What To Do About North Korea

North Korea's launch of a satellite (allegedly for space exploration) has once again tied the hands of the global community.

It shouldn't be that way.

North Korea, one of the last Stalinist states, can afford to arm itself (no doubt with Russian and/or Chinese help) but cannot afford to feed its physically, emotionally and politically stunted people. Is there anyone naive enough to believe this famine-ravaged militaristic state wants to explore?

South Korea tip-toes on egg-shells so as not to offend its wayward neighbour.

China and Russia have permanent seats on the UN security council and veto any concrete action Japan, the US and South Korea come up with.

North Korea has proven once again it can blackmail an entire globe. How long will this continue?What can be done?

Allow aid groups to continue to operate, however secretly, in North Korea. Demand to see where aid goes. Apply punitive measures for businesses operating in North Korea. Find ALL of the Kim dynasty's accounts and freeze them. Make sure Kim Jong-Il has nowhere to go if he is ever ousted.

I believe President Lee Myung-Bak should take a stronger stance against North Korea, even to the point of engaging it. If need be, he should step up on missile defense. That may anger the North Koreans but even food aid bothers them*.

*** Food is distributed to the higher echelons of North Korean society. The Kim dynasty and the military take whatever aid is given to North Korea for themselves. Anyone whose grandparents may have helped the Japanese during the annexation get next to nothing. There are entire strata of the North Korean populace that get nothing.***

I believe it is time for Japan to re-arm. After the Second World War, Japan was made to sign an agreement never to re-arm. Now the tables, such as they were/are, have turned. If North Korea is ever successful in launching a military strike against Japan, the Japanese could be at the mercy of a foe that has traditionally hated them for centuries. Entire cities could be wiped out. With a proper missile defense system and the will to use it, Japan could call North Korea's bluff if Japan destroys Taepodong missiles in Japanese air space. This will anger North Korea but more so China.

China must be neutralised as a threat AND a supporter of the North Korean regime. Is there a way to remove China from a veto position or from the security council? Can foreign companies be penalised for trading with China as they should be with North Korea? Can any arms be intercepted before they reach North Korea? These options should be explored.

Russia, too, must be neutralised as an ally with the same measures as China. With its ever-shrinking economy, Russia depends on its arms deals. There must be a way to punish them if caught in the act.

The US cannot afford to "strongly word" anything. If North Korea does possess the ability to strike American interests (and it is possible), a mere sanction (sanctions haven't worked before) isn't going to cut it. As no one can (or should) reason with Kim Jong-Il, economic measures can be applied short of military interception. President Obama can penalise businesses who operate in North Korea or which use North Korean labour. Outlying western states such as Alaska, Washington and California should be kept abreast of the North Korean situation and boost their missile defense system (which Governor Palin has suggested). Now is not the time to cut back on missile defense. All it takes is one missile and Kim Jong-Il knows that.

In order for this blackmail to stop, stronger action - not words- must be taken.