Uncle Sam is sick of Korea and wants to move on to better and more pleasant places. The United States cannot pull out of Korea without first making sure that the Koreans will not start another war. Until now stationing the GIs in Korea has been the only sure way of stopping South or North from invading the other side. Officially, the Americans are in Korea to prevent the Communists from invading South Korea. But unofficially, Uncle Sam is equally wary about getting sucked into a war started by South Korea.
American officials expect North Korea to drag out the peace talks over several years.
It is hoped that this will not be the case. We hope that Gen. Kim Jong Il has learned valuable lessons on how to negotiate with the American politicians for whom timing is everything. Clinton proposed the 4-way talk last year hoping to gain a few Gallop poll points for his election. He would have made more concessions in 1996, had North Korea accepted his proposal then and there. He is less inclined to give anything to Kim now.