North Korea, that financially bereft real-time version of George Orwell’s terrifying totalitarian state, is considering restarting its nuclear weapons program. The Stalinist entity continues to flirt with the United States about maintaining a state without nuclear capabilities.
So why does the United States care about this card-carrying member of the “Axis of Evil?” Why the hubbub about a small country with a DMZ, a shady past and a starving population?
The nation that relies heavily on international food aid while supporting an army of one million, North Korea adopted a non-discriminatory policy toward its weapon dealings: the country sells to any taker. It has already sold ballistic missiles to Syria, Iran and Iraq, and will undoubtedly sell to any organization with the appropriate money. Early in August, after a surprise shipment of missile parts to Yemen, the United States imposed sanctions on North Korea. According to a recent Associated Press news article, North Korea again shipped missiles and fuel to Yemen last month.
The implications of a cash-strapped nation distributing weapons to all buyers should alarm any newspaper reader. With North Korea on the verge of making nuclear weapons, terrorists (al-Qaeda) and renegade nations alike could acquire their uranium-derived fix with ease. The scenarios following weapons acquisition are endless. Israel, steadfast ally of the United States and sole democracy in the Middle East, could be destroyed with a single nuclear blast. New York, London and Washington become vulnerable to total devastation.
Frighteningly enough, the imagination is the limit when it comes to terrorism scenarios. Perhaps we will slowly evolve into a land with security precautions similar to those of Israel. Fences would rise and soldiers would spring up at checkpoints. Like in Israel, terrorism would become a daily issue, affecting the way we watch our sports, go shopping or eat our soup. Just last month, an al-Qaeda cell planned to bomb an Israeli soccer match in Malta. Currently, due to security reasons, Israel does not play its home games within the country’s borders.
It is unfortunate that the United States must romance reckless countries around the world to ensure that one of its cities is not bombed. It is also highly ironic that North Korea receives most of its financial aid from the United States, while the North Korean regime is known for feeding vicious anti-American rhetoric to its people.
Gaining the cooperation of North Korea is as vital and immediate a concern as the removal of Saddam in Baghdad. The situations are different, but the nature and danger of the regimes are similar. But by placing itself in the limelight and drawing attention to the fact that it holds all of the cards, North Korea may become Bush’s next target after the Iraq Saga if a conclusion is not reached soon. As the communist nation places itself into the twisted, delicate position of potential bargaining partner, it should remember that the entire world is watching, and that a wrong turn or a hasty sale could result in utter catastrophe.