Florida 2006 Senate Debate: on Foreign Policy

Bill Nelson: Diplomacy first with N.Korea; keep military option on table

NELSON: The US has got to do everything possible to stop the continued nuclear program, through diplomacy particularly via China and South Korea. North Korea doesn't have a missile that is a threat to us at this point, but they can peddle those nuclear weapons. You put that in the hands of terrorist groups, and we have a whole new destabilization of the world. So at the end of the day the US has got to be successful.

HARRIS: Clearly, nuclear North Korea would be a danger to us. We will not negotiate bilaterally with terrorists. The former administration did so, and it was a failed strategy.

Q: At what point should we consider a military option?

NELSON: We don't want to have to use that option, because they have a million-man army. You do want to keep it on the table.

HARRIS: If the sanctions fail and none of the economic issue work, the final military option would be at stake.

Katherine Harris: Don't negotiate bilaterally with terrorists like North Korea

NELSON: The US has got to do everything possible to stop the continued nuclear program, through diplomacy particularly via China and South Korea.

HARRIS: Clearly, nuclear North Korea would be a danger to us. We will not negotiate bilaterally with terrorists. The former administration did so, and it was a failed strategy. North Korea needs to know that they are on notice. But at the end of the day, all options are on the table.

Q: At what point should we consider a military option?

NELSON: We don't want to have to use that option, because they have a million-man army. You do want to keep it on the table.

HARRIS: If the sanctions fail and none of the economic options work, the final military option would be at stake. But we have a long way to go.