NORTH KOREA: A Ticking Time Bomb
A lot has been written about North Korea’s
nuclear tests in the lasts 4 years from February 2013 to September 2017 and it could lead to nuclear catastrophe.North
Korea has stepped up it’s efforts to acquire a ICBM missile capable of hitting
the US mainland.Their gains in nuclear tests have been frighteningly
astonishing by increasing the yield from 2KT to 100KT in the last 4 years.The
last test on 3rd September 2017 highlighted that fact.The world cant
seem to shy away from it either as it has brought the bleak possibility of WW3 into a glaring reality.
The ‘War of Words’ and rhetoric between US
president Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un is raising fears of
the risk of a miscalculation by either side could lead to massive
repercussions.US- backed UN sanctions has not at all deterred the young
dictator from possessing a nuclear bomb.Diplomatic solution to the crisis looks
to have been exhausted.China, who is the biggest trade partner of the
North(accounting for 75% of the
country’s exports) , hasn’t done enough to rein in it’s reclusive neighbour.
The world largely seems to have reached a consensus on North Korea and it’s
nuclear programme.
Two factors that really rule the roost in
this whole crisis: First is that the UN and it’s allies have to set a precedent
for countries like Iran, who are trodding towards the path of nuclear
proliferation have to be stopped in their wake as it will avert the terrifying
aspect of a nuclear armed world.Secondly the expertise achieved by North Korea
in this field could mean substantial gains for Pakistan.Another country sitting
on a time bomb.A safe haven for terrorists under political patronage.After all
it was Pakistan who is directly responsible for North Korea developing a
nuclear bomb with exporting highly sensitive information as confessed by Abdul
Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb.Though their is a bit of
hypocrisy and skepticism regarding USA’s moral stance on nuclear smuggling.It
let Pakistan off the hook in 1998 when it conducted a nuclear test considering
their record.It did not punish Pakistan
with the same crippling sanctions as it has done to North Korea.
The world has already gone to war over the
Korean peninsula once back in 1950 when a 20 nation UN alliance fought against
the Communist faction of North Korea, China and Soviet Union.The conflict that
raged for over 3 years often under brutal conditions did not end decisively
enough with no side coming out of it clean resulting in a bloody stalemate.Is
the world ruing that inconclusive outcome? Possibly yes.A unified Korea would
have been far easier to deal with if the South Korean led alliance had
prevailed in the war. In Today’ world
the predicament is more complex than the one back in 1950, in the age of
nuclear technology the conventional aspects of warfare and it’s role has
diminished considerably. USA has been firm on it’s word about North Korea but
can it take the fight to North as it did back in 1950? Can it take tough
measures against Chinese companies, who have a huge say on the American
economy? These are some vital questions that need answering.Time is running out
with every passing day to reach a compromise with North Korea.There is no way
Kim will abandon his nuclear dreams and there has to be a face saving agreement
for both sides to come out of it clean.Although both don’t look like relenting
from their respective positions and a nuclear apocalypse is a genuine
possibility!Credits: Anant Thakur
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