Posted by
arandomguy on Sunday, November 19, 2006 12:19:26 AM
This story has me astounded. During President Bush's visit to Asia this week, he is trying to drum up support for increased sanctions against North Korea, as well as for tough inspections designed to curb access by Pyongyang to nuclear supplies to fuel their nuclear weapons. Today, President Bush met with the South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun, and discussed these very sanctions, but the South Koreans could not agree to the inspections.
Though Roh said his country would "support the principles and goals of the PSI [Proliferation Security Initiative]", his country would also "not [be] taking part in the full scope" of it. This is amazing, since the threat posed by North Korea is the biggest danger to South Korea. If North Korea gets their hands on powerful nuclear weapons, and they decide to go to war, the first place they are able to do so will be South Korea. So as far as I can see it, South Korea has a lot to gain by imposing these sanctions on North Korea, instead of offering their "support," and standing on the sidelines while everybody else does all the work.
I understand - to a point - where the South Korean's are coming from. They are afraid that by openly engaging in the search of North Korean cargo, that they will be asking for armed attacks from it's annoying northern neghibor. However, North and South Korea have been at war since 1950 - the only thing keeping the peace is a large US force, and the biggest minefield on the planet. North Korea has also shown that it does not take provocative acts by other nations to get it going - North Korea will go off without anyone's help.
So, though there may be consequences by taking action against Kim Jong Il, and searching the cargo - presumably to prevent further shipments of nuclear materials to go in or out of North Korea, which is DEFINITELY a benefit to the United States, as well as the South Koreans - South Korea needs to sit down and seriously think, wouldn't the potential consequences of NOT taking action be far worse?
It angers me when nations aren't prepared to stand up in their own defense. I'm not against the United States helping out other nations - to a point, too much of it over-extends our powers, and ends up just making things worse - it angers me when those nations aren't willing to bear a part (a sizeable part) of the burden. Iraq is slowly being turned over to the Iraqi's, which is absolutely a good thing.
But the South Koreans need to get it in gear. They aren't in the middle of a war right now - though perhaps they are on the brink of one. Other than North Korea, they face no single threat in the outside world. So their entire national defense budget should be devoted to defending the country against a North Korean attack, instead of relying on US assistance. Again, I have no problem if we step in and lend a hand.
But the South Korean's need to do some things on their own - like inspect cargo coming to and from North Korea, to ensure that there are not materials for atomic bombs being imported - or details about how to make one being exported.