U.S. & North Korea Containment

                  On Friday, April 13, North Korea attempted to launch some satellite-rocket against the word of the rest of the world.  Although it failed, Barack Obama has decided that the U.S. may need to engage the issue.  He explains that, “…they made a decision that they have to live with…We can’t keep trying to help them help themselves.” Hilary Clinton has been attempting to gather N. Korea for talks but explains that each time anyone tries to intervene with their affairs, their behavior only gets worse. All in all, after violating two Security Council resolutions, the U.S. is pushing for tough condemnation of North Korea.

                  With all other countries against the launch of this satellite and the North Korea launching regardless, another instance of necessary containment seems to be at hand here.  In another blog article by CNN, it is stated that this attempted launch is a clear signal that N. Korea may be on the verge of an underground nuclear testing, threatening many nations of the world.  Obama rightfully so sees that allowing North Korea to continue with such misbehavior will only encourage the same until North Korea becomes a clear and present danger to what peace currently exists.

                  If there is no containment of North Korea by the U.S. or the rest of the U.N., then the safety of the people is at stake.  As we mentioned in class recently, containment culture has received a horrible name from its Cold War beginnings.  In many situations, it absolutely deserves that name.  But in some drastic scenarios, containment must be employed for the greater good.  In this instance – albeit at worst – the lack of U.S. control over North Korea could cause a threat that builds into nuclear war.  Once this happens, then the bad-name containment can be expected to most definitely make a return, as war time containment is much more propagandistic and deft towards the people taking it in.

                  It’s ironic that I myself am taking sides with the U.S. in their world super power actions, seeing as I generally find our country’s intervention over the line and sometimes for the wrong reason.  Let it be known that I am not the most knowledgeable person of international news either.  This makes me wonder whether or not North Korea is even a threat at all.  Are they actually attempting to conquer the world?  All the accounts within the CNN blog are from U.S. officials and there’s been no opportunity to get an account of what North Korea has perceived of us (Is North Korea being difficult, or is our government not hearing them out?).  From the way these few articles are written and framed, it does seem that way.  It does seem strange however, that I myself have seemed to miss any word on the fact that this was in progress at all.  If it is such a possibly dangerous ordeal, I feel it should have held more chatter around this campus (which is the only way I – who reads no blogs or news, who watches no television – would hear of such a thing).

                  To sum it up, if we are being told the total truth, then the containment of North Korea must be called for. However, if we are missing some pieces of the story, then perhaps we have some questions to ask ourselves, here on the home front.

-Jon McAllister

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/13/u-s-could-shift-to-containment-strategy-for-north-korea/