The Stalinist regime of Kim Jong Il indicated today that fears of an imminent missile launch could be averted if the US would agree to talks. Perhaps Kim feels slighted.
Since word came down that Iran was developing its own indigenous nuclear capability, North Korea has become of secondary importance. After all what’s the point, history shows few examples where dictatorial regimes voluntarily gave up their power, particular nuclear ones. Iran, however, has not reached that point and the US still harbors a belief that the Islamic Republic can be contained. T
o ensure that North Korea is not left out of the spoils, the Reds have embarked on their latest endeavor, a missile test, violating a self-imposed ban on such tests, in order to attract the attention of the West, and more importantly to encourage lucrative trade and technology transfers.
In North Korea’s case, however, the time for talk has passed, the nation has already demonstrated that negotiations are fruitless, any agreement is worth no more than the paper its printed on, as soon as the ink is dry, the Koreans will go right ahead doing what they have always done, thumbing their nose at their enemies.
From this point on, the US, Japan, South Korea and all interested parties should take a defensive posture, if the North becomes aggressive or launches an attack we should respond, but the days of incentive packages and appeasement should end now.
It should not be the responsibility of the US, however, to stand as the regional policeman for NE Asia, both Japan and South Korea are more than capable of shouldering a greater responsibility for their own defense. South Korea, especially has become so blind to the North’s intentions that many South Koreans would probably side with the North in the event of a conflict, so why is it that 30,000 US Servicemen and women stand ready to fight and die for such nonsense?
blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2006/06/north_korea_to_washington_love.html
