U.S.: North Korea's Evil Axis Broken

From Becky Bonarek: The United States removed North Korea from its list of countries in the Axis of Evil because the latter says it will 1) continue disabling the nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and 2) allow nuclear inspectors to return. Apparently saying you'll be good earns you a spot on the U.S.'s Christmas card list now. I think this is a hasty removal for a couple reasons. First, the nuclear inspectors have limits: they can only go to sites "'based on mutal consent'" between the two countries, meaning that if the U.S. or other NATO countries suspect that North Korea has more nuclear sites, the home country would have to okay an investigation. Second, the agreement needs to be taken to and okayed by the Six Parties which have been meeting with North Korea since this issue became and issue, one of which is Japan, who is not happy with the current terms: they say nothing about the abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago. Therefore, the agreement may not be approved by the U.S.'s side. Finally, the motives on each side must be questioned. Condoleezza Rice urged President Bush to accept the terms because it's probably the best he'll get before he leaves office in 100 days. Bush does not want his only legacy after leaving office to be a seemingly endless war in Iraq; a disarmed North Korea would be much better. But is that what the United States should be thinking about: the legacy of a president? Or should the government think about lasting consequences from an agreement that favors North Korea too much? On the other hand, why is North Korea offering this concession now of all times? Perhaps there is more to the rumors about Kim Jong-Il's health than North Korea publicly admits. With an ailing leader and no clear line of succession, perhaps the North Korean government realizes that it's finally time to join the rest of the world again in order to save itself from future collapse.