, Sigal's thesis is well supported by facts, interviews
and experiences. The reading flows and is easily digested. I recommend Sigal's
Disarming Strangersfor both students of international relations and government
officials vested with the responsibilities of international diplomacy.
2002, Foreign Area Officer Association
Springfield,
Virginia
Maintained by LTC Steve
Gotowicki.
http://www.faoa.org
