Remember the stream of dialogue convincing us there was a looming threat in Iraq? Well, get ready America, because soon you will be hearing those same speeches in regards to that state north of the 38th parallel.
North Korea is reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods for plutonium, restarting its nuclear facilities and making sure to rattle its saber and remind everyone.
After months of verbal assaults between the United States and North Korea, talks are now set to begin. The topics of discussion include an American-North Korean non-aggression pact, a guarantee that the North will end its work with nuclear weapons and aid for the millions of North Koreans currently starving.
Our leaders on Capitol Hill are in no hurry to settle the crisis on the Korean peninsula, however.
A nation has always needed the presence of the threat of force if it wanted any weight at negotiations. However, the brunt of the American military machine is now stretched thin securing its victories in Afghanistan and Iraq.
By the end of 2004, our government expects that they will no longer need the majority of its troops in the fledgling democracy. At some point in 2005-'06, our military should be ready to steer its war machine toward the regime of Kim Jong Il.
Refusing to give in to what he claims is
uclear blackmail,"" President Bush does not want to come to any meaningful agreement under the despot's terms. He will instead wait until he can flex his military muscle and give the U.S. the edge at the negotiating table it currently lacks.
It is true that North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world, but in 1991 the Iraqi army was about the same size and was no match for American forces, so the Bush regime will not be deterred by this factor. However, a win on the Korean peninsula would come at a far greater cost then the Middle East wars.
If the North were to put its large amounts of artillery to use, the results could be catastrophic for population centers like Seoul and Tokyo. Add weapons of mass destruction, including ones that can possibly reach the West Coast of the United States, and the scenarios are even worse.
As opposed to Iraq, Americans cannot take the Far East lightly. And do not fool yourself, treating military action like a sporting event that you watch on cable every night is taking it lightly. Know the consequences of our actions before supporting them, for a showdown between North Korea and the 750,000 American troops estimated to be needed to bolster the South Koreans would exhibit something far worse than what was on FOX News last spring.
gjporter@wisc.edu.
