In the middle of the war of words threatening nuclear conflict between North Korea and the U.S. comes a sane statement from North Korea’s vice foreign minister suggesting NK’s willingness to negotiate, “if America’s nuclear weapons are also on the table.” Frances Fuller, advocate of a U.S. Department of Peace considers this an opportunity for America to demonstrate real leadership, as well as evidence that a US Department of Peace is needed urgently.
On October 19 on the evening newscast, NBC reported the minister’s subtle proposal.
"Days later,” Fuller says, “the words are still ringing in my ears, in spite of perpetual static on every other topic imaginable: conflict between Trump and a congresswoman about what he said or didn’t say to a dead soldier’s wife, along with Gen. Kelly’s reaction, the EPA’s cancelation of a meeting of its scientists, and one celebrity is pregnant while another is engaged. And I have heard infinitum about pervasive sexual harassment, but not a sound from anybody about these intriguing words from the vice foreign minister of North Korea.
"And, listening to the broadcast again, I realize that even the NBC reporter, speaking from North Korea, did not headline his statement but put it at the end of the segment, among signs of Pyongyang’s intransigence.
"Excuse me, but didn’t North Korea just lob the ball into our court?"
Indeed they have. Fuller went on to say:
"In the last few weeks, from various directions, including our own Secretary of State, suggestions have surfaced about the possibility of negotiating with North Korea, whose people are suffering economically while convinced of our hatred and evil intentions toward them. And now we learn that in June former president Jimmy Carter volunteered to travel to North Korea for the Trump administration and attempt to lower the tension. This information surfaced in an interview by Maureen Dowd for the Sunday NY Times Review. In answer to a question, the former president revealed that he took advantage of his seat beside Lt. Gen. H.H. McMaster at Zbigniew Brzezinski’s funeral to send a message to the president. So far he has gotten only a negative response.
"Into this situation, the vice foreign minister drops these words for our consideration, 'Negotiation is only possible….if America’s nuclear weapons are also on the table.'
"Is that not perfect logic? (We did invent and use the bomb.)
"Is that not an appeal to fairness? (Many people in the world think so.)
"Does that not mean, 'Negotiation is possible, if………'?" (This is a test of our intentions. Do we prefer to destroy North Korea?)
Frances Fuller, like many others who have signed the petition on her website, believes we urgently need a US Department of Peace whose job is to figure out the situation, to listen and respond in hope of saving the world.
The full text of the statement is available at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.
Frances Fuller puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside.
The Syrian occupation of Lebanon during that country’s long civil war is part of Fuller’s experience in the Middle East, related in her memoir. Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in the Lebanese civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. Fuller's stories compose not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.
'In Borrowed Houses' has taken three industry awards. Frances Fuller was the Grand Prize winner in the 2015 '50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading' Book Awards. It received the bronze medal for memoir in the Illumination Book Awards in 2014. Northern California Publishers and Authors annually gives awards for literature produced by residents of the area. In 2015 'In Borrowed Houses' received two prizes: Best Non-fiction and Best Cover.
Critics have praised ‘In Borrowed Houses.’ A judge in the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards called 'In Borrowed Houses' “ . . a well written book full of compassion . . . a captivating story . . . ”. Another reviewer described the book as “Wise, honest, sensitive, funny, heart-wrenching . . .”. Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut said, “ . . . western Christians and Middle Eastern Christians need to read this story…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”
Frances Fuller is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at frances0516@att.net. The full text of her latest article is available at her website. Fuller's book is available at Amazon and other book retailers. A free ebook sample from 'In Borrowed Houses' is available at http://www.payhip.com/francesfuller. Frances Fuller also blogs on other issues relating to the Middle East on her website at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.
About Frances Fuller:
Frances Fuller spent thirty years in the violent Middle East and for twenty-four of those years was the director of a Christian publishing program with offices in Lebanon. While leading the development of spiritual books in the Arabic language, she survived long years of civil war and invasions.
Contact:
Frances Fuller
frances0516@att.net
http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com
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