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Gen. Singlaub: U.S. Should Plan Pre-emptive Strikes in North Korea Dave Eberhart, NewsMax.comMajor Gen. John K. Singlaub, U.S. Army (retired), the former chief of staff for U.S. forces in South Korea, tells NewsMax that North Korea's nuclear weapons program was spawned in the Clinton era, when the commander in chief had "little interest in that part of world except as a source of campaign contributions.” In what sounds like a reprise of the standoff with Iraq, Singlaub says the U.S. is going to have to play quick catch-up. "We’ve got to work with the South Koreans and the Japanese, give firm deadlines to the North to open up to inspections, or we’re going to have to take some other kind of action.” Singlaub suggests that the U.S. immediately and openly accelerate its anti-missile shield program, which had its fourth successful target intercept recently. Concurrently with the stepped-up shield, Singlaub tells NewsMax that under certain circumstances, a little saber rattling is in order to let the North Koreans know how serious is this affront to U.S. security. "If we know where critical materials and facilities are, a pre-emptive, precision strike should be planned.” Again, the general thinks that such preparations should be immediately signaled to the North. "Let’s not make it a secret.” Singlaub admits that a stunned and caught-off-guard Bush administration has not yet publicly defined a revised policy toward the dictatorship. "They’ve deliberately avoided any refined response at this point.” However, notes the general, critics who harp on the fact that the administration knew about the nuclear program before it was sprung on the world by the North are way off base. "This was useful information in the secret diplomatic efforts to get North Korea to join the real world,” Singlaub says. He believes that the North was confronted by irrefutable evidence of the existence of the program, knew that the world would condemn it if the evidence were made public by the U.S., and simply elected to pre-empt everyone by the surprise announcement of a nuclear weapons program. 'Communist Dynasty' The general has been studying Korea for decades, beginning with two tours of duty during the 1950-53 Korean War, which included running the CIA's covert operations behind enemy lines in North Korea. He has particularly been a student of Kim Jong-il, a person "lacking charisma of any sort,” who followed his father to his leadership position by virtue of the "first communist dynasty.” When asked if Kim is on a par with Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, Singtaub tells NewsMax, "It is not to be assumed that his behavior is human.” Singlaub recalls when Kim was chief of the special operations corps in 1976 and masterminded a plan to infiltrate the South and murder U.S. officers. Like Saddam’s Iraq, North Korea has a long history of subterfuge and broken promises, not the least of which was to return South Koreans trapped in the North home. In the international arena the record is just is bad, says Singlaub. He describes the North’s chicanery that manifested itself shortly after the 1994 "framework” it pledged to adhere to in Geneva under prodding from the Clinton administration. Although not a recognized instrument, agreement or treaty in diplomatic terms, the North agreed to dismantle a nuclear reactor that had little practical use beyond serving as a source for nuclear weapons-grade materials. At Geneva the North pledged to join the nuclear non-proliferation community, dismantle that reactor - agreeing to accept two "light water” reactors from the U.S. that represented a clean nuclear technology that would be a practical and viable source of electric power. Although the North broke ground for the clean plants, no attendant power grid was built, nor were any inspectors allowed in to confirm dismantlement of the in-place reactor. Consequently, the great trade-off fizzled.
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