The New York Times is historically reluctant to recognize WMD threats emanating from anywhere in the world (Iraq, Syria, Iran) except from America (the nuclear bunker buster). Their front—page article  today seems to recognize one place where they say there is a danger: North Korea.

Today's ABC Note recognizes that this New York Times article is a great coup for Hillary Clinton since this is the one security issue she has trumpeted.  Coincidence? Also, Hillary repeats almost verbatim the absurd statement of New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff that the North Koreans were not able to develop nuclear weapons under Bill Clinton but they were able to do so under George Bush.

Of course, both Clinton and Kristoff ignore that the natural progression of time and the course of technological development could account for the ability of the North Koreans to develop nukes now that they were not able to do years ago. They also both forget that Bill Clinton's agreements with them (with the assist of the meddlesome Jimmy Carter) were rife with loopholes and allowed the North Koreans to cheat on their putative "agreements" with us.

Ed Lasky   4 29 05