Dangerous Times: North Korea and the Neocons

These are intensely dangerous times.

A charter member of the Bush anointed Axis of Evil has tested a nuclear bomb. They gave notice to the world and delivered. Whatever the final analysis of scientists; North Korea is a nuclear nation.

No one should be surprised at this pronouncement. That North Korea possesses nuclear weapons has been known for years. What has been debated is the extent of their nuclear capabilities. The recent failure of their long-range missile may have given some measure of comfort to America and Europe but little to Japan or South Korea.

North Korea as a nuclear power is not new. What is new is an American administration that has (1) declared the North Korean government not only irresponsible, oppressive and dangerous but "evil," (2) declared a policy of "pre-emptive" strike and carried it out, and (3) steadfastly refused to engage in direct negotiations.

The immediate danger is not a direct threat of a nuclear attack by North Korea but what will follow in the wake of this development. It is conceivable that Japan (despite its deeply rooted opposition to nuclear weapons for obvious reasons) may join the ranks of nuclear-armed nations at America’s urging. It is more likely that South Korea will move in the same direction to achieve an assurance of mutual annihilation.

In the absence of a real and robust movement to dismantle and disarm all nuclear nations, perhaps this development was inevitable – insane but inevitable. More than any other nation, America under the leadership of George Bush is responsible for this insanity. While making a show of dismantling obsolete missiles in our immense nuclear arsenal, we have triggered a new arms race by developing a new generation of "tactical" nukes whose "virtue" is that they are considered deployable by the warlords in the oval office. Simultaneously, we have given notice to every nation on earth that we will attack without provocation if we sense a threat and the deterrent force is insufficient.

To the nations already proclaimed "evil," we offered a choice: Throw down your arms, your sovereignty, your cultural and national pride, and submit to the dominant power or seek an adequate deterrent force.

Confronted with this choice, what would any nation do?

The immediate question, however, is not what North Korea will do. No responsible analyst believes that the little dictator will launch an aggressive attack that would guarantee his final demise in an instant. Whatever can be said, the "dear leader" is not a likely candidate for voluntary martyrdom.

The immediate question is not how the Chinese, the Japanese or the South Koreans will respond, though ultimately their response may have profound implications for the region and a globalized world.

The immediate question is: Are the neocons in Washington insane?

As I wrote these words, I imagined a heated discussion in the White House situation room. If a military option is on the table (as UN Ambassador John Bolton said it was), if a new war on the Korean Peninsula was even contemplated, then our president and his corollary of advisors are insane.

The consequences of an invasion of North Korea are well chronicled. Hundreds of thousands would die in the opening salvo. The more desperate the regime becomes, the more deadly the scenarios of mass destruction.

If this administration has taught us anything in the last six years, it is that they are capable unconscionable recklessness and shocking destruction.

That the president, five years in to his reign of destruction, is still trying to blame his predecessor for his failures says all we need to know about accountability in the White House. The pig-headed, black-and-white thinking of the neocons – either we negotiate unilaterally or multilaterally – is clearly a false choice. We ought to have done both all along but it hardly matters. What in the history of this administration inspires confidence that they can affect positive change in any negotiations?

The best we can hope for is that our government does not add more fuel to the fire.

Hang on, people, it’s going to be a rough ride.

As the midterm election approaches, scenarios of war are becoming commonplace and they are all too believable. Before the little dictator grabbed the spotlight, a catastrophic attack on Iran was the most probable – some would say imminent. It could be argued with some rationale that North Korea’s action has already deterred the aggressive use of force in Iran. It could be argued that a nuclear North Korea has already served as a deterrent to an American invasion and a renewed Korean War (see Kim Peterson’s "Going Nuclear: Northern Korea’s Ace," Dissident Voice, 11 October 2006).

Though we may disagree on any number of issues, we should all agree on one overriding objective: Our nation should do no more harm. It has already done enough.

In the remaining years of your reign, Mr. President, go back to the ranch, read Camus, pray, lead the hunt for Osama, make speeches to your loyal followers, but do no more harm.

Jazz.

JACK RANDOM IS THE AUTHOR OF THE JAZZMAN CHRONICLES (CROW DOG PRESS) AND GHOST DANCE INSURRECTION (DRY BONES PRESS). THE CHRONICLES HAVE APPEARED ON DISSIDENT VOICE, THE ALBION MONITOR, BUZZLE, PEACE-EARTH-JUSTICE, COUNTERPUNCH AND LEFTWARD.