Columns

New: ECLECTIC RANT:The United States versus North Korea

Ralph E. Stone
Monday August 14, 2017 - 10:58:00 AM

The U.S. continues to view North Korea’s rulers as cartoonish madmen. Kim Jong-un, North Korea's ruler, probably isn’t crazy. Like his grandfather and father before him, Kim has generally behaved in a predictable and rational way for the ruler of a small, poor country trying to preserve his own grip on power in the face of bigger and more powerful rivals.

Anyway, it is not advisable to belittle a man with his finger on a nuclear weapon. I find little comfort that Trump has his finger on our nuclear button. 

When Kim baits him, it doesn't help when Trump bites and vows to unleash “fire and fury like the world has never seen.” Aggressive rhetoric against North Korea could backfire on Trump, convincing Kim Jong-un that his regime is in imminent jeopardy and triggering a pre-emptive attack against the U.S. 

Consider what North Korea is facing. The U.S. has 35,000 troops in South Korea and holds annual joint military exercises with South Korea. Recently, the U.S. introduced anti-missile batteries into South Korea without Moon Jae-in, the new liberal South Korean president’s knowledge. Moon had the good sense to suspend their deployment. In addition, the United Nations imposed its harshest sanctions yet against North Korea, with the Security Council voting unanimously to punish the regime for developing ballistic missiles that could reach Japan and the U.S. 

What we need is a dialogue to reduce tension and avoid catastrophic miscalculation. Currently, we are on the road to conflict. 

South Korea’s president has declared he'd be willing to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "at any time, at any place" -- circumstances permitting. 

I say the U.S. should back off from the brink and fully support Moon’s diplomacy effort. The alternative is more back-and-forth bellicose rhetoric that could lead to a nuclear confrontation. 

It is worth a try.