North Korea

North Korea has been in the news once again, in part because it detonated an underground bomb that was equivalent in strength to the bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. It is worth noting that the only two nuclear detonations in the 21st century have been done by North Korea.

North Korea also declared that it is no longer bound by the 1953 truce that ended the Korean War. It’s a pattern North Korea has followed for years: negotiate, pretend to cooperate, and then return to its old ways. The latest words from North Korea are nothing new. The country routinely threatens war against South Korea and renounced the armistice back in 2006. Much of this is bluster, but that doesn’t mean that President Obama can ignore North Korea.

While it is certainly possible that North Korea might someday launch a nuclear-armed missile at a neighboring country, the greater threat is nuclear proliferation. It is likely to market it nuclear technology or material to other nations or terrorist groups. Currently North Korea rakes in $1.5 billion a year from the sale of arms. It is already suspected of transferring nuclear material to such countries as Libya and Syria.

What should the U.S. do? First, we should demand China and Russia agree to stronger punitive measures in the UN Security Council. Frankly, it is in their best interests. China and Russia should be worried about the possibility of North Korea unraveling. The two countries depend on North Korea serving as a buffer state between them and South Korea. The collapse of North Korea would certainly mean millions of North Korean refuges would be streaming across the border into China.

Second, the U.S. should continue to deploy a missile defense system. This is no time to cut missile defense, yet President Obama slashed $1.4 billion in funding. Currently we have 25 interceptors in Alaska and three in California. But the president wants to cap deployment at 30. Congress should restore funding missile defense.

Diplomacy, partnership with China and Russia, and missile defense are the best options for now. I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view.