LOST CAUSE, OR LOST REASONING? by Chip Beck
In the upcoming North Korean-DPMO negotiations, what you see, is what you get. What you don't see, is pretty much the same.
Notice that in the POW agenda between North Korea and DPMO, the focus is one the recovery of remains and vague live-sighting reports. The recovery operations suit North Korean, and communist, propaganda that they (a) vanquished the aggressors, and (b) are humanitarians by helping the U.S. recover the battlefield dead.
The live-sighting reports are usually easy to deflect, repudiate, manipulate, or else pass-off as defectors, turncoats, or non-POWs.
Once again, there is no announcement that the issue of Unrepatriated POWs will be discussed. The reason there was no announcement is because there is no intention to put that "non-issue" on the table. DPMO did not discuss the topic of POWs transferred to the Soviet Union before, and will not do so this time.
If by chance, DPMO decides to "mention" the topic, it will be done so with a single sentence that can be met with a simple rejection. Then all parties can say they discussed the matter. But do not hold your breath for even that to happen.
We provided the North Koreans with more than $ 4 million in receivables in order to bring back one set of remains over a several year period. But all was not lost: A medal was given to the negotiator for this tremendous act of diplomacy.