15 February 2005

Time for China to Step Up

Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute has a really good opinion piece on N. Korea and the fact that they have paid absolutely no price whatsoever for their antisocial behavior, and therfore there is no economically rational incentive for them to behave any differently than they have so far. Read the Whole Piece.

". . . North Korea has borne exactly no costs for what is ostensibly an extraordinarily destabilizing nuclear transgression..."

The Chicago Sun-Times editorial page argues that China has the best opportunity to influence N. Korea. I agree, it is time for China to step up the pressure, or deal with the consequences of a nuclear arms race in the region.

China absolutely does not want to face a Nuclear armed Japan, or even better a Nuclear armed Taiwan. It is time for China to step up to the plate. If not, they need to stay out of the way if we have to deal with it.

Should China fail to act, they can fairly be seen to have forfeited any claim to the mantle of worldpower.

-SpinDaddy