Why Is North Korea Our Problem?
Submitted by Patrick Buchanan via Buchanan.org,
For Xi Jinping, it has been a rough week.
Panicked flight from China’s currency twice caused a plunge of 7 percent in her stock market, forcing a suspension of trading.
Kim Jong Un, the megalomaniac who runs North Korea, ignored Xi’s warning and set off a fourth nuclear bomb. While probably not a hydrogen bomb as claimed, it was the largest blast ever in Korea.
And if Pyongyang continues building and testing nuclear bombs, Beijing is going to wake up one day and find that its neighbors, South Korea and Japan, have also acquired nuclear weapons as deterrents to North Korea.
And should Japan and South Korea do so, Taiwan, Vietnam and Manila, all bullied by Beijing, may also be in the market for nukes.
Hence, if Beijing refuses to cooperate to de-nuclearize North Korea, she could find herself, a decade hence, surrounded by nuclear weapons states, from Russia to India and from Pakistan to Japan.
Still, this testing of a bomb by North Korea, coupled with the bellicosity of Kim Jong Un, should cause us to take a hard look at our own war guarantees to Asia that date back to John Foster Dulles.
At the end of the Korean War in July 1953, South Korea was devastated, unable to defend herself without the U.S. Navy and Air Force and scores of thousands of U.S. troops.
So, America negotiated a mutual security treaty.
But today, South Korea has 50 million people, twice that of the North, the world’s 13th largest economy, 40 times the size of North Korea’s, and access to the most modern U.S. weapons.
In 2015, Seoul ran a trade surplus of almost $30 billion with the United States, a sum almost equal to North Korea’s entire GDP.
Why, then, are 25,000 U.S. troops still in South Korea?
Why are they in the DMZ, ensuring that Americans are among the first to die in any Second Korean War?
Given the proximity of the huge North Korean Army, with its thousands of missiles and artillery pieces, only 35 miles from Seoul, any invasion would have to be met almost immediately with U.S.-fired atomic weapons.
But with North Korea possessing a nuclear arsenal estimated at 8 to 12 weapons and growing, a question arises: Why should the U.S. engage in a nuclear exchange with North Korea, over South Korea?
Why should a treaty that dates back 60 years commit us, in perpetuity, to back South Korea in a war from the first shot with Pyongyang, when that war could swiftly escalate to nuclear?
How does this comport with U.S. national interests?
In 1877, Lord Salisbury, commenting on Great Britain’s stance on the Eastern Question, noted that “the commonest error in politics is sticking to the carcass of dead policies.”
Is this not true today of America’s Asian alliances?
North Korea’s tests of atomic weapons and development of land-based and submarine-launched missiles should cause us to reconsider strategic commitments that date back to the 1950s.
President Nixon, ahead of his time, understood this.
As he began the drawdown of U.S. forces in Vietnam in 1969, he declared in Guam that while America would meet her treaty obligations, henceforth, Asian nations should provide the ground troops to defend themselves. Gen. MacArthur had told President Kennedy, before Vietnam, not to put U.S. foot soldiers onto the Asian mainland.
Now that we have entered a post-post Cold War era, where many Asian nations possess the actual or potential military power to defend themselves, something like a new Nixon Doctrine is worth considering.
Take all of the major territorial quarrels between China and its neighbors — the dispute with India over Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, the dispute with Japan over the Senkaku Islands, with Vietnam over the Paracels, with the Philippines over the Spratlys.
In none of these quarrels and conflicts does there seem to be any vital U.S. national interest so imperiled that we should risk a clash with a nuclear power like Beijing.
Once, there was a time when Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Tojo ruled almost all of Eurasia. And another time when a monolithic Sino-Soviet Communist bloc ruled from the Elbe to the Pacific.
As those times are long gone, is it not time for an exhaustive review of the alliances we have entered into and the war guarantees we have issued, to fight for nations and interests other than our own?
Under NATO, we are committed to go to war against a nuclear-armed Russia on behalf of 27 nations, including tiny Estonia.
One understood the necessity to defend West Germany and keep the Red Army on the other side of the Elbe, but when did Estonia’s independence become so critical to U.S. security that we would fight a nuclear-armed Russia rather than lose it?
