"The failure of North Korea's test of its Taepodong 2 missile creates a new opportunity for the Bush administration to develop an effective strategy to address concerns about North Korean missiles. Without question, the best way to stop North Korea from acquiring a long-range missile is to keep it from developing such a missile in the first place. Developing missiles requires flight testing, so getting North Korea to resume its self-imposed flight test moratorium is an effective and completely verifiable way to cap its missile program.

"Tuesday's test failure was not surprising since the Taepodong 2 missile is significantly different from missiles North Korea has previously tested. The test apparently failed early in flight—less than halfway through the operation of the first stage—and the missile fell into the Sea of Japan after traveling only a short distance. North Korea would need to conduct additional flight tests before the Taepodong could be considered operational.

"Diplomacy is the art of solving difficult problems before they turn into military threats. The Bush administration has short-changed diplomacy, and its policy on North Korea has simply failed.

"North Korea linked its flight test moratorium to engagement with the United States. The two sides have found ample reasons to avoid such engagement. In the interest of U.S. security, the Bush administration needs to focus on the most important issues and think creatively to find a way to engage North Korea in discussions of its nuclear and missile programs."