Dark Star

Here's a three-sentence summary of just the past two years: In October 2006, North Korea tested a nuclear weapon and earned the condemnation of the world and stern warnings from the Bush administration. Then, last spring, after promising better behavior, North Korea was caught proliferating nuclear technology to Syria, the world's second-leading state sponsor of terror, and the Bush administration, after keeping this information secret for months in order to protect its diplomatic efforts with Kim Jong Il, once again thundered warnings against further nuclear development and proliferation. Then, in a triumph of the diplomacy of dreams, the Bush administration proposed even more concessions -- offering to lift key economic sanctions on North Korea and remove the rogue regime from the list of state sponsors of terror.

And now, to the surprise of few outside the State Department, North Korea has refused to honor its obligations under the six-party talks and seems as determined as ever to continue its nuclear program.

So how long until the State Department offers new concessions?