There has been some confusion over the exact translation of the message, and skepticism of its validity, but North Korea has made the sudden suggestion of renewed development of nuclear weapons. Inside the Bush camp some are calling it a bluff, or a “perverse” attempt to gain leverage before the upcoming arms talks with the US and China. But everyone is taking it seriously and it has thrown doubt onto whether the planned negotiations will go on as scheduled.
Within the announcement by the Koreans was the disquieting statement that a, “‘powerful deterrent’ was needed to protect the country in the wake of the American war in Iraq.”
Here’s the debate:
From my perspective military success in Iraq has not made the world a safer place. Clearly not in the short term, and I think the same will be said of its effect on the long-term prospects for peace as well.
Islamic radicals are no less interested in striking the US, in fact they are likely more motivated to see us come to harm after the bombardment of images broadcasted by al-Jazeera sensationalizing the civilian casualties in Iraq. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and many other American “allies” still harbor powerful terrorist contingents that Bush is unwilling to attack. Rumsfeld has begun the overtures of another confrontation, claiming Syria has the weapons of mass destruction we have so far failed to find in Iraq. The Iraqis, who welcomed the Coalition of the Willing to free them of Saddam’s oppression, have begun staging protests over continued American occupation and sway in the political process to reshape their nation. Their fears are warranted if post-war Afghanistan is any indication of our nation building practices. Meanwhile, Saddam and his cronies can join the ranks of bin Laden and the higher ups of al Queda on the list of US targets to slip through our fingers. And now this news from P’yongyang. Bush may be riding the wave of popularity afforded by a successful war, but the consequences of his hard-line militarism are looming.