Playing Better with the Other Kids
Here's a decidedly minority opinion about the consequences of Pyongyang's latest Six-Party reactions (via Observing Japan's «Bush tries to reassure Japan»:).
...it can be argued that the Six Party process, whatever its outcome, is helping to 'socialise' the Pyongyang regime, bringing it closer to the international community and making it slightly less likely that North Korea would ever use its weapons.
I have one problem with this intriguing notion. It works if Pyongyang has truly decided to change its ways. Yet, if consensus within the Six-Party process breaks down, then Pyongyang could reassert itself by resuming a divide-and-conquer strategy, with at least Beijing and Moscow in its corner. And, also, if the US is not sincere about the Six-Party process (which is different from what Roggeveen argues contra OFK), then, again, consensus and pressure on Pyongyang might fracture.
The problem I see with the DPRK nuclear issue is, that it is rarely a front-burner issue. A.Q, Khan's «Pakistani Pipeline» might have supplied enriched uranium technology. Beijing's diplomatic and economic influence on Pyongyang trumps American and South Korean efforts. Unification is politically more immediate in most South Koreans' minds. Japanese conservatives want the abductions issue resolved.
Pyongyang survives because its opponents don't.
Sphere: Related Content
Barrapunto
CoRank Español
Delicious
Enchílame
Fresqui Ocio
Furl
Google Bookmarks
Menéame
Netscape
Newsvine
Stumbleupon
Technorati Favorites
Yahoo MyWeb
Write a comment
No trackbacks
RSS 2.0
Bloglines
Live
MyAOL
Netvibes
Newsgator
Rojo
Write a comment
If you want to add your comment on this post, simply fill out the next form:
You can use these XHTML tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>.
No comments
Be the first to write a comment on this post.
No trackbacks
To notify a mention on this post in your blog, enable automated notification (Options > Discussion in WordPress) or specify this trackback url: http://www.radicalcontrapositions.com/left_flank/2008/07/03/playing-better-with-the-other-kids-2/trackback/