The terrorist state of yesterday is now on the dinner invitation list. But first they must give up their missile. Kim says he's only got one but Madge says he's got more. Clever girl, that Madge!

No one mentions that North Korea will fall 3.8 million tons short of providing the 6.2 million tons of food required to feed itself this harvest season. Translation. The famine isn't over. In other words, Kim was the only one invited to dinner. Hey but he's the one with the missile. The one he fired off didn't quite make it to Japan, but the U.S. thinks the next one might land on Telegraph Hill, which is why the U.S. considers North Korea to be public enemy number one.

It seems that the basic requirement for being on this select list is to be a small Third World nation, with a population under 20 million, many of whom are weakened and starving. Those countries like Cuba and Iraq and North Korea that find themselves in this condition do so in great measure because of the sanctions placed on them by the United States after their former mentor, the Soviet Union closed shop. North Korea's problems are further aggravated by floods and droughts in the last five years.

But now they're talking. The last talks ended when Kim asked for $1 billion to give up his missile. The U.S. wasn't buying any. There are no reports as to what the U.S. would settle for in order to disband its own $40 billion Missile Defense Program. Nor is it likely to give up the Theater Missile Defense system it has going with Japan since the two signed an agreement in 1998. According to Japanese sources the system is strictly defensive. The Chinese make the point that a mssile that can intercept can also target. Crazy commies!

There is a lot of conjecture in the refional press as to what Kim is up to. Whatever it is, it isn't slick publicity.

South Korea still has 37,000 American troops on their soil in 120 bases in a country 1/4 the size of California. Maybe that's got something to do with Kim's missile.

Bill also has plans to visit Vietnam, where 38,000 people have been killed and 64,000 wounded by landmines left over from the Vietnam war, known in Vietnam as the American war.

The U.S. has coughed up $10 million in aid since 1990, the only asistance this country has given that one since the war. However, Vietnam 'owes' the U.S. $147 million (in war debts contracted by the former south Vietnamese government). It's a good thing we didn't nuke the place. That might have cost them a billion dollars.

The U.S. dropped 76 million liters of chemical defoliant on Vietname from 1965- 1971. However, this service was completely gratis. The U.S. takes no credit for its delivery of Agent Orange. And in keeping with this attitude of deep himility, the U.S. also takes no credit for leaving toxic contaminants on military facilities in the Phillipines, Okinawa, and Puerto Rico.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made a verbal agreement during negotiations with the Vietnamese promising American contributions to reconstruction after peace was achieved. Evidently it wasn't worth the paper it ws written on.

Desite heavy handed American demands and failed promises, 'normalization' of relations with Vietnam requires "substantial commitments to open up Vietnam's markets" and in particular to "treat international companies the same as Vietnames ones". Is it any wonder they resist?

P.S. Chosun Ilbo reported on November 5, 2000 that Bill will not be visiting North Korea after all. That means that there will be no lifting of the sanctions on the people of North Korea and that means another cold, hungry winter lies ahead for them.