[May 30, 2017] Looking back over the last two centuries, the world has learned several important lessons regarding warfare and its close association to politics. One of the most fundamental is that appeasement doesn’t work and is deeply counterproductive when used. So it is with North Korea and the record of appeasement of that country going back to a time before the Korean War.
“For too long the international community has been reactive in addressing North Korea.” – Rex Tillerson, U.S. Secretary of State
Another lesson learned by the international community is that war is not a good solution for most disputes and the costs borne are on every person of each nation involved. That is why we look to North Korea as an example of the puzzle that presents itself with the hermit nation that threatens – it seems daily – most of the Western world with missiles tipped with nuclear warheads, the largest military in the world, and exporter of weapon technology to nations supporting terrorism.
Very few of those educated on North Korea would argue that the status quo is acceptable. Some say it is like having a hornets’ nest in your house; something has to be done but you will also get painfully stung. In both cases, doing nothing will certainly only make matters worse. U.S. leadership recently called their long standing, do-nothing solution a strategy of patience.
Under Strategic Patience, the argument goes that provoking North Korea will get South Korea, Japan, and others stung so better to kick the can down the road for others to solve sometime in the future. Strategic patience has worked by preventing war to date but has done nothing but encourage the dictator Kim family to grow its threats.
China, North Korea’s only true ally, has no advantage to reining it in. Allowing it to pester South Korea and Japan (its nearest commercial competitors) and the United States only gives China better standing. The dilemma for the West is clear; do nothing and risk a preemptive attack at some undetermined time. Or, take military action and risk a deadly retaliatory attack.
North Korea will sting the West irrespective of what action is taken. The question, many say, is only when.
The United States under President Trump appears to have made a decision to no longer appease North Korea. What the Trump White House wants is not exactly clear. Instead of people trying to guess what North Korea will do, Trump wants others to be guessing what the U.S. will do. Is the time up for the hermit nation?
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