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Editor’s note: The views expressed by guest columnists are not necessarily those of The Costa Rica Star, its advertisers, or its staff.
North Korea! For 70-plus years the situation involving Korea – North and South – has been festering along with plenty of ‘saber-rattling’ as tensions rise and fall like the winds of time.
All the past presidents from Truman to Obama had their dealings with North Korea, but this extremist regime that defies rational definition has been allowed to build a powerful nuclear military complex that now threatens the entire Pacific Ocean basin. This leaves the North Korean threat smack dab in President Donald Trump’s, Defense Secretary James Mattis’ and Secretary-of-State Rex Tillerson’s laps.
Not since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 — when the former communist Soviet Union loaded up the nearby Caribbean island-nation of communist Cuba with nuclear missiles — has the world seen such an imminent nuclear-threat North Korea now represents. Unstable and extremist-run Iran may have a nuclear weapon soon, but North Korea has them now.
After World War II, Korea was split in half with the Soviets taking over the northern half of the country leaving the south a free nation defended by the U.S. Then in 1950, North Korea invaded the south and the Korean Civil War began, but it never really ended. In 1953, when the fighting stopped no peace treaty was ever signed. America’s military fought long and hard to keep South Korea from falling to the communists. The Korean War is often referred to by veterans as the Forgotten War.
South Korea is now a robust nation – dating back to 8,000 BC — of 51.5 million people living under a constitutional republic with free, democratic elections. Half its population lives in capital Seoul. The United States of America is a principal alley who will defend South Korea from any threats including North Korea, who now is specifically threating the Pacific island of Guam — which is a U.S. territory about three-times the size of Washington, DC, with a large American military base — and located 2,100 miles to the southeast of Korea.
North Korea started out as a communist nation after World War II, but under the current totalitarian dictator – Kim Jong Un — this regime makes communist China look tame. This nation is shrouded in mystery. Its 25.2 million people live under a constant and relentless assault of propaganda with an ever-growing military that drains the nation’s resources. News reports say the population basically lives in poverty and fear of the country’s ruthless 37-year-old dictator and his oppressive military in his full control.
President Trump must see that the world speaks as one in stopping North Korea’s nuclear weapons build up with ballistic missiles proven to be able to reach far beyond North Korea. Just how scary is North Korea? Read this short description of North Korea’s military from Wikipedia.
“North Korea follows Songun, or ‘military-first’ policy. It is the country with the highest number of military and paramilitary personnel — with a total of 9,495,000 active, reserve and paramilitary personnel. Its active-duty army of 1.21 million is the fourth-largest in the world — after China, the United States and India. It possesses nuclear weapons. North Korea is an atheist state with no official religion and where public religion is discouraged.”
Enough said.
Failed foreign policy and failed diplomacy by past administrations – especially those of Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama – have resulted in the current uneasy quagmire with North Korea which is further complicated by involvement with China and Russia, both bordering North Korea.
The latest trade sanctions levied against North Korea appear to have had no effect upon this rogue nation. Missile after missile is launched that go further and further from their shores. The recent United Nations Security Council vote of 15 to 0 is unprecedented with all member nations condemning North Korea’s nuclear weapons development and its threats to use them.
Without the active involvement of Chinese diplomatic negotiations with the U.S. to end North Korea’s nuclear development, what remains is a military solution. But, igniting the military option would leave North Korea in ruins and its people shattered beyond description.
Leaders of Japan and Australia are standing steadfast in their military’s support for defending the region from North Korea’s aggression. South Korea’s military is also on high alert. They are all preparing for the worst while hoping for a diplomatic solution.
But godless North Korea is bringing this wrath to their front door complete with thunder, lightning and suspense.
About the Author
Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.
Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.
