So, what to do?

Instead of entertaining the empty headed and misdirected attacks from our favorite troll who belittles a stance not taken with words that are not his own, I’ve been contemplating something real—what to do about North Korea.  Not that my phone is ringing off the hook with calls from the State Department, or anything.

It’s fairly likely that the UNSC will draft a neutered document that appeases both Russia and China, yet somehow manages to be chocked full of desk pounding, fist shaking, foot stomping and teeth gnashing and still amounts to nothing.  The last round of “or else” sanctions clearly worked well, maybe doing the same thing again and again will result in a different outcome.

So, what to do?

There will be no invasion.  One key difference between Iraq and N. Korea is that we COULD send troops into Iraq.  We can’t do that in N. Korea.  The South Korean government will have none of that.  Not to mention we’re under a mutual defense pact and taking action that will directly threaten the well being of South Korea is a very, very bad idea under that pact.  It’d be like your wife picking a fight with the biggest dude in the bar, just to have you defend her and get your ass kicked.  No, that won’t do at all.  We need South Korea around to absorb the North when it finally collapses onto itself.

The real problem here seems that the UN takes ever harsher and harsher stances against NK (with great urging from the US and Europe).  Stances which, at this point, have taken away just about every luxury afforded to a nation in the world community.  They wouldn’t dare touch medical or food supplies, so NK really has nothing more to lose.  As in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the question was “bomb what in Afghanistan?  You’re just going to make the rubble bounce.”  So an even stronger sanctions regime probably won’t have the desired effect, unless you’re willing to take away the basic necessities—and China won’t let that happen due to the exodus of refugees that would create.

So, what to do?

You COULD tell China and Russia they can either choose the world or N. Korea.  If they’re so enamored with that little backwards nation (and others) they can simply have their choice validated by the rest of the world and we’ll let them have their little friends.  The problem there is that they’ll veto that plan, and rightfully so.  They don’t want to be saddled with that saddle sore, they want to use it as a thorn in our side.

So, what to do?

You could always take the completely unexpected course of … lifting all sanctions against N. Korea.

WHAT?!?

Yup, lift all sanctions.  Write a letter to “Dear Leader” and tell him that since he wanted to be a full participant on the world stage, he’s got his wish, and best of luck to him.  Give companies tax incentives to flood their shores with everything from corn dogs to Barbie dolls.  The calculation would be that he has neither infrastructure nor the ability to manage that nation under the tsunami of liberalizing ideas that would be flooding toward him.  Real reality would eventually overtake the “reality” he’s been feeding his people and his regime would collapse under the weight of the world, as soon as the shelter protecting that stupid little backwater is removed.

After all, we didn’t win the cold war with bullets and tanks, we won it with Pepsi and Coke.

But they will prefer to do nothing and shake their fists and proclaim, once again “or else!!” as more people die, until the next time, when once again they will do nothing, and shake their fists, and proclaim, once again “or else!!” as more people die, until the next time…