Posted by
arandomguy on Friday, October 20, 2006 5:08:30 PM
This is a very interesting story. According to the Chinese delegation to Pyonyang, Kim Jong Il expressed his "deepest regret," about NK's recent nuclear tests, as well as their threat to conduct more tests. He also said that NK would return to international talks if Washington backs off its threats to economically isolate the country.
"If the U.S. makes a concession to some degree, we will also make a concession to some degree, whether it be bilateral talks or six-party talks," Kim said to the Chinese delegation, reportedly. He also said he "is sorry about the nuclear test," according to the same Chinese newspaper.
Though this is funny at first glance, we must analyze it closer. First, I do not believe KJI is telling the truth. He's no sorrier then Hitler was. But he is good at playing the international game, and this will no doubt pull the Russians and Chinese away from sanctions. How likely are these two weak-willed nations to impose tough sanctions on a nation that has expressed regret about their actions?
The fact is, the nuclear tests took place. If KJI were truly sorry, he wouldn't have conducted the tests in the first place. The US needs to send a very clear message to Kim Jong Il - don't make diplomacy a game. If you do, there are consequences. And if you launch nukes, regardless of how sorry you are, you will be sorrier still when you reap the results of what you have done.
Does anybody really doubt this is just another ploy on the international level by Kim Jong Il? How else could he have survived this long? He's darn good at playing this game, because the apparently gullible Chinese and Russians buy into his nonsense whenever he spouts it off. I'm still calling for the sanctions and the threat of military action if North Korea does not comply. They must be forced into a corner from which they have only two ways out - compliance or war.
Unfortunately the United States and the "international community" have not yet forced KJI into this corner. And until we do, he will continue to defy the world, and in particular the United States. Furthermore, he will be able to build a more powerful nuclear weapon, one that could be really damaging if released at surface level.