Are the UN sanctions on North Korea justified?

Question

I dont know anything about this topic and i have to do a debate on it next week...so any information is loads of help!

Answer 1

Yes. North Korea says that even a military exercise like UFL or RSO&I is practically a declaration of war. In all the years we've been having those exercises, NO ONE has tried to threaten North Korea. It's just two militaries practicing working together. The Navy has Rimpac' every so often...do countries that don't border the Pacific say they are threatened by Rimpac? No. Why would they be? Kim's just blowing things out of proportion and trying to make everyone nervous. If Kim weren't always trying to play bully, or spewing out anti-American propaganda (showing cartoons with NK Soldiers destroying US land marks), I don't think we'd worry about sanctions. As it is, who knows if Kim would test again (even if he did express regret over the missile tests and the nuclear test) or if he would do something else to make the situation more tense, maybe even leading to all out war, again (technically, the Korean War isn't over, just in a long lull-there never was a peace treaty). Who knows if Kim would sell to terrorists? Hell yes, sanctions! Absolutely justified!

Think about it...what does the US do with it's nuclear weapons? The answer? We let them collect dust, then occasionally inspect them to make sure they don't leak or deteriorate to the point of going off spontaniously. That's about it. We don't really plan on using them.

Answer 2

My first suggestion on your debate is to search on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. I haven't personally read much about that, but if nuclear tests are banned it must be because nations have agreed not to conduct such tests under the treaty. I can only deduce that NK is one of the nations that signed that treaty. So what happens when a country does not abide by the terms of that treaty? Other than military action against that country, the UN has no other recourse but to impose sanctions.

As Condoleezza Rice said a few weeks ago when Iran failed to comply with the UN resolution regarding its nuclear enrichment program, "there must be consequences" for such non-compliance. Similarly, in not abiding by the terms of the treaty there must likewise be consequences. In the case of NK the first major consequences are the imposition of sanctions against it by the UN. There must be other consequences later...like military action...if sanctions do not prevent NK from conducting further nuclear tests.

We need to have order in this world and one body to see to it that this happens. The UN is that body. If it proves to be powerless to make nations conform to what is considered just in our society by abiding by the terms of its resolutions, there will always be consequences. The attack on Iraq wouldn't have happened if the UN was able to enforce its many resolutions against Iraq. The recent war in Lebanon wouldn't have happened either if its resolutions about Lebanon disarming Hizbollah had been enforced.

To be just, actions must be based on certain regulations, guidelines, or laws. They cannot be done arbitrarily even by a world body like the UN.

In the case of NK sanctions are justified because of the failure of NK to comply with those regulations, guidelines, and laws. You have to research on these 3 things because I am making my argument here on the presumption that NK has not abided by these 3 things.

Answer 3

Oh yes. Watch Anderson on CNN or someone Fox and you will get all the debate info you can handle. Basically, we are dealing with another smart little nutcase, who believes that he has so much power in his own pathetic little country, that he can rule the world. He thinks the fact that his nuclear testing is causing distress, that he is winning. china will be talking to him and offering him a nice little home on the Rivera, which if he has any brains at all, he will take and will enjoy himself with all the other deposed leaders.

Answer 4

china and Russia will not allow n Korea to rot away. they will be helping in secret because there is a lot at stake for them and thus putting an end to effective sanction.

Answer 5

Yes they are but they will not hurt them in any way. The people of north Korea are staving and have been for years.

http://chosunjournal.com/index.php

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/2/12/175959.shtml

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2005/12/16/north_korea_rejects_foreign_food_aid/

Answer 6

No, UN always working as a representative of USA. Infact there is no other go for UN as most of its financial requirements are met by USA.

Answer 7

whatever is contolled by the U.S (for example the U.N) is NOT justified.it's just based on the U.S interests and it's power show off.

Answer 8

i would say yes would u want a country with a mad dictator testing nukes and giveing it to terroists if the price is right.

Answer 9

I have my doubts.

I believe they are more meant so that some countries can say "we did something" then that they are effective.