Disclaimers, Mission Statement, and Comment Policy
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog are those of the post’s author alone. Everything you read here is based on open sources or sources we know through our private associations. The views expressed on this blog are not the views of any other organization, entity, agency, or company. In fact, we don’t even necessarily speak for each other, although we do generally agree on a few fundamentals.
On Diplomacy: The most accurate way to predict the behavior of people and governments is to examine how they’ve behaved in the past. In the past, North Korea has negotiated in bad faith, shown little respect for human life, broken its agreements, and violated international customary law without hesitation. Regimes lacking respect for human life are seldom as interested in preserving life by maintaining peace as they are in maintaining power by threatening war. Regimes like this begin by killing their own people; once they feel able, they eventually turn on their neighbors. North Korea will continue to be mortal threat to its own people and its neighbors as long as it is ruled by such a regime. Diplomacy cannot alter these fundamental realities, and supporting the regime financially can only extend and exacerbate them.
North Korea will not reform gradually as the result of quiet diplomacy or financial incentives. The rulers of North Korea understand that they will be deposed if they relax their grip on total control of the population.
On the U.S.-South Korean Alliance: Alliances are based on shared interests and values. Extending the reign of a democidal regime is inconsistent with the interests and values of the United States. The United States should not indirectly extend the reign of the North Korean regime by giving military and financial support to governments that do so directly. The presence of U.S. military forces in Korea should depend on both U.S. national interests and political conditions of Korea. If South Korea chooses to support the North Korean regime, it should be prepared to do so without the support of U.S. taxpayers.
On Proliferation: North Korea admits to having nuclear weapons and has been caught transferring uranium hexafluoride to Libya, then a known supplier of terrorists, through the A.Q. Khan network. It has sold missiles to Syria, Yemen, Pakistan, and Iran. It produces and traffics in illegal drugs and counterfeit currency. The danger that the North Korean regime could supply weapons of mass murder to terrorists makes it a grave threat to the rest of the world.
On Making North Korea a Fit Place for Its People: North Korea will only change when its government reflects the will of its people. North Korea’s people want most of the same things people everywhere want: self-determination; freedom of expression, religion and association; food and clean water; good education for their kids; marriage and families; some frivolous entertainment; and the satiation of their intellectual curiosities. They want all of these things without fear of Thought Police, firing squads, or labor camps.
The North Korean regime has intentionally deprived the North Korean people of the fundamental necessities of life so that it could build a gargantuan army and nuclear weapons. Somewhere between 50,000 and 300,000 North Koreans want those the necessities of life so badly that they risked their lives, crossed over to China, and live like fugitives. We believe that many others, who cannot leave, also wish not to live under Kim Jong Il’s reign. We want what they want.
On Accomplishing Regime Change: Invading North Korea could cost millions of lives. It would only play toward North Korea’s strengths–a massive conventional military sewn together by xenophobic propaganda.
We believe that the liberation of North Korea should be accomplished by the North Korean people with the political and material support of free nations everywhere. This requires us to help North Koreans build a clandestine opposition movement inside their country. This process will not be quick, easy, or bloodless. It is still the best remaining alternative, and there is reason to hope that it can undermine the loyalty of portions of the North Korean military.
On Restoring Democracy and the Rule of Law: Members of the regime must be held responsible for their crimes against humanity only after being tried in free North Korean courts, in accordance with internationally accepted judicial procedures. There must be no collective punishment, vengeance against family members, or punishment without trial.
On Reunification: After a brief period during which essential conditions of survival are restored, the Koreas should reunify under democratic rule. South Korea and its allies must immediately and urgently plan for this contingency. It will require a careful balancing of economic freedom and protection of the North Korean people from economic exploitation.
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Corrections: We take the accuracy of the information on this blog very seriously. We give reports published in reliable sources a rebuttable presumption of accuracy, but scrutinize all reports for inconsistencies, conflicts with known facts, and flawed logic. Our citation of published reports means only that we’re citing that said fact is reported at the linked source. It doesn’t mean we affirm the accuracy of the statement unless we explicitly say so. If you think we’ve stated anything that’s incorrect, please comment or e-mail us. The more links you provide to reliable sources supporting your point, the more likely it is you’ll persuade us.
Comments: You have a right to start your own blog, but you don’t necessarily have a right to comment here. Comments have a purpose: to correct factual inaccuracies and contribute to intelligent conversation. Link reliable sources to support facts you assert. Share your special and unique knowledge or insight. Don’t stoop to gratuitous (as opposed to tasteful or clever) profanity or abuse. Have a point. State it up front. Stay on topic. If you really believe Bush is Hitler or Abu Ghraib is Mauthausen, you haven’t the moral perspective to distinguish a gas chamber from a fart in a crowded elevator–please take that somewhere else. Ditto race-baiting and spam. We’re going for a higher level of discussion here, not flame wars. Challenge us, educate us, make us think, make us cry, make us laugh . . . and we will welcome you regardless of your views.
James J. Na “¢ Joshua “¢ Richardson