Wednesday, August 05, 2009
North Korea Watch: Kristof Speaks
Nicholas Kristof of the NYT is someone whose foreign policy views I've normally found quite sensible.
His double-take on North Korea, though, is somewhat confusing, especially the day after we've been handed some actual good news pertaining to the North. Now he's suggesting "toughened sanctions backed by military force if necessary." Furthermore, he says it would be a "nightmare" if "Iran simply decided to save time and buy a nuclear weapon or two from North Korea."
Question, Nick: How many of those nuclear weapons has North Korea used against us? How many has it used against South Korea? How many has it used for any purpose except testing?
If your answer is, as mine is, zero, then I have to ask what the "nightmare" is. Krisof supposes two things: A) If Iran and Myanmar possess nuclear technology, they will use it, even though using would certainly spell an end to their regimes, and B) "doing something" is our best choice in this matter.
Each of these countries knows that it cannot win a conflict with the United States, and none of them are connected to a surrogate terrorist group that has proven an ability to strike the U.S.
The comments under Kristof's link on his Facebook page were quite appropriate, especially this one: "If I were a small country labeled "evil" by the USA I'd want nukes, too."
And this one: "Given that we have no good options now, perhaps we should follow the Hippocratic oath - first of all do no harm. We should let nature take its course w/ Kim Jong-Il and see how this all plays out when he's gone."
His double-take on North Korea, though, is somewhat confusing, especially the day after we've been handed some actual good news pertaining to the North. Now he's suggesting "toughened sanctions backed by military force if necessary." Furthermore, he says it would be a "nightmare" if "Iran simply decided to save time and buy a nuclear weapon or two from North Korea."
Question, Nick: How many of those nuclear weapons has North Korea used against us? How many has it used against South Korea? How many has it used for any purpose except testing?
If your answer is, as mine is, zero, then I have to ask what the "nightmare" is. Krisof supposes two things: A) If Iran and Myanmar possess nuclear technology, they will use it, even though using would certainly spell an end to their regimes, and B) "doing something" is our best choice in this matter.
Each of these countries knows that it cannot win a conflict with the United States, and none of them are connected to a surrogate terrorist group that has proven an ability to strike the U.S.
The comments under Kristof's link on his Facebook page were quite appropriate, especially this one: "If I were a small country labeled "evil" by the USA I'd want nukes, too."
And this one: "Given that we have no good options now, perhaps we should follow the Hippocratic oath - first of all do no harm. We should let nature take its course w/ Kim Jong-Il and see how this all plays out when he's gone."
Labels: north korea
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