HONOLULU -- Washington's strategy of applying international pressure to further isolate North Korea appears to be working, thanks in large part to the actions of one country in particular.
No, I am not talking about China, although China's willingness finally to get tough with the North and its hosting of the trilateral "talk about talks" in Beijing in April -- which put senior U.S. and North Korean officials at the same table for the first time since the crisis started last October -- have certainly been helpful. Nor am I talking about South Korea, although President Roh Moo Hyun's politically courageous decision to move closer to the U.S. position and warn of "further steps" has been instrumental to the process.
The country that deserves the most credit for Washington's success has been North Korea, simply by being its typical, belligerent, uncompromising self.