The world, or at least some of the nations of the world, are outraged over North Korea's second nuclear device test. We should say, its successful test. Outrage, such as Obama's, is the reaction of impotence. Verbal threats, defiant speeches, big rhetorical gestures, conference huddles ... they are all signals of powerlessness, signs of weakness, pleadings that amount to appeasement.
In the animal world, animals have several stages of reaction to threats--puffing up and snorting without contact; being angry and engaging in tussling contests to test strength, with one party withdrawing; fights and duels to the death, when the weaker party expresses rage. Rage is the emotion of the weaker animal that senses it will be beaten and die.
There is a useful parallel here to the reaction of Obama and other nations to the Nork nuke test. They are powerless, they know they are powerless, and their reaction says they are powerless. North Korea knows they are powerless. North Korea knows that it is in the power position, able to extort whatever its wants. And it will. Our reaction admits that we expect to be beaten.
North Korea is not an immediate existential threat to the United States; but it is an existential threat to South Korea and to Japan. A North Korean missile attack on either would kill millions and millions of people in these small, highly urbanized nations. It is not clear what South Korea can do; but it is clear that Japan could quickly build a nuclear arsenal for a self-protective MAD standoff. Since Obama has already unwisely indicated that he intends to relinguish US military supremacy in the Pacific (won, we remind ourselves on Memorial Day, at horrific cost in American lives), we cannot guarantee to protect Japan. Japan must in short order begin building its own nuclear deterrant.
There are other players with whom to concern ourselves. North Korean technology and scientists and engineers have been involved with Iran's nuclear bomb and missile programs and were involved in Syria's nuclear program, as Israel discovered just before it destroyed Syria's nuclear reactor and research center (undoubtedly there are more). Obama has already indicated that he is prepared to tolerate an Iranian nuclear weapon and is turning a blind eye to Syria's program--all on the deluded notion that if the so-called "Palestinians" get a state beside Israel, Iran and Syria will abandon their nuclear programs and their belligerent policies in the Middle East. Alas, given the close working relationship between North Korea, Iran, and Syria, the successful Nork test must be assigned also as a successful Iranian and Syrian test--they are sharing technology and resources. Moreover, by aligning with Chavez's Venezuela, Iran is getting uranium; so we can't effectively sanction Iran by withholding uranium supply. (My prediction--expect to see Nork and Iranian engineers and scientists in Venezuela soon.) The result of the Nork test will rapidly be decisions by Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to build nuclear bomb programs; there is suspicion Egypt has already started. The threats to Israel could not be clearer. The threats to US and Western national interests in the region could not be clearer.
Obama's foreign policies and his weakening of the military is quickly rendering the United States impotent to deal with these dangerous developments. In a few brief months, he has recast the world order to the detriment of this nation, of Europe, of Israel, and of our Latin American and Asian allies and friends. By decreasing our ability to project force abroad, he is relatively increasing the military strength and regional power of the enemies of freedom. He is forcing other nations to engage in regional mutual protection pacts. He is compelling nuclear proliferation. He is increasing the likelihood of regional wars.
Obama policies are unwise to the point of foolishness. They will harm us and hundreds of millions of other people. He has about 60 seconds to change his policies and programs, before the world is locked into a disaster on the scale of 1939. Alas, who doubts that his arrogance is so huge and his commitment to Leftist ideology so complete that he will be unable to do so. God help us.
Update. May 26, 2009. Charles Krauthammer argues that the only possible response available to the West is for Japan to go Nuclear. Watch this brief Fox News panel segment. (H/T Hot Air)
Update. May 27, 2009. John Bolton believes (there is evidence) that Iran is helping finance Nork's nukes and missiles. Presumably, Nork pays back by providing Iran and Syrai (as other evidence indicates and I state above) with nuclear and missile technology.
Update. May 27, 2009. North Korea claims truce ending Korean War no longer valid. Regardless of the credibility of a military threat from North Korea, North Korea's saber-rattling reveals that the US has absolutely no idea what to do. So much for "smart diplomacy" from Obama and his sock puppet Secretary of State.
Update. May 28, 2009. Some Japanese leaders or former leaders are concluding that Japan has no alternative but to acquire nuclear weapons.
Update. May 29, 2009. James Lewis explains simply and clearly what is wrong with Obama's foreign policy vision generally and specifically with regard to North Korea and Iran.
Revised.
Recent Comments