North Korea and the Global Community

For years we have alluded to the global community. To many this is not a real community, just  a figurative one. My thinking accepts and encourages a real global community. The governance structure is marginally the United Nations, but the rest of interacting and co-existing is up to the rest of us. We either make each other feel welcome or we don’t. The latter is a poor tactic to adopt! We will always gain more through collaboration and cooperation than solitude. For proof of that just look at North Korea. To control its bad behavior the global community shunned North Korea. It isolated the nation and punished it economically when needed.

Trouble now is apparent: the global treatment of North Korea has only emboldened it to be more independent than ever and represent a major stumbling block to world peace.

Exactly how NK came to be this open sore on humanity is open to debate. It did not have the assets to become a military power without help. I suspect other rogue nations played their part. I also suspect Iran, Russia and yes, even China, played an important role. Unraveling the how and when is not the issues currently; no, the issue is what is the global community going to do about the situation as it currently exists?

Left as it is the situation will only grow worse. It could easily slip into a hot war with unknown consequences. Will this convergence lead to World War III?

A good question and a sobering one. Let’s make this crystal clear: WWIII will only happen if Russia and China let it. They both sit on the doorstep of the miscreant nation. If they have had any role in arming NK, then they alone bear the responsibility of solving the problem. Besides, an uncontrolled hot war in their region will damage them badly.

Look, the Global Community is real. We need to treat it as such. We need to get serious about endowing the UN with the power and resources to do its job and stop the endless gamesmanship that leads to endless dead ends. One day the real dead end will happen. What then? Well, essentially it will be the end of the planet and done so at the hands of mankind in general.

Innocent or not, the end will not be a matter of blame. It will just be the end.

Now do we get it? Do we fully understand the stakes at risk with North Korea.

China, you alone have the most at risk and the most to gain by solving this problem. And quickly. Do not demur. Tell North Korea the facts of life and disarm them. The rest of the world community will help rebuild NK to a kind and gentle nation worthy of its people and age long culture. None of us want another super power making mischief; we all want the people of North Korea to live safely, comfortably and well long into the future. Let them contribute their perspectives, culture and inventiveness to the benefit of the rest of us.

Such a future is possible, but only through collaboration with the Global Community. That route is a two-way street. It will take all of us to make it work. The job requires people of goodwill getting involved. This includes China, and Russia as well. And the United Nations, too. The USA will do its part as it always has.

Do not wait for the trump-ets in Washington DC to take action or spout words of wisdom. They don’t have that talent among them at this time. So, global community step up to the plate and make good things happen.

While America continues to grovel in place over inane issues and small mindedness, the rest of the world is moving ahead. Please do this with a concerted effort in North Korea. They deserve it and the rest of us will be grateful for your leadership and resolve.

Thank You!

September 19, 2017