Indeed, how many of the dozens of U.S. war guarantees we have outstanding would we honor by going to war if they were called?
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If you retract all the guarantuees the rest of the world would get into the nuclear arms race again.
N. Korea needs MORE diversity! Boo N. Korea --> EVIL!
DPRK is "our" problem because the U.S.A. is the *only* country that actually wants a unified Korea.
North Korea only wants to be unified if they can conquer the south.
South Korea wants nothing to do with unification because the cost of integrating north koreans(effectively brainwashed from childhood to be perfect sheep for a "Dear leader") into a free society would be ruiniously expensive.
China wants nothing to do with unification because they don't want American military bases on their border.
Japan wants nothing to do with unification because they historically fear the power of a unified Korea.
Americans are the *only* people in the world that actually want Korea unified.
"Japan wants nothing to do with unification because they historically fear the power of a unified Korea."
I don't know. The Japanese were always so kind and nice to the Koreans. I would think that they would be best friends.
Alliances = MIC contracts It is the business model.
that fat gay with mo's haircut is no hitler.
More Than Meet The Eyes
Once an empire, even the people that complain of it, that want to destroy its neocons, still just can’t help.
Why is North Korea a US problem? Just to contemplate this neocon idea is ludicrous. Tell that you didn’t research the issue well.
Consider this excerpt:
In 1993 North Korea was about to strike a deal with Israel to end missile exports to the Middle East in return for diplomatic recognition. The US pressured Israel to reject it, and North Korea retaliated by carrying out its first test of a medium-range missile.
A US-North Korean “framework agreement” was then signed. Neither side observed it completely, but they mostly kept to it. When President Bush took office, “the North Koreans had stopped testing longer-range missiles. It had one or two bombs’ worth of plutonium and was verifiably not making more,” according to Leon Sigal, one of the leading US specialists on the topic. Bush’s aggressive militarism quickly led to a revival of NK’s missile and nuclear programs. By 2006, North Korea had developed 8-10 nuclear weapons, and had resumed long-range missile tests, one of many neocon successes.
http://www.john-lindsey.net/2013/04/i-asked-noam-chomsky-his-thoughts-on.html#.VpBmhlKAlCg
Who has the biggest army?What's the only thing that prevents even the biggest army from attacking?
if everyone can prevent the biggest army from attacking, that army isn't of much use, is it? The author overcomplicates things...
That being said, as much as I might not be a fan of imperial policies, the thought of every wako around having access to nukes is pretty nerve wrecking.
This is also a good read.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/01/08/does-north-korea-need-nukes-to-de...
Yes, and like Trump said, North Korea is China's problem.
But you know, the U.S. Military Industrial Complex makes it our problem.
So much money to be made for the Bankster Cabal running everything in D.C. and on Wall Street; so many little people's lives to destroy, so little time...
Some of those are myths straight from the State Department, and the PNAC 2000s document (Post Unification Scenario). You do them a service. I would have been less subtle, but hey, whatever works.
---
Mistake #1
"U.S. interference into the sovereign life of Korea immediately upon the 1945 surrender of the hated Japanese, who had occupied the Korean Peninsula for forty years, is one of the major crimes of the Twentieth Century, from which the Korean people have never recovered."
"From a North Korean’s perspective they (1) have vigorously opposed the unlawful and egregious division of their country from day one to the present, (2) were blamed for starting the “Korean War” which in fact had been a struggle between a minority of wealthy Koreans supporting continued colonization in collaboration with the U.S. and those majority Koreans who opposed it"
"Eight years later, after destroying North Korea’s 78 cities and thousands of her villages, and killing countless numbers of her civilians, LeMay remarked, “Over a period of three years or so we killed off – what – twenty percent of the population.”
“….we have come to the conclusion that (South Korean president) Syngman Rhee deliberately provoked the North Koreans in the hope that they would retaliate by crossing the parallel in force. The northerners fell neatly into the trap.” And the rest is History.
The Lie becomes the Truth.
Realities are turned upside down.
History is rewritten.
The rest:
"According to ROK sources, almost one million civilians were killed in South Korea in the course of the Korean War: “In the early days of the Korean War, other American officers observed, photographed and confidentially reported on such wholesale executions by their South Korean ally, a secretive slaughter believed to have killed 100,000 or more leftists and supposed sympathizers, usually without charge or trial, in a few weeks in mid-1950.”
