Opaque Lucidity

I'm So Whonwee

It looks like North Korea may be on the verge of putting on another rocket show. When I see stories like this, I can't help but wonder what the average rocket technician there thinks of his work. Does he know how old the technology is? Or is he filled with patriotic fervor thinking that his rocket force keeps the Yankees and their South Korean lap dogs at bay?

The reason for these pitiful displays of 50's aerospace engineering is simple: Pyongyang wants something. First, Kim Jong Il wants direct, bilateral talks with the United States. I don't know why they don't like the current six-way talks; the only thing I can think of is the fact that Japan is sitting at the table.

Second, they probably want money. North Korea is slowly dying, mainly due to the current regime's belief in self-reliance (in other words, a closed Marxist society)---the Juche ideal. The ruling class in Pyongyang lives well while most of the population lives on the brink of starvation. The elites aren't worried about feeding the hungry. They are worried about staying in power.

Finally, they may want a deal similar to what President Clinton promised them in 1994. Then-Secretary of State Madeline Albright made an agreement in which North Korea agreed to quit developing nuclear weapons in exchange for pressurized water reactor technology. Of course, they cheated, we withdrew the offer and here we stand today. They will not get another agreement like this.

The best way to handle North Korea, in my opinion, would be to ignore the regime entirely. After all, they obviously want our attention. It's like a spoiled child: if he knows that crying will bring you running, then he will cry.