Calling North Korea’s Bluff Will Force China To Crack Down

Asserts Collin Spears, visiting fellow at the University of Denver's (USA) Center for New Politics and Policy. The black moderate blogger argues that if the United States of America and its allies want to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, they must call North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il’s bluff by escalating the situation: "As North Korea’s primary benefactor, China is the only nation that can force the North to dismantle its nuclear arsenal and return to 6-Party Talks. However, China will not exert such pressure, until the threat of instability on its border forces it to recalculate the utility of supporting the Kim regime. When the liability of North Korea becomes a greater threat to China’s internal security than the potential presence of American troops at its border, China will cooperate with the American alliance. Contrary to common media depiction, Kim is a rational actor. In fact, when scrutinizing North Korea’s conduct with the supposition that every action it has taken is for the preservation of Kim’s personal power, it is apparent that even the most provocative actions have been deliberate. America must use a realist approach to exploit these aims, if it wants to end the last great impasses of the Cold War."

Mr. Spears continues his commentary: "Calling Mr. Kim’s bluff and pressuring China is a risky proposition. North Korea could decimate Seoul and the estimated 1.2 million troops on the border will likely overrun U.S. and South Korean resistance. Japan is also a likely target of North Korean missile attacks. These are potential threats, but the reality is, that in the last 15 years North Korea has increased its military capability, and there is no reason to believe that trend will not continue. History instructs that it is better to take decisive action sooner rather than later. In order to force Kim to the bargaining table, the U.S. and its allies must do the following: First, improve and expand the missile defense shield and inform Pyongyang that any further missiles launched outside North Korea airspace will be shot down, as they are a violation of international law. Secondly, any ships leaving or entering North Korean waters will be searched for contraband according to UN resolution 1718. Ships refusing to submit to searches will be sunk. Thirdly, the South Korean Sunshine Policy is officially over. There will be no further economic interaction until North Korea unconditionally returns to 6-Party Talks. Fourthly, there will be a new joint commission established to investigate the Japanese abduction issues. Fifthly, there will be no bilateral talks. Lastly, North Korea can only return to 6-Party Talks after it has shut down its nuclear power plant and allowed unfettered access to UN weapons inspectors."