North Korea's goals have been: an official end to the armistice (the armistice is a de-facto occupation/and decades long cease fire), and re-unification not by conquering, but open borders and trade. The peace treaty declaration also calls for the South Korean ROK to be placed under national South Korean command, not U.S. Command. Thusly, "The “real alliance” is that which unifies and reunites North and South Korea against foreign intrusion and aggression."
The U.S. Does not want Korea Unified with the idea of both countries dictating their futures for themselves, they wish to control it, which signifies that South Korea is a Vassal, and the U.S. is still at war with the entire Korean nation ("stability operations" "U.S. presence in this corner of Asia should continue" p. 18 - PNAC document), because that's what the Military Industrial Complex demands. It's good for business. On both sides of the borders, both countries have been taken over by despots feeding on people's fears.
"U.S. interference into the sovereign life of Korea immediately upon the 1945 surrender of the hated Japanese, who had occupied the Korean Peninsula for forty years, is one of the major crimes of the Twentieth Century, from which the Korean people have never recovered."
Let's see, Russia, at the end, jumped into the war with Japan and occupied the part of Korea north of the 38th parallel, when Japn surrendered. Russia interfered with the sovereign life of Korea, leaving it divided.
North Korea is bellicose. North Korea prevents divided families from meeting each other. North Korea abruptly shut down the Kaesong industrial park interaction with South Korea.
In the 1970's, tunnels by North Korea were found to have been dug under the DMZ for the purpose of invading South Korea.
On August 18, 1975, Captain Boniface and Lieutenant Barret were attacked and killed by North Korean soldiers at Panmunjom.
At night, North Korea is mostly dark, in stark difference to that of South Korea.
It is the people of the north that have suffered and not because of the U.S.
"Americans are the *only* people in the world that actually want Korea unified. "
Most Americans don't give a shit what Korea does.
The occupation keeps more than 30K on the Pentagon payroll and pumps billions into the MIC.
American preatorians and war supplies profiteers are the *only* people in the world that actually want Korea PERPETUALLY OCCUPIED as it perpetuates emplyment and service contracts, etc...
"U.S.A. is the *only* country that actually wants a unified Korea"
So why is that US problem again??? Butt out. Pull out all military bases from all countries; focus on improving domestic affairs and infrastructures. When we act like we can solve everyone's problems, we are indeed creating more.
"Japan wants nothing to do with unification because they historically fear the power of a unified Korea."
You're DELUSIONAL. The Chosin Peninsular Region had been a Japanese Colony for decades prior to WWII. And repeatedly for Centuries. Prior to that, the Chinese Kingdoms and the Mongols - on and off - for CENTURIES.
Some in Feudal Japan feared the MONGOL EMPIRE. Chosin was "pwned" by the Mongols then; and their land was used as a staging ground from which to launch an Amphibious Invasion of Japan. The Mongols' Invasions were repulsed for awhile - a Typhoon (Kamikaze - Divine Wind) once wiped out a Mongol Fleet overnight.
Nowadays, the Mongols pwn Japanese SUMO - ROTFL - to the extent that most Top Ranks are taken by them. Good thing, is, that those who succeeded started off young, scrawny, and bewildered at the prospect of living and studying abroad - yet made it, out trained their contemporaries, and kicked ass on the "grounds" - Lovely story to watch at the dinner table; but I digress...
Have you ever BEEN to Korea? My Late Father and Uncle fought in the Korean War; and my Father and I served to defend that Region via the Navy - with him doing almost all - from Post WWII to '89.
The Hard Cold Truth, is that only the DPK has had sovereign control over its Territories after the Korean War. The USA has pwned KOR since the Korean War - partially because it was necessary to defend the Land from a Communist(i.e., Chinese) takeover of sorts. Needless to say the "Ugly American" Treatment(by too many GIs and the Brass) did antagonize many South Koreans. (The Late Chalmers Johnson covers this well).
The USA pretty much wore out the Welcome Mat. I'm all for a reconciliatory reunification btwn DPK and KOR (which would involve the removal of remaining US Forces); but would be disappointing to see a full scale War break out where KOR would Fall to the DPK/CHN Duo.
