North Korea: Policy Change

To claim that North Korea is a country with no hope is delusional and untrue. Kim Jong Il, the fiery and irrational dictator of North Korea needs to change, or better still, forced out of power. Remember, dictators of the ilk of Kim don’t possess a plan to an ultimate objective. Their only objective is to remain in power. At whatever cost. America and the world need a plan to address a change in policy as well as a regime.



Ever since the 19th century, North Korea has been used and abused. First it was China until 1894, followed by Japan who beat the Chinese in the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-95. It finally received independence in 1948, after the Second World War when the Japanese were humiliated. It’s better southern half has paced ahead in terms of economic growth and freedom, while North under the dictatorial regime of Kim Il Sung and then his even worse son Kim Jong Il has declined. Not faded.



The United States policy with respect to North Korea has been hopelessly inconsistent and inadequate.   Like with Cuba, and as Fareed Zakaria argues, it relies on imposing economic sanctions and waiting for the downfall of these regimes. And like with Cuba, all it has done is break the bone of the middle class and ensured and allowed their hapless leaders to continue. Today Fidel Castro would be leading Cuba for the 41st consecutive year.



Clearly, engagement with North Korea is not a priority for George Bush. And rightly so. North Korea has one of the most appalling human rights records ever recorded in history. Its 23 million habitants are on the brink of poverty, due to the droughts and famines that have occurred since 1997. And North Korea has violated a serious 1994 agreement, which required it to freeze its nuclear weapons program. It is entirely dependent on aid from the UN and China with respect to food and power. Apparently, China supplies North Korea 75% of its electricity and 40% of its food, fearing if North Korea...