A case for negotiating with the North Koreans

This is probably not likely to be popular with conservatives.  However, the alternative is war, or at least the increased risk of war.

It may seem a bit far-fetched, but not impossible, for the North Koreans to have an EMP weapon.  This a very dangerous risk for the United States to ignore.  Even if the North Koreans don't have one of these, how will we know for sure until it is too late?  By that time, millions of lives could be lost, and that could only be the beginning.  Things only can get worse from that point on.

Negotiation isn't surrender.  It is a recognition of realities.  An EMP type weapon would not have to be big.  It just has to be big enough to cause a lot of damage, and such a weapon is possible.  That's the reality.  You could not afford to risk having one of these get through the missile defense.  An all-out total destruction response only devastates North Korea.  If they were crazy enough, they could attack and count on help to rebuild what's left of their country.  North Korea is small.  The USA is big.  It would be a lot easier to rebuild North Korea than to rebuild the United States.  All all-out exchange doesn't do as much damage and it would be a bad deal for us.  It would be the end of the USA as a world power.  North Korea could recover much more quickly.

It would make sense to find out what the North Koreans want, and what they are willing to give in exchange.

The Clinton Administration had an agreement in effect at that time.  It was called the Agreed Framework.  The Bush Administration decided that the cost of that deal was too high.  They objected to the nuclear power plant that was to be built for the North Koreans on the grounds that the spent fuel could be reprocessed into weapons.

Going down this path again is probably a non-starter.  But what if you could offer something better?  We don't have one of these now, but we did have a lab-tested molten-salt reactor over 40 years ago.  Why not commercialize this technology and offer it to the North Koreans instead?  Maybe they'd refuse, maybe they wouldn't.  Why not try it?

It could save us an unnecessary war.  Besides, we could use the technology ourselves.

It has several advantages that conventional technologies don't have.  It is proliferation-resistant.  Making bombs with these reactors is unlikely.  It is easier to make a bomb the old-fashioned way.  So, why even make the attempt?  Secondly, it is cleaner than conventional nuclear plants by a factor of hundreds.  Thirdly, the energy produced can be as cheap as coal.  Not to mention that it is inherently safe to operate---meltdowns are impossible.  What's not to like?

If the North Koreans don't like this idea, you can rest assured that the reason would be that they would prefer the conventional nukes because the spent fuel can be reprocessed.  The molten-salt reactor doesn't have to do any reprocessing to the waste.  There's very little of it in comparison with conventional nukes and what little of it there is cannot be used for bombs.

A refusal of this offer could mean that the North Koreans would prefer war.  The conclusion would be inescapable.  However, if they took this offer, it would be a real step for peace.