Why do I think KOR may fall? DPK has more Troops - poorly trained? Maybe; but simply put - more headcount to throw into the fray. That's all that matters to them - there's nothing more to lose; and everything to gain. You can even say that the Conquest of the Peninsula and the removal of US/Western Forces from it make the Cornerstone of their raison d'être. Gear might not be top notch; but I'm sure CHN/RUS may farm off their Older Equipment (just repaint them and hand over the Keys - ROTFL) in exchange for Favors afterwards. Imagine every viable Cold War TBM and Cruise Missile refurbished and spent on KOR.
For the novice, Seoul is within range of DPK's Artillery Assets. Don't think they have what it takes? Laying Siege on Seoul is a Milestone, so expect that they do. If not in Artillery, TBMs, Cruise Missiles, and Bombers - easily obtained "used but refurbished" from CHN and RUS inventories.
If KOR ends up pushing DPK Forces up towards the North like the Last War, CHN may join in the Fray. Heck, CHN may join in if they hear that USA is engaging DPK Forces north of the 38th.
There's no way that CHN is going to Host retreated and defeated DPK Forces in their Territory - allowing DPK to lose to KOR would mean having TEAM_USA, their Troops, their ABMs, their NSA, and their Propaganda Media RIGHT UP TO THEIR BORDERS. Heck, if things turn south badly for DPK, RUS might step in to defend, or in the case if a Collapse of Govt, take a chunk of land while letting CHN have the bulk of the Peninsula.
If KOR gets overrun, the survivors who don't want to live under CHN and/or the DPK will flee to CAN and the USA if they can. IIRC some KOR Leaders of that time sacrificed a good number of Civilian Refugees so they could retreat a bit faster. An Ethics Fail in my book; but we'll see how thing unravel next time around.
Then CHN Wins. As I mentioned this before on another ZH Article Thread, it doesn't matter what govt remains or is established over the Peninsula in the next Korean War. CHN will have Troops and Business Interests moving freely within the Peninsula.
Naturally, USA Troops would be removed from the Peninsula; but I've mentioned that repeatedly here as a probable outcome, haven't I?
It may be prudent to bring home the Troops, let them fly over for Exercises, and leave the Heavy Gear behind - in storage when not used. The Gear can be given over to KOR if they end up in a War if TEAM_USA declines to get engaged...
I forgot to add:
There are nowadays many KOReans who evade their Draft by coming to the USA - as students or as children.
We send our 17yros to KOR the DMZ to defend the peace, while KORean Kids who dodge their Draft attend our schools. The Young Vet returns Home to start his Vocational School/College/Civilian Career later - probably end up working for the Draft-dodger - who most likely may screw the Vet somewhere along the line(usually the case - even in Federal Civil Service.)
I've a problem with that.
IMHO, people from NationStates defended in part by the USA - which also have Military Conscription Mandates, should ensure all Persons originating from that NationState and their Descendants born abroad or in the USA fulfill their Military Conscription Requirements Madated by the Country of their Origin via the NationState's Armed Forces or the USA Armed Forces.
I'd send them back and/or not allow them in until they've served their respective Conscriptions.
Making their Draft Dodgers Serve there and bringing home our Troops should balance out well.
I'm afraid you're right about South Korea's not wanting reunification. They saw what happened to West Germany. 26 years after reunification, West Germans are still charged a solidarity tax to pay for it. The cost of the annexation were incomprehensible; just imagine cleaning up tens of thousands of environmental disasters, shutting down all heavy industry, roads, trains, etc. I'm sure South Korea took a good look at what happened there - and compared to how long the Koreas have been apart and how deeply brain washed those fuckers are in the North, the German reunification was like organizing a spaghetti dinner in comparison.
I have been to S. Korea, we buy 50% of our bearings from there. Very modern factories, like something out of Star Trek.
S. Korea is an advanced industrial country that, on its own, would annhilate N. Korea in due course, the problem, of course, is that NK would lay waste to Seoul with all of that artillery.
S. Korea is now in a position to defend itself, even from whacko Kim Jong-Un
I heard most 'folks' in SC smoke meth on a regular basis.
