Useful Fools

The Washington Times reports that the U.S. may enter into a non-aggression pact with North Korea.

This could be a good thing, under just the right circumstances, if it ends this extremely dangerous crisis.

We really don’t plan aggression against the Norks unless provoked (and they are sure provoking now!). The non-aggression pact would carry language preventing us from attacking unless justified - it would not be a blanket prohibition. Thus we are not really giving up anything.

However, whatever resolution is achieved cannot be perceived as caving to nuclear blackmail. This would be both a violation of Bush’s vow and a terrible precedent (well, a terrible second setting of this precedent - Clinton already did it).

Also, the solution would require the shouldering of significant responsibility for the North Korean problem by the regional powers - South Korea, Japan and especially China.

Most importantly, part of the deal would have to be an iron-clad agreement and inspection system to stop the Nork’s work on and export of missiles, weapons of mass destruction, and other contraband. This is the truly hard part, as was discussed here. The insertion of and adequate number of properly empowered inspectors and technology into a paranoid Stalinist-Fascist regime would seem to be difficult if not impossible. North Korea has 12,000 to 16,000 underground military and industrial facilities. All would have to be inspected, along with almost every inch of the country above-ground!

And finally, the agreement should be accompanied by a stern warning.

It is not yet time to dance in the streets or even crawl out of your fallout shelters (gee… I wish I had one)!