How come I have a hard time believing either side of this issue?:

President Bush offered poverty-wracked North Korea hope Wednesday that it could share in South Korea’s economic prosperity, while warning that it first must take concrete steps to live up to a promise to end its nuclear weapons program.

Bush, kicking off a three-nation Asian visit, made clear the reclusive communist regime must continue to meet the step-by-step denuclearization demands contained in a framework agreement reached in six-party talks involving both Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia.

But while he spoke of a future in which North Korea is no longer part of the “axis of evil” he first outlined in 2002, along with Iran and prewar Iraq, Bush said much work remains, including improvement of Pyongyang’s human rights record.  [Paul Alexander - AP]

Personally I think the Bush administration is about as serious in nuclear verification and advocating for human rights in North Korea as Kim Jong-il is about actually giving up his nuclear weapons.  Statements like this do not give me much faith in the Bush administration’s nuclear policies:

“I don’t know whether or not they’re going to give up their weapons,” Bush said. “I really don’t know. I don’t think either of us knows.”

If President Bush wants to know if Kim Jong-il is ever going to give up his weapons all he has to do is read this.

Popularity: 2%