With Pyongyang now talking about a possible second nuclear test, starting the repair of its nuclear reactor, and still basking in the glow from its April missile test, it's clear that the Obama administration and its partners need a new approach to the North Korean nuclear problem. The best thing to do is to reflect on the past negotiations and learn lessons from them.
The Bush administration first adopted a strong approach to North Korea, declaring it part of the "Axis of Evil." In its final years, the Bush White House returned to the status quo ante of the "framework" formula of the Clinton administration, which focused on little more than freezing temporarily the plutonium production of the main Yongbyon nuclear facility in return for some economic benefit.
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