--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the notion of getting the North…" description: "\"I think the notion of getting the North Koreans to denuclearize is probably a lost cause.\" — James Clapper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/james-clapper-18647_cause_i-think-the-notion-of-getting-the-north_709057.jpg" --- # I think the notion of getting the North Koreans to… ![“I think the notion of getting the North Koreans to denuclearize is probably a lost cause.” quote by James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/james-clapper-18647_cause_i-think-the-notion-of-getting-the-north_709057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/james-clapper-18647_cause_i-think-the-notion-of-getting-the-north_709057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/james-clapper-18647_cause_i-think-the-notion-of-getting-the-north_709057.jpg) > “I think the notion of getting the North Koreans to denuclearize is probably a lost cause.” [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to persuade North Korea to give up nuclear weapons is likely futile given entrenched political realities. **In simple terms:** Denuclearization of North Korea seems unattainable. Key Takeaway Focus on realistic diplomatic strategies. Themes geopolitics security nuclear policy negotiation Mood cautious strategic realistic Type policy strategic When to use this quote - peace talks - sanctions - regional security planning Key Concepts realpolitik deterrence international law Questions to Reflect On - What alternative security measures could be pursued? - How can allies coordinate effectively? A Different Perspective Complex regional interests may resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korea/) [Koreans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/koreans/) [Lost cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-cause/) [North korean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korean/) ## Related quotes > [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [North Koreans have a long history of promises made and then broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mast/north-koreans-have-a-long-history-of-promises-made-and-then-broken/) [Brian Mast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mast/) > [They're very dogmatic. The North Koreans, they are very programmed, they have their policy statements they don't want to diverge from. They're very doctrinaire.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-richardson/they-re-very-dogmatic-the-north-koreans-they-are-very-programmed-they/) [Bill Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-richardson/) > [“If North Koreans paused to contemplate the obvious inconsistencies and lies in what they were told, they would find themselves in a dangerous place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-demick/if-north-koreans-paused-to-contemplate-the-obvious-inconsistencies/) [Barbara Demick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-demick/) > [We are hopeful that the North Koreans can show a little bit more realism, a little bit more flexibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-reiss/we-are-hopeful-that-the-north-koreans-can-show-a-little-bit-more/) [Mitchell Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-reiss/) > [If the United States is accommodating, the North Koreans become accommodating. If the United States is hostile, they become hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-the-united-states-is-accommodating-the-north-koreans-become/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Like every country, North Korea has some very smart people. They could be contributing a lot more to science and other areas, but North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/like-every-country-north-korea-has-some-very-smart-people-they-could/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [We want to have diplomatic engagement with the North Koreans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-ortagus/we-want-to-have-diplomatic-engagement-with-the-north-koreans/) [Morgan Ortagus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-ortagus/) > [In North Koreans, the moment we are born, we don't know there's another life existing outside of our country. The regime always told us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/in-north-koreans-the-moment-we-are-born-we-don-t-know-there-s-another/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [Some day, somebody is going to have to start talking about what happens to us all a decade from now if we let these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/some-day-somebody-is-going-to-have-to-start-talking-about-what/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [Yes, I don't believe that the inter-Korean relationship has, quote, 'deteriorated' since I assumed office. Rather I believe that the relationship between the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-myung-bak/yes-i-don-t-believe-that-the-inter-korean-relationship-has-quote/) [Lee Myung-bak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-myung-bak/) > [“Kim Jong-il also invented the hamburger. Almost touchingly, North Koreans have a lot of pride in their heritage, though it’s for absurd reasons. