As has been often remarked, Bush’s genius the past year and a half has been in maneuvering his critics into calling for precisely what he intends to do. Is he up to the same tricks in North Korea? Listen to the peace crowd — they’re suddenly all hawkish on Korea, albeit only because they think they can score points in the Iraq debate by showing how Bush is using a double standard that shows that his motives in Iraq are related to (1) the oil bidness, (2) anti-Arab bias, or (3) a personal vendetta inherited from Dad. The case for confrontation with Korea is stronger, they argue. Why isn’t the Bush Administration taking a tougher line?
But their focus, as always, is only on today. Is Bush a step ahead of them again? Because when the war with Iraq is over, and Bush announces that he is taking a tougher line with Korea and that the case for confrontation with Korea is stronger even than with Iraq, what will they say?