After crying wolf repeatedly, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, otherwise known as North Korea did precisely what it said it was going to do and carried out a nuclear test.
Opinion is mixed as to motive – national pride, says North Korea; attention whore, says international community. Of course, in the days to come, we are all about to hear a great deal of bluster and outrage mixed with a generous dose of self-serving hand wringing from various people. Early reactions across the board resemble a furtive scramble as governments around the world try their best to act as if they are the unwitting victims or reluctant inheritors of somebody else’s mess.
There’s China, bristling at North Korea’s deception – they’re apparently taken aback that a man who can watch his own country starve to the point of cannibalism, sell arms and drugs to the highest bidder without discrimination, and constantly threaten nuclear annihilation, is also a liar. Boo-hoo. Should’ve started thinking about it way back when North Koreans began slipping over your border because they find you more liberal.
Then there’s Japan. In their neighborhood, the Japanese have a reputation and that reputation is mud. Even discounting their colonial past, which in many ways set up the present scenario, and their actions during the Second World War that both China and Korea have yet to forgive, Japan’s foreign policy of late seems to have lost its head. Junichiro Koizumi and his handpicked successor Shinzo Abe keep flirting with deeply controversial ideas such militarization and the historical revision of past acts of aggression, which cannot fail to make its neighbors see red. As much as I happen to think that 60 years is time enough to make reparations, going all-out revisionist about what is still living and well-documented memory for many people is perhaps not the best idea to come out of Japan.
North Korea also shares a border and some potted history with Russia. Back in the days of the Czar, it cherished colonial ambitions toward what was then one Korea but got trounced by Japan, which went on to annex its neighbor in 1910. Forty years later, it was the Soviet Union that backed Kim Il Sung (father of the present dictator) in his quest to become supreme commander or revered leader or whatever you like over an united Korea. You might remember the resulting conflict from M*A*S*H because God knows nobody else talks about it. Anyway, another fifty years on, Russia is yet to cut its apron strings. But from the sounds of it they’re now a lot more worried about a nuke on their doorstep than confronting American hegemony.
Article comments
1 - steve
North Korea, who cares? good question. It is yet another country former president clinton did not even sneeze at; leaving a bigger mess for the bush administration to sweep up.
2 - Jet in Columbus
Steve North Korea has had nuclear plants since the late 70s and the capability of producting weapons grade plutonium since the early 80s.
Just another example of Reagan leaving another mess for Bush I to clean up.
Just another example of Bush I leaving another mess for Clinton to clean up.
Wake up and open your left eye you jerk
3 - Bliffle
steve: "...clinton did not even sneeze at; leaving a bigger mess for the bush administration to sweep up."
Pray tell, what 'mess' has the Bush admin EVER swept up?
4 - Nancy
Agreed, Bliffle: BushCo still hasn't even addressed the mess of New Orleans, unless you count periodic posturing for photo ops by Bush, who then flies away to do more fundraising until next time he needs to hug a homeless black family for another political photo.
5 - Amrita
I found this on Yahoo a little while ago: North Korea wants war
I'm beginning to develop theories that have no basis in fact but look plausible with every new insanity i hear coming out of there, like: what if Kim's not the guy making the calls? If everyone from Albright on is saying the man's not half bad and seems quite sane then what the hell is going on with statements like the above? Its beginning to seem more and more like a plea for someone to put them out of their misery so that they won't have to lose face when the whole thing comes crashing down.
6 - Nancy
Undoubtedly his military actually makes the calls. Remember he has 1 million + in the NK army; I don't doubt he's a figurehead & his top generals are actually the ones pulling the strings. They stay in the background in case they someday want to refugee to China or SK or even the US, like some of their Vietnamese buddies 30 years ago, and if they were known to be in the Kim regime, they'd never get out of N.K. However, that's all moot because NK is China's puppet regime anyway. It's arguable that all this is a rather byzantine ploy by China of some sort.
7 - Mohjho
Amrita, I thoroughly enjoyed your post.
To answer your question "who cares?", Id say China does. China now has four countries with nuclear capabilities on its borders. This most likely does not sit well with Chinese officials. It seems that what is needed is to not bully NK as much as convince China that a nuclear free NK on their boarder is in their best interest. Let them worry about the details.
This would take subtle and intelligent foreign diplomacy, something America seems to have in short supply these days.
8 - steve
Who would win in a fight....Napoleon or Kim Jong Il??
9 - steve
At one time..North Korea used their power peacefully to fuel their nation. Kim Jong Il woke up one morning deciding that his penis was inadequate to that of the world's standards; and decided to no longer use nuclear technology in a positive manner. From that point on, the world has limited his quest to be a dominiant power. it will only be a matter of time before the starving masses of N. Korea rise up against Kim Jong Il.
10 - Amrita
Nancy - thanks, I dont do conspiracy theories very often, but this one seems tailor made for one. especially when i hear that china "doesnt want punishment" for N Korea. seriously? WTF?
Mohjho - thank you. It does seem that way doesnt it? except I dont really trust China to do whats good for all of us. and whats good for china might just end up on all our faces. not a good thought to take to bed. and yeah, foreign policy is a little in short supply these days isnt it?
Steve - oh, Kim by a long shot. Stupidity wins every time in situations like that.