I don’t identify with the fuss over North Korea having
nuclear weapons. It’s alright for The USA to have them. And France and the UK
and Russia and India and Pakistan. Who
else? Oh, right…….South Africa (maybe)
and Israel and China.
How many times has North Korea gone to war in the last
20 years? None. Or maybe one IF we count their minor
involvement in the Angolan Civil War that was waged for the last quarter of the
twentieth century.
Now in how many wars has the USA been in the same last
20 years? Hmmmmm….
Which country seems to be the greater threat to peace?
Is it reasonable to think that North Korea wants
nuclear weapons for offensive purposes? Against whom? China?
The Chinese would obliterate them in retaliation. South Korea?
The USA would level North Korea.
Japan? Same result. Then maybe the USA? Umm……..GET REAL.
Politicians have a way of finding scapegoats to divert
attention. Look, I don’t like North
Korea. I think that it is ruled by a regime that I hope will fail and fall. AND
I think the USA is a much, much better country in pretty much every way. Yet I think intellectual honesty demands no
credence be paid to accusations that North Korea is arming with an aim to go to
war.
Gordon, I think that Trump has completely mishandled the real problem that North Korea presents. There are good reasons why American presidents since the Korean War have pursued a policy of isolation and constant pressure as opposed to one of direct confrontation with the communist regime there. Trump's bellicose language and confrontational stance has not helped the situation or impeded the North's pursuit of more nuclear weapons and more proficient missiles to deliver them.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the problem with North Korea having nuclear weapons has nothing to do with fairness (whether one nation has the right to deny another nation the right to possess the same armaments which they possess) or their capacity to challenge the arsenals of the United States and its allies. No, the real threat/problem posed by North Korea's nuclear capability is found in the irrational nature/behavior of its current regime. In short, they appear to be motivated by a different morality and strategic calculus than that which prevails in the majority of capitals across the globe. Indeed, it appears not to matter very much to them that the United States has vastly superior resources at its disposal. They also don't seem to be averse to sharing/cooperating with other regimes/groups which pose significant threats/challenges to the United States and its allies.
Hence, for me, it isn't so much a question of North Korea wanting to provoke an all out war with the United States. I'm worried about them doing things with their nuclear arsenal that might result in the deaths of significant numbers of people. There is no question of who would win in a direct confrontation, but there is considerable uncertainty about just how much mischief/damage that North Koreans might be able to inflict before they were subdued. Then the question becomes: Can we afford to take that chance?