Belligerent bully nation
North Korea’s antics are that of a petulant child acting out to gain attention of a preoccupied adult. The adult in this case is the United States. Our president is so focused on disarming Iraq that North Korea’s disclosure last week that it was reactivating a nuclear reactor barely registered. U.S. officials said North Korea had restarted a nuclear reactor that is at the center of a suspected weapons program. (The 5-megawatt reactor could yield enough plutonium for an atomic bomb in about a year.) Not to be put off, North Korean fighter jets over the weekend intercepted a U.S. reconnaissance plane, buzzing as close as 50 feet.
North Korea wants the world, and specifically the United States, to pay attention to its demand. Kim Jong II wants unilateral negotiations between the U.S. and his regime. Of course he also wants what everyone else wants from us – economic handouts.
Washington refuses to give in and is wisely sticking to the course of believing diplomacy, rather than force, can bring North Korea into line.
The troubles began last fall when North Korea admitted carrying out a secret program to enrich uranium. (The United States believes that it already has one or two nuclear bombs and is capable of rapidly building more.) In response, the United States and its allies cut off fuel oil.
North Korea is running low and has barely enough to keep its outdated fighter jets in the air. It’s a bully with dangerous weapons but surely recognizes it would be annihilated if it attempted to use them.
Washington must remain firm. Talks must include North Korea’s neighbors. Kim Jong II needs to grow up and recognize bullying tactics don’t work.