The big strong cat wins all the cat fights and so has a very large territory. But because the territory is so large, the big strong cat can not defend 100% of his territory 100% of the time. He has a large territory but border control is a bit lax.
The small, weak cat, always beaten in fights, ends up with a very small territory. The territory is so small that the weak cat can easily patrol its borders. But then he very fiercely defends the little he has. He's got no choice. He's got nowhere else to go.
Do with that info what you will. I have no idea of politics, esp. in that area. Just putting it out there.
We defend them and they pay us back by taking our money.
Sounds like a fair trade.... Right Don?
In my dreams we are a happy little country like Denmark with our nose out of everyone else's business. And there is no such thing as central bankers.
The North Korean economy is totally dependent on Chinese aid. The easy way to stop North Korea from being a US problem is to make it a China problem and it would take exactly one sheet of paper to do that.
"Dear China, the next time North Korea detonates a nuclear weapon, the United States will turn over a large supply of intermediate range delivery systems and nuclear warheads to every one of the following countries-- Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Philippines, Japan. Have a nice day and remember to keep your dog on its leash."
Nice idea but the US is publicly committed to nuclear non-proliferation. It ignores this in certain cases like providing Uranium to Israel to help get the Dimona site started. And US contractors and vendors happily supplied Pakistan with the technology and equipment to become a nuclear power.
Not denying the US provided Uranium to Israhell, but didn't they steal some?
Sampson Option Anyone?
BTW - Whose game?
And the Chinese response will be:
1. China is not Libya, and the whole world knows that the US only attacks the weak. Like all bullies, you are cowards.
2. We will consider the first missile launched by one of your puppets, on China or one of China's allies, to be an attack by the US on China that will trigger a nuclear war between the US and China.
P.S.
We have all of your US cities targeted.
P.P.S.
We will be busy next week dumping your treasury bonds and wrecking your economy.
P.P.P.S Thanks for giving us all your computer and other technology and manufacturing base over the last few decades. No, we didn't put any back-doors in any of your computer software / hardware, honest! he he he
P.P.P.P.S We stop exporting, within months your country is naked. But we had to sell low quality clothing otherwise your fat lazy whales could not afford to buy it. he he he Flee malkets!!!
@ PT
You forgot, Thanks Los Alamos.
We flee malketsed some folks ....
Stop giving me a woodie!
Cute..
As long as you're joking?
Then again...Shit, some 'folk's' believed Orwell was 'joking' too right?
We joked some "folk's"?
@ ISEEIT
Most 'folks' aren't laughing.
not funny, honey
not even close
Our problem? Or do you mean the Zionist Central Bankers problem? When the North Koreans don't jump when the ZIonists yell "Frog".
Buchanan's article will fall on deaf ears in DC and the Pentagon. NATO is announcing expansion plans to reassure smaller nations they will be safe from an increasingly demonized Russia. The Navy is demanding more funding to support the "Pivot to the East". You'll have this NeoCon crap as long as the Wolfowitz Doctrine is still being adhered to.
Boris, Kim guy Korea owner not see the picture enough big
Countries the west killers are good. Just look at world from Hitlery clintn whore. No bombs good are match, so I say make Kisney Park. What Kisney Park you say! I say yes real Koreans need fresh water park, big something save fresh water from Imjim River. Just make hole big and river change directions simple it is.
No waste reason on poor people south like you not. It easy to big park wonderful have tourist they come for fun and Seoul people will enjoy money they pay for fresh water fun. Maybe hockey Canada night fights also big show winter it is. My think possible events many there is.
Well alyalada would love so much drink they have, future water fresh bright it is safe for economy big neighbour also need pay fun.
+ 1 for clarity! :p :)
I can typing!
http://constant.co.za/content/images/2013/Dec/i_can_typing.gif
was any ethanol involved?
actually, it looks like a translation problem. English the second, third or sixteenth language?
Here's a good site for more profound and clear thoughts:
http://www.randomwordgenerator.com/
50,000 White American men died in Korea for...what exactly? So we could have South Koreans as a trading partner?
TO REDUCE the population.
Like the British and Germans did in the WW1.
In that aimless still trench warfare
That the young were killed and also left an equal number of UNMARRIED FEMALES.
