Can North Korea Be Tamed?

What to do about North Korea's missile tests? Congressional Republicans, led by Rep. Benjamin Gilman (R-NY), want all aid to the famine-stricken country ended. But the White House remains committed to a 1994 treaty that offered international food and energy aid in exchange for North Korea's refraining from developing nuclear weapons. "Washington wants to save the agreement because the alternative is a return to the 1994 scenario, when we were considering attacking their clandestine nuclear facilities," says Waller. "The White House believes the alternative to the agreement is pretty grim."

North Korea may have intended the missile test as a message: "They're unhappy that the U.S. hasn't come through with what was promised -- Congress hasn't released the aid agreed to by the administration, and the nuclear reactors the West agreed to build are way behind schedule," says Waller. "In Pyongyang's own wacky way, they may be trying to signal their displeasure." Expect the White House to scramble for concessions from North Korea in order to revive the agreement (and get Japan back on board) -- a tough call with a nation that uses ballistic missiles as communiqus.