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It sounds like the Cold War all over again. A Communist state has possession of nuclear weapons, and-possibly as a matter of hubris-refuses to give them up, even to the supposed superpowers of both the United States and the United Nations. By proceeding with their planned nuclear weapons tests, North Korean authorities have essentially turned their noses up at the United Nations’ warnings. But North Korea certainly isn’t the first nation to ignore UN demands.The United States became the laughing stock to much of the globe when the government finally admitted in December 2005 that "much of the intelligence," according to President Bush, linking Iraq to Al-Queda proved to be false. That concession came two years after the United States invaded Iraq without the backing of the United Nations.After the Aug. 31 UN ultimatum to Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment activities passed with a 14-1 vote, Iran’s UN Ambassador Javad Zarif deemed the resolution "arbitrary" and illegal under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Zarif claimed the ultimatum violated Iran’s right to pursue nuclear activities for peaceful purposes.Israel, as well, turned its back on the United Nations this summer by violating a UN-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah guerrilla troops in Southern Lebanon, claiming its troops had the right to stop Hezbollah troops from rearming.And, one week after the United Nations imposed sanctions on North Korea, neighboring China and South Korea have already turned their backs on the deal, announcing that neither country will allow troops to examine cross-border shipments into North Korea for nuclear weapons materials. So, if the United States can ignore the UN without consequence, and Iran and Israel can ignore the UN without consequence, and their economic and trade allies China can ignore the UN, why shouldn’t North Korea do the same? Well, that is just what they are doing. And the United States and the United Nations are simply putting themselves in more jeopardy by pushing a country that has already stated it will declare war if we further interfere. Here’s the bottom line: the fifth largest military power in the world plus control of nuclear weapons plus the threat of war equals potential for a grave international crisis. War with North Korea would be undoubtably dangerous, and it would be an invitation for an attack on South Korea and Seoul (with whom North Korea has been at war for over 50 years despite a recent cease-fire). And let’s not forget involving China as well.We could easily welcome the next World War.From past incidents, who’s to believe that North Korean officials, already notorious for domestic human rights abuses, and their irrational leader, will think sensibly about declaring war on any country that threatens them? North Korean authorities warned Japan, Russia, and the United States that they were going to conduct their first nuclear test 20 minutes before the fact. Luckily, the test seemed to have proven a failure, but it did incite an earthquake placed by the United States Geological Survey at 4.2 on the Richter Scale.We have to realize that the United Nations is a valuable diplomatic institution. If nations continue to ignore its sanctions, its role will evaporate entirely and international crises will go unsolved. So far, Thailand, Russia and Japan have already done their part in the North Korean problem by obeying UN trade sanctions. Nations in the UN must step up to the plate and take what the UN says seriously. China and South Korea, which account for the majority of imports into North Korea, are in the best position to illicit a change. And they must.
