North Korea Nuclear Test
Why is a country that is so impoverished still so keen to go nuclear? The recent North Korea nuclear test appears to be yet another move that smacks of craziness.
The country is already so poor and relies heavily on foreign aid to sustain its citizens but the leaders are enjoying a much better quality of living. Isn't this ironic when North Korea is supposedly one of the last pure communist states? All citizens are equal but some are more equal than others.
The country further maintains a huge standing army! How can one justify keeping such a big army when the citizens are finding it hard to make ends meet? Anyone who has played war-theme RPG computer simulation games know that there is a need to balance resources with army size.
The international community is perhaps being too humane to North Korea. The citizens of the country are at no fault and should not be punished for all these. Yet, if we take a leaf out of our experiences in war-simulation games, if we choke the flow of resource flows and the nation is unable to provide for itself, a natural attrition of its population will happen, consequentially affecting the army size that is maintainable.
The problem is that the North Korea issue is not a game. It is politically far too damaging to allow the innocent citizens of a country to die by withdrawing much needed aid. NGOs will protest, the more meciful ones amongst us will protest, media will beam tragic scenes around the global and evoke sympathy for the innocent. But will be being merciful eventually backfire on the rest of the world?
North Korea's actions have been consistently aggressive and out-of-line with norms. How are we to know that its leadership will not put nuclear options into play in its next brinksmanship? Is the world going to be continually threatened by this rogue administration or it is going to come together and finally put a stop to the unreasonable demands of North Korea?
The country is already so poor and relies heavily on foreign aid to sustain its citizens but the leaders are enjoying a much better quality of living. Isn't this ironic when North Korea is supposedly one of the last pure communist states? All citizens are equal but some are more equal than others.
The country further maintains a huge standing army! How can one justify keeping such a big army when the citizens are finding it hard to make ends meet? Anyone who has played war-theme RPG computer simulation games know that there is a need to balance resources with army size.
The international community is perhaps being too humane to North Korea. The citizens of the country are at no fault and should not be punished for all these. Yet, if we take a leaf out of our experiences in war-simulation games, if we choke the flow of resource flows and the nation is unable to provide for itself, a natural attrition of its population will happen, consequentially affecting the army size that is maintainable.
The problem is that the North Korea issue is not a game. It is politically far too damaging to allow the innocent citizens of a country to die by withdrawing much needed aid. NGOs will protest, the more meciful ones amongst us will protest, media will beam tragic scenes around the global and evoke sympathy for the innocent. But will be being merciful eventually backfire on the rest of the world?
North Korea's actions have been consistently aggressive and out-of-line with norms. How are we to know that its leadership will not put nuclear options into play in its next brinksmanship? Is the world going to be continually threatened by this rogue administration or it is going to come together and finally put a stop to the unreasonable demands of North Korea?
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