This time they really mean it

Shortly after Bill Clinton became president, evidence was produced to show that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il was secretly violating the terms of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

In typical Bill Clinton style, he proceeded to pretend like the problem didn't exist for two years.

Then in a move of true strength, he put Jimmy Carter in charge of negotiating an arms control agreement with North Korea. Figuring that unilateral concessions were the best way to get results, Carter and Clinton agreed to give North Korea two nuclear reactors and billions of dollars of oil in return for a promise they would be used for power generation, not for weapons. Apparently, Kim Jong-Il didn't mention that he was crossing his fingers when he made that promise. Bill Clinton spent the remaining six years in the White House hoping that he hadn't been played for a sucker. Surely Kim Jong-Il's refusal to admit inspectors was a good sign that he was trustworthy, right?

In 2002 North Korea shocked the world by admitting that they had suckerpunched us all. They now have multiple warheads and missiles to deliver them. How could we have been so gullible?

The jaded skeptic could look at this most recent tentative agreement as a ploy to get more international handouts. Money, oil, maybe another reactor or two? Hey, it worked before. Those of us who are more trusting and believe in the inherent goodness of mankind see it as a significant step towards peace and happiness. Hollywood actor Richard Gere, noted authority on international arms control and diplomacy, said it best: "I am Richard Gere and I am speaking for the entire world when I say how relieved I am to know that we are now safe from the threat of North Korean nuclear weapons which the reckless, tyrannical regime of George Bush might provoke into a justifiable defensive use against my mansion in California."

They fibbed when they signed the Nonproliferation Treaty.
They didn't really mean it when they promised to be good with the reactors Clinton gave them.
They made the exact same promises years ago, and then promptly violated them.
But this time they really, really mean it. Cross their hearts.

Yeah.