Is Rocket-Man Crazy? - Kevin Conne -

Is Rocket-Man Crazy?

Many Americans would like to believe that Kim Jong Un is an insane tyrannical dictator who wants nothing more than nuclear war with the United States. I believe this is a gross oversimplification as well as a major misconception about just what Kim Jong Un is trying to do with his regime, so unwilling to negotiate a compromise in terms of his nuclear weapons.  Additionally, I think Kim Jong Un’s obsession with nuclear weapons is largely based on the North Korean idea that the United States and North Korea are still at war. While this is not true in the conventional sense, technically speaking, Kim Jong Un is right because the Korean War did not end by one side surrendering, but rather an armistice agreement. Because of this, theoretically the United States and South Korea are still allies in a war against North Korea. However, the reality is that even if it is an armistice, it is an armistice that has stood for 65 years. My opinion is that now that both sides have nuclear capability, no one truly wants another war with North Korea and United States. 65 years ago before North Korea possessed a nuclear weapon, the Truman administration did publicly consider using new nuclear weapons against North Korea. This makes me feel that Kim Jong Un is not an insane dictator. In many ways, he is quite the opposite. Don't get me wrong, he's absolutely a dictator. However, he is quite rational, and he knows the international game quite well. He knows who the players are and just what makes them powerful. In the 21st-century, what makes you powerful is a nuclear missile that can reach anywhere in the world. It doesn't matter how big your country is, how many people you have, or who your friends are. If you can put a nuclear missile anywhere on this planet, you are an international player. You give up that power, your people are going to rise up and remove you from power. Hopefully they let you leave the country powerless and in exile, but most likely you will end up dead. Kim Jong Un figured this out at a very young age when he took control of his country. He was able to look around the world and see the countless examples of dictators who decided to suspend the nuclear programs or agree to not pursue nuclear ambitions, with the idea that this would make the world a safer place. He also saw those rulers get thrown out of power and realized that his country is uniquely situated in a very dangerous part of the world. Stuck between many great superpowers, North Korea's only option is to be strong despite its size. With a nuclear missile. it doesn't matter the size of your country. It doesn't matter how big your armies are. In many ways, Kim Jong Un is not an insane leader but rather one who studied history and understands that foreign policy is set by those who are strong.  In the end, (the strong do what they can and the weak except what they must).

Kim Jong Un understands that the survival of his country and his regime depends on the United States remaining an enemy of the North Korea. This conflict is the justification that Kim Jong Un uses to explain to his people why they need to suffer and why they need to spend so much on defense/security. If North Korea did not have nuclear weapons, the United States, I believe would not put up with the rhetoric and atrocities of North Korea. Because without nuclear weapons, the United States would be able to topple Kim Jong Un's regime with very little effort.  North Korea is a very small country which has a strong military on paper. However, without its nukes, it becomes very weak very quickly which leads it open to being overthrown by a large imperialist power. The North Koreans know all too well what happens when an imperialist power invades. They have fought many wars against the United States and Japan to remove a globalist /imperialist power. In the end, Kim Jong Un needs his nukes because without them the United States could easily topple his regime. His nukes also make an otherwise insignificant country very important on the world stage.

Whether you believe Kim Jong Un is an insane dictator or a smart cunning leader, one cannot argue that North Korea has become a player on the world stage.