If you look at what’s happening in the world and what has happened in the past it makes sense.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union North Korea had no real allies, they were left to fend for themselves, they had to procure food and power. North Korea began to build a nuclear complex at Yongbyon for power. It seemded to us that the Koreans might be hiding something, and the fear was that they might be attempting to refine weapons-grade material to make a nuclear weapon. Bill Clinton, with satellite photos in hand, confronted North Korea in 1993.
They negotiated, had a standoff, blah blah, and eventually reached an agreement. North Korea allowed in UN inspectors, and they ceased work on a plant that could make nuclear grade material. In return, the U.S. and Japan promised they would provide food, oil to run its power plants, and would help build two commercial-grade nuclear power plants, which would generate electricity, but not be capable of producing weapons-grade nuclear material.
North Korea held up its end of the deal, and so did Japan. But, the USA would not approve the plants. It’s very likely that Clinton knew that the United States congress would not approve it, and made the deal simply to make himself look good in the short term leaving the future problems for a future government.
In 99 after getting tired of waiting for the plants, North Korea decided to remind us that they could still be a threat. They fired a missle over Japan. This worked, and we had a new round of diplomatic talks.
Then Bush was elected. The Bush administration has isolated them, refused to talk, and is on a crusade against perceived enemies. To North Korea, the U.S. appears to be a rogue nation, governed by madmen. North Korea sees themselves as next on the Bush agenda. After all, they are part of the “Axis of Evil”. So, like it or not, they decided to develop a deterrent to U.S. aggression: a nuclear weapon
U.S. policy has always viewed nuclear weapons as a deterrent against aggression, first in relation to the Soviet Union, and now in regards to so-called “rogue” or “terrorist” nations. When Cold War politicians like Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney discuss this deterrent philosophy, they always mention North Korea. Always.
Donny has also been pushing a new version of “Star Wars” When discussing this program, healways mentions North Korea. Always. Rumsfeld has been successful in gaining funding. By 2005, if plans go right, 20 interceptor missiles will be deployed in Alaska, just a few hundred miles from North Korea. Meanwhile, testing of the interceptor missiles has been conducted in the Pacific as a warning to North Korea.
Naturally, North Korea doesn’t view these missiles as strictly for defensive purposes. They view them as an offensive weapon aimed directly at their heartland. They also take to heart Donald Rumsfeld’s assertion that the U.S. can fight two wars at once: against Iraq and North Korea, if necessary.
With this information North Korea’s actions make sense. It’s the Bush administration that appears irrational, particularly in its refusal to negotiate directly with North Korea. North Korea is right to condemn U.S. attempts to take this issue to the UN Security Council as a stalling tactic to buy time so Bush can deal with Iraq first. Notably, South Korea, China, and Japan all support negotiations; they are particularly fearful of the prospect of sanctions against North Korea, which could cause the downfall of Kim Jong Il’s government and the exodus of millions of refugees. South Korea, in particular, would rather have a slow, economically easy reunification, instead of a major economic collapse in North Korea."
So is it any wonder at all?