Danoz
10-10-2006, 06:55 AM
North Korea. Most of the country is a wasteland, and the north doesn't consider all its people "citizens". Gaining "citizenship" to one of the major cities, namely, Pyongyang, ensured the people living there relative means of survival (and even theatres, art, music etc)... most chilling of these are probably the mass games, where stunning displays of acrobatics and "human pixels" are used to create massive tributes to North Korea and the Great (or dear) Leader. Meanwhile, the people starve. Prison camps (the Kwan Li So) are scattered throughout the nation where one can be punished for something as simple as whispers of South Korean songs or rumors or practicing Christianity. Pyongyang, for many years, was supposed to be this prime example of “communism working†(hence the massive expensive theatrical undertakings).But, even those in the comfort of Pyongyang citizenship are now starving, and there won’t be an insurrection… why? Because the North Korean government has successfully convinced, and brainwashed its people into believing that the United States is personally responsible for all their suffering. They organize rallies reminiscent of an Orwellian “hate weekâ€, and in their isolation the children are given the image of George Bush and America as symbols of evil and hatred—while they conversely raise their leader to God-like status.
Here’s the point. Sanctions are used as a tool, not necessarily to “squeeze the nobilityâ€, but to pressure the masses into revolution. When you cut funding to an oppressive dictator, the first (also arguably the most illogical) action is to increase military expenditures and let the people starve. The propaganda of death and starvation in the streets is then used as a tool of the oppressor, while slowly (but surely) the internal support for the government starts to waver and the logic is that the government will also become crippled by it, and be forced to abandon its programs in question. In this military regime, I don’t think it’s going to change the hearts and minds of the people whose hatred has been carefully crafted for over half a century. If China goes through with serious sanctions, North Korea will probably be pressured to take further rash action—but we’re in a situation where inaction inevitably gives a pass to other nations with the same ambitions. Many are suggesting a “domino effect†will occur if the UN Security Council fails to respond accordingly. Since the actions of this entire nation are decided at the whim of a man whose psychological soundness is at best questionable, it’s fair to say we aren’t dealing with a “rational actor†by any stretch. When the United States imposed sanctions on Cuba, they had the support of the Soviet Union and other communist regimes to run to; our best chance is the support of China, whose rhetoric and threats of sanctions needs to be strong enough to get the DPRK back into the six party talks. We should also stress our strong alliances with South Korea and Japan, and make very public, very visible statements of these alliances (if you all remember the US deployment of the USS Shiloh (CG-67) with anti-ballistic missile capability to Japanese shores back in August). The uniting of Japan and China over this issue is another very good sign. I’m optimistic that Kim Jong Il wanted attention from the world, even if that attention came with a price tag of losing support from its only major trade partners. If anything, we should be glad that North Korea took an action that forces China out of this lukewarm stance on the subject.
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Here’s the point. Sanctions are used as a tool, not necessarily to “squeeze the nobilityâ€, but to pressure the masses into revolution. When you cut funding to an oppressive dictator, the first (also arguably the most illogical) action is to increase military expenditures and let the people starve. The propaganda of death and starvation in the streets is then used as a tool of the oppressor, while slowly (but surely) the internal support for the government starts to waver and the logic is that the government will also become crippled by it, and be forced to abandon its programs in question. In this military regime, I don’t think it’s going to change the hearts and minds of the people whose hatred has been carefully crafted for over half a century. If China goes through with serious sanctions, North Korea will probably be pressured to take further rash action—but we’re in a situation where inaction inevitably gives a pass to other nations with the same ambitions. Many are suggesting a “domino effect†will occur if the UN Security Council fails to respond accordingly. Since the actions of this entire nation are decided at the whim of a man whose psychological soundness is at best questionable, it’s fair to say we aren’t dealing with a “rational actor†by any stretch. When the United States imposed sanctions on Cuba, they had the support of the Soviet Union and other communist regimes to run to; our best chance is the support of China, whose rhetoric and threats of sanctions needs to be strong enough to get the DPRK back into the six party talks. We should also stress our strong alliances with South Korea and Japan, and make very public, very visible statements of these alliances (if you all remember the US deployment of the USS Shiloh (CG-67) with anti-ballistic missile capability to Japanese shores back in August). The uniting of Japan and China over this issue is another very good sign. I’m optimistic that Kim Jong Il wanted attention from the world, even if that attention came with a price tag of losing support from its only major trade partners. If anything, we should be glad that North Korea took an action that forces China out of this lukewarm stance on the subject.
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