Well, Maybe a Nuke or Two

Acknowledging that North Korea and Pakistan have nuclear weapons, the U.S. redraws its line in the sand

ALL TOO OFTEN, THE DEEDS OF DIPLOmacy are cloaked in riddles -- especially when their results are likely to embarrass or anger. Jetting back from his recent trip to the countries of the former Soviet Union, U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry trumpeted the Clinton Administration's continuing success in weaning Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine from nuclear weapons. But when the conversation turned to North Korea, the Secretary spoke with less clarity. "Our policy right along," he said, "has been oriented to try to keep North Korea from getting a significant nuclear-weapon capability."

Hmmm. Let's see. Does that not suggest that the U.S....

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