Comments on: U.S. Food Aid on the Way to North Korea? http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/ Wed, 23 May 2012 01:27:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: North Korean Economy Watch » Blog Archive » US to offer food aid http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/comment-page-1/#comment-57923 North Korean Economy Watch » Blog Archive » US to offer food aid Wed, 14 May 2008 03:01:00 +0000 http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/#comment-57923 [...] According to the Financial Times (h/t One Free Korea): The US has agreed to give North Korea 500,000 tonnes of food aid under a new deal that would allow monitors unprecedented access to oversee distribution in the Stalinist state. [...] [...] According to the Financial Times (h/t One Free Korea): The US has agreed to give North Korea 500,000 tonnes of food aid under a new deal that would allow monitors unprecedented access to oversee distribution in the Stalinist state. [...]

]]> By: Rand Millar http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/comment-page-1/#comment-57918 Rand Millar Tue, 13 May 2008 22:18:05 +0000 http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/#comment-57918 Tuesday Greetings to our host and to Snake Oil Baron, Your lament about a certain someone's misguided dreams of a "peace" legacy is deeply shared, around this forum and like places, I expect. More to the point, your proposal concerning remotely guided parachute pallets seems not altogether fanciful; indeed it might even be within the scope of feasibility for a private entity or NGO of means and expertise. Such combinations are not bound by the Bush, Rice & Hill policy-fantasy that is indulged in at the expense of the people of northern Korea, though those policy principals know better. Perhaps a meteorologist, and other technically savvy individuals within hearing, could comment. Tuesday Greetings to our host and to Snake Oil Baron,

Your lament about a certain someone’s misguided dreams of a “peace” legacy is deeply shared, around this forum and like places, I expect. More to the point, your proposal concerning remotely guided parachute pallets seems not altogether fanciful; indeed it might even be within the scope of feasibility for a private entity or NGO of means and expertise. Such combinations are not bound by the Bush, Rice & Hill policy-fantasy that is indulged in at the expense of the people of northern Korea, though those policy principals know better.

Perhaps a meteorologist, and other technically savvy individuals within hearing, could comment.

]]> By: Snake Oil Baron http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/comment-page-1/#comment-57917 Snake Oil Baron Tue, 13 May 2008 21:35:20 +0000 http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/#comment-57917 Helping the North buy continued loyalty from their security apparatus is unconscionable. They are not averting famine they are ensuring a continuation of suffering. I have supported Bush in most foreign policy decisions but this act is indefensible. There exists technology to remotely guide parachuted pallets of goods into areas of North Korea in a distributed manner that would ensure that very little of it came under the control of the regime. The government will scream (hypocritically) about violations of its sovereignty, airspace and international law but if the outside world is obligated to help the people it must only do so in a manner that does not prolong their suffering. Helping the North buy continued loyalty from their security apparatus is unconscionable. They are not averting famine they are ensuring a continuation of suffering. I have supported Bush in most foreign policy decisions but this act is indefensible. There exists technology to remotely guide parachuted pallets of goods into areas of North Korea in a distributed manner that would ensure that very little of it came under the control of the regime. The government will scream (hypocritically) about violations of its sovereignty, airspace and international law but if the outside world is obligated to help the people it must only do so in a manner that does not prolong their suffering.

]]> By: usinkorea http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/comment-page-1/#comment-57914 usinkorea Tue, 13 May 2008 16:18:18 +0000 http://freekorea.us/2008/05/13/us-food-aid-on-the-way-to-north-korea/#comment-57914 A Russian professon in the US I got to hear on a panel on North Korea said that the verification system that outsiders said was a good sign of regime cooperation was actually a case where bags of rice were handed to citizens in front of the monitors --- at which point the citizen would walk outside and hand the bag of rice to the government official. Given the nature of North Korea's government --- if you don't see the citzen cook and eat the rice ---- I don't know how much faith you can have on any verification system. If the monitors and/or agency has people in the local areas semi-permanently or permanently, then, yes, I could have some faith. I don't see how spot checks could ever work in a place like North Korea. A Russian professon in the US I got to hear on a panel on North Korea said that the verification system that outsiders said was a good sign of regime cooperation was actually a case where bags of rice were handed to citizens in front of the monitors — at which point the citizen would walk outside and hand the bag of rice to the government official.

Given the nature of North Korea’s government — if you don’t see the citzen cook and eat the rice —- I don’t know how much faith you can have on any verification system.

If the monitors and/or agency has people in the local areas semi-permanently or permanently, then, yes, I could have some faith.

I don’t see how spot checks could ever work in a place like North Korea.

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