Whatever

President Bush today reaffirmed his faith in tough, multinational diplomacy to deal with North Korea and declared that the United States had no intention whatever of invading that country.

“I believe the commander in chief must try all diplomatic measures,” Mr. Bush said at an hour-long news conference, during which he also offered a vigorous defense of his administration’s handling of Iraq.

The president said in response to a question that his statement of May 23, 2003 — “We will not tolerate a nuclear North Korea” — still stands. But he said repeatedly that that goal could be realized through diplomacy.

Speaking just after North Korea lashed out at the United States for condemning its announcement that it had tested a nuclear device, Mr. Bush sent several messages in one to the isolated dictatorship in Pyongyang: that its truculence only damages its standing; that Washington’s commitment to peace and diplomacy must not be interpreted as weakness, and that North Korea would be better off backing away from its nuclear ambitions.

“The goal is, no nuclear weapons,” Mr. Bush said.

Whatever, you chump.

Oh, and read this whole article on the Bush administration's blame-Clinton approach to foreign policy. They just can't get it out of their system, can they? When they screw up - which is almost synonymous with "when they act" - they go into blame-Clinton (or whoever) mode, rather than actually doing something wise, or trying to figure out what might be wise. Citizens pay them, basically, to spend the presidency covering their asses.