Should America Be Worried About North Korea?
In the current world situation, North Korea is an isolate nation, developing nuclear weapons with too much of an aim for world domination. The worrying factor is that it is aiming its weapons towards the United States and, in the eyes of many, a potential war is all too plausible. The majority of the world’s leaders stand worried about North Korea’s latest advancements in the nuclear weapons sector.
The United States itself, is no stranger when it comes to North Korea. During the 1950’s, the US along with other countries had sent troops, to try and discourage North Korea from overstepping their bounds, an attempt that was costly in terms of human life. Fortunately, the US troops managed to keep a grip on North Korea’s attempts, but, since the rise to power of their leader Kim Jong Un, in 2011, the whole global context of North Korea has changed dramatically.
Today, North Korea is America’s number one enemy, due to their many peace initiatives. North Korea has a large number of troops, both military and civilian, and a vast arsenal of nuclear weapons. In recent months, North Korea has tested a number of missiles, some of which are aimed directly at the US. This has raised alarms of nuclear attacks from them, as well as a large fear of war.
The United Nations has imposed strict sanctions upon North Korea to try and prevent its continued development of nuclear weapons, neglecting the welfare of its people in the process, to the disapproval of most of the world’s leaders. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has argued that the sanctions are working and that North Korean missile’s tests are being stopped, yet, recent evidence such as the February 2018 underground nuclear test, have shown that this is not the case.
With that in mind, it is obvious that the US and the world is in a very delicate situation with North Korea, and the decision of whether to go to war or not lies in the US hands. The US has been preparing a number of strategic responses to the North Korea threats, but the possibility of war is always on the horizon. Although North Korea has posed threats, it is likely that the US won’t be able to stop North Korea from getting nuclear weapons on its own.
The polarizing opinions that surround the North Korea topic, has left the US with a situation where it is not sure what to do. Experts from both sides of the argument advise caution when dealing with North Korea, as many agree that the situation can only be solved through a measure of diplomatic dialogue. The US has tried negotiating with North Korea, through diplomatic means, but it appears that the North Korean regime does not want to negotiate in good faith.
At the same time, there is a fear of escalating the situation to a full-fledged war. US president Donald Trump has also threatened North Korea with “fire and fury” and there is an unease in the air as this kind of language has not been used before.
Given the current situation, North Korea has the power to bring destruction on a huge scale and it may be the only way for them to extract concessions from the US. Since North Korea is looking for respect, the US must be very careful in the way it deals with the rogue state. Of course, talking to North Korea may not be the best thing to do, but because of the potential destruction, a careful approach may be the only way to go.
UN Response
The United Nations is also playing an important role in the situation. In response to North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons, the United Nations Security Council has imposed a number of sanctions to try and prevent any further progress. Although the sanctions have resulted in some North Korean funds being frozen, it is likely that North Korea still has the funds to continue its development.
The UN is also hoping to use diplomacy to make a peaceful resolution to the current situation. A meeting between the US and North Korea is being planned at the end of May, 2018 to try and put an end to the current tension. The hope is that the meeting will be successful and a permanent solution can be found.
Although, some believe that the meeting may just be a publicity stunt for North Korea, as its leader Kim Jong Un can use it for his own purposes. It is also possible that he will not back down from his threats and will instead use the meeting to make more demands from the US. Moreover, there is a fear that the US decision makers may make a misjudgment during the meeting and start a war accidentally.
The United Nations is also trying to provide aid and assistance to those countries that are affected by the sanctions that have been imposed upon North Korea. This aid is aimed at helping North Korea’s people more than anything else, as the UN wants to try and improve the quality of life of those who have been adversely affected by the sanctions.
It is clear that the United Nations is taking a very active and aggressive role in the situation, and it is likely that the United Nations will continue to do so until North Korea backs down from its nuclear pursuit. However, it is also clear that the United Nations is not the only answer to the current situation.
US Position
The US is also trying to find a peaceful resolution to the current situation, as war is an undesirable option. The US is using a combination of sanctions and diplomacy to try and pressure North Korea into backing down, although it is unclear how effective this will be in achieving long term peace.
The US is also trying to build a coalition of countries in the region to help them in the struggle against North Korea’s interests. This is a difficult task, as North Korea is looking for allies and is likely to use its political and military strength to acquire them. The US’ attempt to build a coalition, therefore, is a direct threat to North Korea’s interests and is likely to increase the tension between the two nations.
Overall, it appears that the US is looking for a diplomatic solution to the current situation. However, the US stance is made all the more difficult by North Korea’s unpredictable behaviour and the ever increasing threat of a war. With this in mind, it is only natural that the US is worried about the current state of world affairs when it comes to North Korea.
Hypothetical Solutions
The solutions to the current situation, if any, are still unclear and immense debate prevails in the academic communities. One option could be for North Korea to hand over their nuclear weapons in exchange for economic assistance and guarantees of security. This could be an effective solution, however, it is unlikely that North Korea will be willing to part with its nuclear arsenal.
Another potential solution is the US and its allies taking military action against North Korea. This, however, would be a risky move and could provoke a large war in the region. The risk of civilian casualties is also a major concern with this option, as a war could mean disaster for all involved.
Finally, it could be possible for the US to try and put economic sanctions in place to reduce the amount of money that North Korea has in the hands of Kim Jong Un. This could be an effective solution, as it would mean that North Korea would have to invest in its own people rather than military ambitions. However, this could also be seen as an infringement on North Korea’s sovereignty as it would mean that the US would be dictating North Korea’s economic activity.
Conclusion and Predictions
Overall, it is clear that the US and the world is in a very delicate situation with North Korea. The US is in a very uncertain position, as it is not sure what to do and the potential destruction that a war could cause is daunting. The US must make a decision whether to go diplomatic, or to take a more aggressive approach. What’s more, the US needs to make sure that it does not back down in the face of North Korean threats.
In conclusion, the US must take an appropriately cautious approach when dealing with North Korea. It is likely that the US will continue to try and make diplomatic overtures to North Korea whilst also using economic sanctions to try and put pressure on the North Korean regime. It is possible that North Korea will buckle under the pressure and agree to denuclearize, but, it seems more likely that North Korea will continue to develop nuclear weapons in defiance to the international community.
