North Korean Nuclear Pursuit: A military option on table
When will the time come for North Korea and United Nations Security Council members speaking in the same vein on nuclear disarmament. That doesn't look probable. The view echoed at various forums is something concrete - military option included - has to be done to break the Korean Peninsula gridlock and if North Korea continues to threaten its neighbour South Korea and distant Japan that they would be nuked, the possibility not ruled out given its intent to fire missile tests on a continued basis. A series of sanctions over a period of time hasn't caused any major blip in its pursuit of nuclear weapons - and sanctions or no sanctions North Korea is on course to gain nuclear weapon strength on the back of a firm determination and continued violation of UN resolutions.
North Korea second ballistic missile test over Japan
North Korea second ballistic missile test over Japan over a period of one month conveys how little the Hermit Kingdom craves for peace and how fanatic it can become at times. The sixth nuclear test and most powerful one to date showed its urge to match its military might with the West as stated by its leader Kim Jong-un. From Kim II Sung to Kim Jong il to the present regime all have entertained the desire to possess nuclear weapon. It was way back in the mid-90s that Pyongyang decided to roll back its nuclear programme in return for Washington giving it diplomatic recognition. This roll back of mid-90s did not have steady innings as US-South Korea defence pact coupled with Soviet Union relegated to history and more prominently so China for a better time remaining mute to North Korea's efforts to procure nuclear weapons. If there were few and far missile tests in the 90s, the tests in recent period have gone up with enough to cause consternation in South Korea and Japan.
Need to gain insight into North Korea's nuclear sites
Pyongyang stout refusal to put its nuclear ambitions in abeyance and International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) getting no access to its nuclear sites from the 90s itself, little is known on the sites and the milestones that have been set in its nuclear journey. To say North Korea must change course and return to dialogue and world body needs to take a tough stand is an argument that doesn't carry any weight given the fact that these ultimatums matched with action should have been initiated in the 90s. In the 90s itself, China should have distanced itself from North Korea and blocked all trade related links. As of now a unified UNSC with China on board should make efforts to find out the hidden sites of North Korea where its nuclear apparatus is based. Once information is gathered and precise details known negotiations should begin between North Korea and South Korea to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula with China taking the lead in bringing pressure on North Korea by breaking trade ties like a ban on coal import from North Korea in return for which Pyongyang gets food and oil. When these measures don't work giving a warning signal to Pyongyang that its nuclear sites would be hit on the back of China along with other UNSC members taking the necessary action. That day may not be far away when Pyongyang's nuclear pursuit could well threaten Beijing if it does step in now. A military assault could lead to deterioration in the situation but that option would have to be tried on the strength of exact location of nuclear sites in North Korea and hitting them upfront if Pyongyang doesn't budge.
Over the years North Korea has been constantly whipping up tensions in the Korean Peninsula and before it acts with its nuclear arsenal it would be more timely to hit the same with UNSC members taking appropriate action on this front. There is an element of risk but the military strategy would help to break the narrative of Mr Kim Jong-un which precisely means what would be in interest of Pyongyang may not be in the interest of world at large and hitting Pyongyang's nuclear sites would be the way out to stop this fanatic establishment from exercising the nuclear option.
US can't deal with battle on twin fronts
The US is locked in a dispute with North Korea over latter's nuclear programme. The US should be wary of opening a new front which it won't be able to respond by any means. The US should not rescind nuclear deal with Iran. There were China, France, Russia, UK and Germany along with US who notched a nuclear deal with Iran, not Washington alone. A painstaking exercise that commenced from 2006 when P5 (US, China, France, Russia, UK) + Germany joined together to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear programme. The deal coming into effect in July 2015 lifts oil and financial embargo in return for restriction on Iran's nuclear production capability over the next 15 years. The deal is best to date given the serious negotiations and intense deliberations that were carried in different cities over eight years and to say it is one sided with enough bargaining chips for Iran and nothing for the West won't be a right assumption. Let this deal reach its logical conclusion rather rejecting in entirety as that would amount to opening a new front against another nuclear power aspirant and Washington would be hard-pressed for resources to carry battle on two fronts: North Korea and Iran.