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euny-hong/kim-jong-il-also-invented-the-hamburger-almost-touchingly-north/) [Euny Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euny-hong/) > [The North Koreans or Chinese may have a million men in uniform but it's about how you perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/the-north-koreans-or-chinese-may-have-a-million-men-in-uniform-but-it/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [Again, I think we have much greater diplomatic weight by having all of us sit on the same side of the table wanting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-reiss/again-i-think-we-have-much-greater-diplomatic-weight-by-having-all-of/) [Mitchell Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-reiss/) > [“After years in the Chinese workforce, I had developed an emotional attachment to money. My earnings were my hard work and long hours; my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyeonseo-lee/after-years-in-the-chinese-workforce-i-had-developed-an-emotional/) [Hyeonseo Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyeonseo-lee/) ## More by James Clapper > [The country of Iraq is somewhat of an artificial creation going back to colonial days. And so you have the Kurds and then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-country-of-iraq-is-somewhat-of-an-artificial-creation-going-back/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The Russians are bent on establishing both a presence in the Western Hemisphere, and they're looking for opportunities to expand military cooperation: sell equipment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-russians-are-bent-on-establishing-both-a-presence-in-the-western/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [A key player with respect to sanctions is, of course, China. And so, if a military option were to be exercised, then obviously we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/a-key-player-with-respect-to-sanctions-is-of-course-china-and-so-if-a/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [It's certainly not helpful when the commander in chief is a critic of the intelligence community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/it-s-certainly-not-helpful-when-the-commander-in-chief-is-a-critic-of/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [I have always accepted intelligence was an honorable profession. We are all mindful of the need to comply with our moral values and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-have-always-accepted-intelligence-was-an-honorable-profession-we/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The Intelligence Community Assessment concluded first that President Putin directed and influenced a campaign to erode the faith and confidence of the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-intelligence-community-assessment-concluded-first-that-president/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [I was a part of the decision-making in the Pentagon, when I was the undersecretary for intelligence, to start CYBERCOM, both as a sub-unified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-was-a-part-of-the-decision-making-in-the-pentagon-when-i-was-the/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [In the future, we will probably see cyber operations that change or manipulate electronic information to compromise its integrity instead of simply deleting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/in-the-future-we-will-probably-see-cyber-operations-that-change-or/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [For the record, in my long career, I've never knowingly exposed classified information in an inappropriate manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/for-the-record-in-my-long-career-i-ve-never-knowingly-exposed/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The Russians have a long history of interfering in elections - theirs and other people's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-russians-have-a-long-history-of-interfering-in-elections-theirs/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [A leak is an unauthorized disclosure of classified or sensitive information that is improper under any circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/a-leak-is-an-unauthorized-disclosure-of-classified-or-sensitive/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [I've long maintained during my 50-plus year career in intelligence that leaks endanger national security, they compromise sources, methods, and tradecraft, and they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-ve-long-maintained-during-my-50-plus-year-career-in-intelligence/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [Typically, people in the intelligence community are just going to kind of hunker down and do their job, do their mission. And I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/typically-people-in-the-intelligence-community-are-just-going-to-kind/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The reason that ISIL was so successful, yes, it had to do with their capabilities and prowess on the battlefield, but they were dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-reason-that-isil-was-so-successful-yes-it-had-to-do-with-their/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [It is not the intelligence community's place to set and implement policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/it-is-not-the-intelligence-community-s-place-to-set-and-implement/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) [Explore all 34 James Clapper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) ## More Cause quotes > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Take the L out of Lover 'cause we're Over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-the-l-out-of-lover-cause-we-re-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Knowing the cause of something is not going to help you to be free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowing-the-cause-of-something-is-not-going-to-help-you-to-be-free-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [You miss me and tease me 'cause in the end you're gonna please me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-isaacs/you-miss-me-and-tease-me-cause-in-the-end-you-re-gonna-please-me/) [Gregory Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-isaacs/) > [If I lose the ball I cause the team a problem. I am here to provide solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-busquets/if-i-lose-the-ball-i-cause-the-team-a-problem-i-am-here-to-provide/) [Sergio Busquets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-busquets/) > [We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-are-too-much-accustomed-to-attribute-to-a-single-cause-that-which/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. 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