The Tempest

Foreign policy, North Korea

Once our earth was filled with green fields that were kissed by the sun. Once there were blue skies filled with white fluffy clouds gently floating high above. Once there were valleys where fresh clean water used to run. Now those green fields are gone, parched by the scorching sun. Gone are the valleys where the clear waters used to run. The blue skies are now clouded over by storm clouds of deception and deceit. It is as though the events of the past have finally caught up with humanity. Not since the world was at war some 75 years ago has mankind found itself perched precariously close to falling over into the abyss.

It is just more than just saber rattling coming from the leaders of North Korea. The United States should have learned that sanctions imposed against a regime whose own history has always shone animosity toward the west never works in transforming government. There has to be some organization, or someone more sinister and diabolical influencing the actions of the leaders that seem willing to ignite flames of destruction.

North Korea is only one of the tempests that is being carefully orchestrated. The events of the past 14 years are a harsh reminder of how volatile our world really is. Not only has man brought about such cataclysmic events as 9/11 and others not seen since World War II but, the planet has also rebelled against man's own indifference toward the delicate balance of our environment.

Could it be mankind is fast approaching the cross roads for humanity? Many scientists and historians seem to agree that the hand writing is already on the wall. There are others that share a more optimistic view where man is headed. But, if history is any indication we would do well to be more pessimistic about our future. Mankind all too often has repeated their mistakes only in different variations all through-out history. One can not help wonder if humanity, yet again, will be thrust into events more catastrophic.

Hindsight could be useful in determining the direction the United States should take today especially in light of the actions by the leaders of North Korea. It was back in 1950 at the onset of the North Korea invasion with Chinese full support of South Korea. Many still didn't know that the Joint Chiefs authorized General Mac Arthur full use of nuclear weapons if needed without Presidential approval. General Mac Arthur knew that the Chinese and the North Koreans would try to take over sole position of the whole Korean Peninsula. Had President Truman not relieved General Mac Arthur of command at the time when the United States had far superior military presence in the East many historians have concluded that today we would not be facing a divided Korea with the North Koreans poised to strike militarily again at South Korea and the West. The real fear back then was igniting another World War especially with Russia. At the time Stalin was against having American soldiers on their doorstep. With a true 100% American push we could have defeated China and worked out and agreement with Russia not to get involved. To this day many believe we made a mistake in not pushing back to the north of Korea and setting up a defensive line between China and North Korea and thus leaving a free united Korea. Truman was in to much of a hurry to negotiate a cease fire just to appease the American public. This, after we ended WWII six years earlier. Mac Arthur had the right Idea and had we followed his Leadership the world would be better off today for it.

Today, with a regime that is so willing to ignite the flame of disaster a show of force will only prove more pragmatic at the very least. Ever since the end of the Korean conflict in 1953 the North Koreans have only grown more antagonistic toward South Korea and the West. Keep in mind that through out these years North Korea has done nothing to change their governance of their population. We have seen it time and time again that any sanction or trade embargo imposed against North Korea has only escalated tensions and really not influenced the leaders of North Korea to adopt policies that would aid in securing better living conditions for their populations.

We continue to see it time again that any show and use of force whether we were directly involved or not the aftermath is more likely far worse than the original scenario to begin with. Case in point what has transpired in Lybia and Somalia are just a few examples of the result of our involvement to try to improve conditions only to come up way short. The United States not since the end of World War II has been successful in negotiating any betterment of countries conditions after we imposed embargos or used our military.

The only true course in diplomacy that is left is to undue the sanctions and trade embargos in order to ease the tensions that are only continuing to mount. The United States has enough to worry about right here in the good old USA without getting more involved militarily with a country that has proven so antagonistic toward the West.