When will the time come for North Korea and United Nations Security Council members speaking in the same vein on nuclear disarmament. That doesn't look probable. The view echoed at various forums is something concrete - military option included - has to be done to break the Korean Peninsula gridlock and if North Korea continues to threaten its neighbour South Korea and distant Japan that they would be nuked, the possibility not ruled out given its intent to fire missile tests on a continued basis. A series of sanctions over a period of time hasn't caused any major blip in its pursuit of nuclear weapons - and sanctions or no sanctions North Korea is on course to gain nuclear weapon strength on the back of a firm determination and continued violation of UN resolutions.
North Korea second ballistic missile test over Japan
North Korea second ballistic missile test over Japan over a period of one month conveys how little the Hermit Kingdom craves for peace and how fanatic it can become at times. The sixth nuclear test and most powerful one to date showed its urge to match its military might with the West as stated by its leader Kim Jong-un. From Kim II Sung to Kim Jong il to the present regime all have entertained the desire to possess nuclear weapon. It was way back in the mid-90s that Pyongyang decided to roll back its nuclear programme in return for Washington giving it diplomatic recognition. This roll back of mid-90s did not have steady innings as US-South Korea defence pact coupled with Soviet Union relegated to history and more prominently so China for a better time remaining mute to North Korea's efforts to procure nuclear weapons. If there were few and far missile tests in the 90s, the tests in recent period have gone up with enough to cause consternation in South Korea and Japan.
Need to gain insight into North Korea's nuclear sites
Pyongyang stout refusal to put its nuclear ambitions in abeyance and International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) getting no access to its nuclear sites from the 90s itself, little is known on the sites and the milestones that have been set in its nuclear journey. To say North Korea must change course and return to dialogue and world body needs to take a tough stand is an argument that doesn't carry any weight given the fact that these ultimatums matched with action should have been initiated in the 90s. In the 90s itself, China should have distanced itself from North Korea and blocked all trade related links. As of now a unified UNSC with China on board should make efforts to find out the hidden sites of North Korea where its nuclear apparatus is based. Once information is gathered and precise details known negotiations should begin between North Korea and South Korea to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula with China taking the lead in bringing pressure on North Korea by breaking trade ties like a ban on coal import from North Korea in return for which Pyongyang gets food and oil. When these measures don't work giving a warning signal to Pyongyang that its nuclear sites would be hit on the back of China along with other UNSC members taking the necessary action. That day may not be far away when Pyongyang's nuclear pursuit could well threaten Beijing if it does step in now. A military assault could lead to deterioration in the situation but that option would have to be tried on the strength of exact location of nuclear sites in North Korea and hitting them upfront if Pyongyang doesn't budge.
Over the years North Korea has been constantly whipping up tensions in the Korean Peninsula and before it acts with its nuclear arsenal it would be more timely to hit the same with UNSC members taking appropriate action on this front. There is an element of risk but the military strategy would help to break the narrative of Mr Kim Jong-un which precisely means what would be in interest of Pyongyang may not be in the interest of world at large and hitting Pyongyang's nuclear sites would be the way out to stop this fanatic establishment from exercising the nuclear option.
US can't deal with battle on twin fronts
The US is locked in a dispute with North Korea over latter's nuclear programme. The US should be wary of opening a new front which it won't be able to respond by any means. The US should not rescind nuclear deal with Iran. There were China, France, Russia, UK and Germany along with US who notched a nuclear deal with Iran, not Washington alone. A painstaking exercise that commenced from 2006 when P5 (US, China, France, Russia, UK) + Germany joined together to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear programme. The deal coming into effect in July 2015 lifts oil and financial embargo in return for restriction on Iran's nuclear production capability over the next 15 years. The deal is best to date given the serious negotiations and intense deliberations that were carried in different cities over eight years and to say it is one sided with enough bargaining chips for Iran and nothing for the West won't be a right assumption. Let this deal reach its logical conclusion rather rejecting in entirety as that would amount to opening a new front against another nuclear power aspirant and Washington would be hard-pressed for resources to carry battle on two fronts: North Korea and Iran.
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