Appeasement Watch

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I remember when this sort of thing was denigrated as “John Kerry’s foreign policy,” but frankly, I’m glad to see the Bush administration acting like a bunch of grown-ups:

President Bush’s top advisers have recommended a broad new approach to dealing with North Korea that would include beginning negotiations on a peace treaty, even while efforts to dismantle the country’s nuclear program are still under way, senior administration officials and Asian diplomats say.

Why, it seems only a few years ago that Dick Cheney’s approach to North Korea was “We don’t negotiate with evil, we defeat it.” Of course, refusing to negotiate didn’t really accomplish anything, apart from giving Kim Jong Il time, opportunity, and reason to further North Korea’s nuclear program. It’s at least worth trying to talk (after all, if nothing comes of it, what’s been lost?). Maybe Cheney finally figured that out. Hopefully he’ll realize the same thing about Iran sooner or later.

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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