Even though it currently looks like a daunting and risky prospect, the ultimate objective must be a unified, democratic, market-oriented Korea that is allied with the United States.

The choices for America in Afghanistan are simpler than they appear in the fog of political debate: We can win or we can lose.

For the stability of Northeast Asia, it is imperative for governments to move from the intellectual sand trap from which a Korean peninsula without the DPRK cannot be seen.

While Obama might claim success early on, given the vague mission of protecting civilians, we should not be fooled into thinking that an ongoing civil war represents a victory for American arms.

No matter how serious America is, how many talks it joins in Beijing, or how many inducements it is willing to offer to the DPRK, Kim Jong-Il will not rid himself of his weapons.

President Clinton"s trip to Seattle later this week is fraught with significance.

Throughout its tenure, the DPRK has demonstrated its continuing capacity to surprise, usually in unpleasant ways.