Sunday, October 15, 2006

What Now?

Having now found radioactive nuclear material in air samples taken from above the region where the supposed nuclear test took place, there is no question that North Korea did indeed detonate a nuclear bomb. At this point action must be taken to not only ensure U.S. legitimacy but to also secure a safer world. As would be hoped, diplomacy has taken a front seat in the United States plan for dealing with the problem.
In the current version of the Security Council resolution denouncing North Korea several different measures have been proposed. First, the document said that the “DPRK shall suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program and in this context re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on missile launching.” The country also must “abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.” Also, “Pyongyang must further abide by the NPT and IAEA Safeguards Agreements and provide the Agency “transparency measures extending beyond these requirements, including such access to individuals, documentation, equipments and facilities.” Furthermore the DPRK must “abandon all other existing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile program in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.”
Although this document appears to be headed down the right track several problems involving China and Russia have arisen. The terms of the resolution have already been softened three times this week to meet objections from China and Russia. As can be seen by the recent test current sanctions by the United States and the world community are obviously not achieving the desired effect. So what is to be done if China and Russia do not join the process soon? Is it time to turn away from sections and other coercive diplomatic measures and instead turn to a military option? I personally do not believe that we have reached this point of no return, but without help from China and Russia this time is soon approaching. The question to leave with I guess would be how long should the United States wait?

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