DO the maths.
Partner, my ass.
Have you actually seen how many Kia's and Hyundai's are on the road.
Give me a disposable Yugo.
Did the international Communist conspiracy sap and impurify all your precious bodily fluids?
No? You're welcome.
WW2 ---> Germany, Japan (think late 1980s, early 1990s)
A long time ago I wished to know how much of our prosperity was due to technology, and how much due to old-fashioned slavery. (Still haven't found a quantitative answer.) Someone else produces all my fun stuff? That's good if the "someone-else" has a nice living, bad if they are homeless, over-worked and/or starving. Technology should end slavery. We should end up with plenty for everybody and no-one has to work too hard (unless they want to - nothing wrong with wanting to "get ahead" ...) ... errr, providing, of course, that our planet has adequate resources. You know, if 7 billion people want a car that weighs two tons then we need 14 billion tons of steel, plus enough oil to fuel the things - that kind of stuff.
Why do we need slaves in foreign countries doing our dirty work? Can't we build stuff for ourselves and they build stuff for themselves and we each get to enjoy the fruits of our own labour? Okay, Economies of Scale, maybe different countries lack different resources so a bit of trade is necessary.
Granted we still have jobs that have little / no productivity gains - still plenty of cleaning that is done by one person with a mop and bucket but we also have 350 ton dump trucks and high-tech fully-automated factories where a handful of workers produce more in a day than they could tech-free in a lifetime.
Is South Korea (or anywhere else for that matter) our trading partner? Or our slaves? Or did they start off as our slaves and end up as our trading partner? (Perhaps the "little" people start off as slaves and work up to middle class while the "big" people were always trading partners.)
One day the slave-owners discover some cheaper slaves. So they discard their current slaves and use the cheaper ones. Great trade for the early adopters. But the expensive slaves were buying produce from the other slave-owners. The cheaper slaves don't buy anything. That is how they are cheaper.
The expensive slaves will not rebel. They are too weak and they don't know how.
But some of the slow-to-adapt slave-owners are losing their profit base - their customers. Expensive slaves are customers. Cheap slaves have no money (plus they live on the other side of the world). Perhaps the slow-to-adapt slave-owners will rebel on behalf of the expensive slaves. Or perhaps the slow-to-adapt slave-owners will discover that it is too late and they no longer have any power. Perhaps they never had any power. Perhaps they were really house-niggers all along.
The revolution starts when one of the big slave-owners discovers that he's about to lose his slaves.
No slaves in your area? Oh, that's right, you're all free. You can quit whenever you like. Now you just need some land. And some Capital. And how does one, who has nothing, acquire land and Capital? Sorry, my brain is too small. Some people have big brains. Some people have connections. Many people's brains are too small.
Amen. And how does one quit and start his own business, when one is already in debt, partly because one bought a big house, big car, etc....
I spent a lot of my life with minimal debt / debt-free but that was still not enough. My advice is to start your own business BEFORE you leave your parent's house. Of course, pretty soon the kids will be working to help the parents keep the house. My other advice is simply to grow food on any land you can find. When food grows everywhere, you don't have to starve. But if you're going to try and buy your own land before growing food, you've already lost.
What part of stay out of foreign entaglements is confusing you? It's seriously none of our fucking business. North Korea like all totalitarian regimes needs an everpresent enemy to divert the attention of the masses. The US is also part of that club. If the US stopped being the world's policeman/terrorist, China would have to bring NK to heel. The bullshit out of Kim Jong the III's mouth is for domestic consumption to retain power. He has no intention of attacking anyone but keeping his own people at the precipice of an imminent attack by the terrible Americans. Take that away and the regime would likely fall unless they could find a new enemy to focus on.
The author needs to read some more Orwell. Things will make much more sense when he understands the real game at play. The NATO guarantees are all optics with no substance. Look no further than the bullshit that Erdogan has pulled in Turkey to demonstrate that. I doubt the US could even wage another real conflict and win if it had to. The US weapon systems are mostly a joke poised for combat that can only be found in history books. The world has changed. The US is fading.
Oh who gives a shit?
Yankee go home.
We're still going to be ugly 'Mericans, no matter what.