111224394905845108

Score One for ‘Soft’ Power: The inside story of how Freedom House helped overthrow the Kyrgyz dictatorship is here.

Freedom House is expected to announce the hiring of its new Director for North Korea Advocacy any day now, using $2 million in grant money that comes courtesy of Section 102 of the North Korea Human Rights Act. I have great respect for the work FH does, but I wonder if North Korea is a challenge for which they’re really prepared. They’re not going to be able to simply set up an office in Pyongyang and start slipping greenbacks to dissidents and setting up opposition media. It shouldn’t be difficult to persuade voters in any number of countries that the North Korean regime is positively revolting, but if they intend to do anything that will directly influence the ordinary people of North Korea, they will have to be prepared do something much bolder that what they did in Bishkek.

Are they be prepared to do it?