Friday, November 26, 2010

In the past few months, North Korea's hostility seemed to be waning a bit. There was hope that perhaps Kim Jong-Il was becoming too senile and had nominated a youthful, western educated Kim Jong-Un. There was a proposal of reunification and of course North Korea's willingness to participate in the 2010 World Cup.

Well a few days after a devastating attack on a South Korean island should restore the unpredictability that we had grown to ignore.

Why this happened, no one seems to have a clue. South Korea will reassert its claim that it should fear its Northern neighbors with an attack like that. South Korean soldiers are going through different military exercises with the 28000 or so troops stationed there.

A little common sense. Obviously we are all worried that the North will attack again but when you are preparing a country in military exercises with the expectation that there will be another round of military fisticuffs, that's not quite promoting peace either.

Luckily China has decided to step in and promote peace given that it is one of North Korea's few allies, but how effective will they be.

This attack has just given us a reason to perhaps dismiss the possibility of reunification. Our new North Korean focus is how can we lull the angry North Korean government back to a serene state where it is willing to negotiate.

Of course South Korea is angry because about 200 shells were fired at the peaceful island. Right now the West and South Korea should take a more reactionary position and see what North Korea's next move is. In the meantime there should be immediate talks coordinated between the two leaders.

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