The gist of the article is as follows:

U.S. leaders have painted themselves into a corner regarding policy toward north Korea. For more than two decades, Washington's strategy has been to offer Pyongyang a stark choice: give up its nuclear program or face ever-greater isolation from the international community. President Barack Obama was especially blunt about presenting that alternative to north Korea during his early weeks in office.

That approach clearly has not worked. Indeed, the Obama administration has created the risk of the worst possible outcome.

A new, radically different approach is needed. Instead of continuing the futile strategy of isolating north Korea, Washington should adopt a comprehensive strategy to normalize relations with Pyongyang.

The U.S. would need to offer a number of conciliatory measures. Perhaps the most important step is to change the atmosphere of unrelenting hostility between the two countries.

To reduce tensions, the Obama administration should offer to sign a non-aggression pact with north Korea. U.S. leaders should also propose a peace treaty formally ending the armed hostilities on the Korean Peninsula.

The Obama administration should agree to establish formal diplomatic relations with north Korea. Washington needs to terminate its economic "cold war" against north Korea. The administration should commit to rescind most of the current U.S. economic sanctions on Pyongyang and to support the repeal of UN resolutions authorizing international economic sanctions.

The Obama administration would be taking some considerable policy and political risks to offer a new relationship to north Korea.

But it is evident that the current policy has not worked in the past, is not working now, and has little prospect of working in the future.

The bottom line is that Washington needs to adopt a bold alternative to the current strategy.

When a policy has been in place for decades and is producing utterly sterile results, it is sheer folly to advocate staying the course.