What to do with North Korea?

Question

North Korea can have all the atom bombs that it wants as strategic deterrent. It may be tempted to sell to terrorists, and terrorists may destroy one or two western cities in the worst case scenario. If they do, North Korea will be destroyed.

Sometimes, reverse psychology is the best step forward. Perhaps it's time to tell the North Koreans "Go ahead, do whatever you want, we won't be blackmailed by providing you with aid or lifting economic sanctions against your repressive regime. But bear in mind you will face complete and utter annihilation if you paddle your atomic bomb technology or hardware itself to other rogue nations or terrorist organisations. There will be presumption of guilt."

Don't have to negotiate further, don't have to give them anything. Let them self implode. They will be more than willing to negotiate then. Like USSR, they will be beaten by spending on bombs, economic collapse and effective propaganda aimed at the population.

Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Nuke 'em til they GLOW

Answer 2

Kennedy was faced with a similar problem during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He resolved the issue through a quarantine and economic pressure.

Because North Korea has 20,000+ field artillery pieces trained on Seoul, the second a military effort is made by the US, the DPRK will begin the 2 day process of leveling Seoul. This is not including the possibility of chembio weapons being utilized against all US and allied forces. And a few nukes being tossed into South Korea/Japan is also possible. So there is a serious problem with the military option.

US planners are more realistically correct to look into diplomacy, subversive regime change (non-violent political) and trade embargo (especially interdiction of WMD carrying vessels, people, trains & trucks, etc.). Mining harbors and sabotage might be the limit which the US can do militarily to put pressure on the regime. Assassination is risky because if the plot is tied back to the US, it could be a trigger for peninsular war or terror. So the options are limited.

I would work with China to have them conduct the regime change actions necessary to bring stability to the region. I would also remove the US forces from the peninsula because they are currently being held hostage in the event of war. Bringing US troops out of the Korean peninsula really gives South Korea and China every incentive to cooperate with taking a hard line on the DPRK and stabilize the region without being able to point fingers at the US and manipulate the US government (the status quo).

Answer 3

Good answer WWD! I believe that the United States must participate in bilateral discussions with North Korea. We must treat North Korea with the respect and dignity due a soverign state. I would personally use the Teddy Roosevelt approach, "Walk Softly and Carry a Big Stick." In other words, negotiate in good faith and come to terms with Kim Jong-il. Agree in writing to a nonaggression pact, but inform North Korea in no uncertain terms that the US retains the right to exercise the military option if deemed essential. Let North Korea develop its nuclear weapons - if the US, China, Russia, Pakistan, France, Britian, and especially Israel are permitted to have a nuclear arsenal, then surely North Korea has the same right. Work closely with South Korea on this issue. The ultimate goal is to peacefully remove US troops from the south, and to reunify the two Koreas into one soverign nation. The US owes this to the Korean people since we were originally responsible for the division of the Korean peninsula into two entities in 1945.

Answer 4

Can't we just send them to bed without supper? Never mind Kim Jong Il already does that.

We cannot allow North Korea to flail unchecked with nuclear arms. Their leader is a threat to the entire region. He has got to be brought under control, and he must be made to disarm. Hopefully, now that we have them back at the Six Party Talks, diplomacy can make some head way. Letting them self implode would have a devastating effect on the entire region. The economy will collapse, the people will starve, and the refugees will flee to China and Russia and South Korea. This situation needs to be brought under control. Ignoring Kim Jong will not make this problem go away.

Answer 5

you guys really think that the US gov (no matter Democrat or Republican) will do a d-a-m-n about the North Korea issue?

i can see the US is getting a lot of benefit by keepping the NK here.
i am in japan, i know how much the ordinary japaness want to kick the US military out of their country. (the south korean view of the US military in their country would be very similar.)

why? because their gov pay a lot of tax money for the US to be here. it is too much for their need. (their was a lot of talking about kicking the US out on tv. )
if the north korea did not test its (old) weapon, you will see a lot more of japanese and korean protester asking the US to leave their country.

it is a very clear link,
North Korea aggression = more USA protection
and all of the protection, service and weapon doesn't come for free.

another benefit point for the US, being able to keep a very large number of military and weapon here in japan and Korean, that mean US can also easily keep her eyes and weapon pointing very close to the Chinese throat. (ready to cut)

for as long as the North Korea still here, the US will not loose a thing.

one last example,
before the Iraq war, IAEA did report to the UN counselor that they found no evidence of the WMD in Iraq.
On the other hand, every one know that the NK got a nuclear power plant on hand at that time.
and every one know that their plant has a capability to produce material enough for the A-bomb with in a few years.

by your common sense, who was more dangerous?
saddam or kim?

Answer 6

Let them self implode. They will be more than willing to negotiate then. Like USSR, they will be beaten by spending on bombs, economic collapse and effective propaganda aimed at the population. - Youve just answered it

Answer 7

Kim seems reasonably contained, and will self-destruct with time, as communism always must (with the possible exception of their big neighbor). Since China has the major determining role in North Korea, it seems our current posture of working with China, South Korea and Japan is the most prudent course.

Answer 8

Well, the plan would work but you didn't take into account that when we find out that they have sold their technology or even worst a dirty bomb to terrorist it will probably be to late and we would have already been hit by it.

Answer 9

My thoughts exactly same method for Iran as well. It's a hard sell to the conservative tools though as the radio and TV rabble roussers keep their fear factor way up so they can't think straight.

Answer 10

So far I have ignored North Korea, and it seems to be working.

Answer 11

North Korea is one of most dangerous countries and we must do something with this little cockroaches before they destroyed us!!!!!