Gary Bauer writing at Campaign for Working Families makes the following observations and asks crucial questions we find compelling. The bold emphasis is ours. Related posts engendered follow-on questions and observations.
Gary Bauer: “Under multiple U.S. presidents, it has been America’s policy that North Korea not be permitted to develop weapons systems that could threaten the continental United States. The main strategy employed by previous administrations to enforce this policy — economic sanctions — has failed. The result is that the North Koreans have accelerated their progress. President Trump has no good options, and big media cannot wait to blame him for whatever happens. The Washington Post website features a top story with this headline: ‘Trump Has Never Had A Plan For Dealing With North Korea.’ And what exactly was Barack Obama’s brilliant plan? He had eight years to deal with North Korea. Trump has been in office for five months. If a military solution is pursued, it is very likely that both North and South Korea will suffer high casualties. While many leftists insist that is unacceptable, the question remains: What will we do if Kim starts blackmailing his neighbors and us? By the way, the threat is far greater than just one rogue regime in Asia. There is tremendous military cooperation between North Korea and Iran. One weapons expert recently said, ‘In the past, we would see things in North Korea and they would show up in Iran. In some recent years, we’ve seen some small things appear in Iran first and then show up in North Korea.’ Unfortunately, whatever technological advances Pyongyang just achieved, Tehran just achieved them too.”
While listening to the “mainstream” media reports about the latest North Korean ICBM missile test, David Mall, resident scholar here at V’pac.com asked , why not shoot them down? Evaluating and extrapolating the question we found the reasoning to be plausible. Consider:
The missiles are shot out over international water. They are unmanned. Having left North Korea’s recognized boundaries unannounced the projectiles destination is unknown. At the very least it is plausibly a hazard to shipping, and worse yet from liberal’s mindset, aquatic life. What matters of international law that North Korea is a signatory to, and abides by honestly, are other nation’s bound to honor with respect to it?
One might justify stopping the missile over international water as it is a potential threat, not knowing its intended trajectory, timing, and payload. Or claim it (competing claims can proceed) as an item to salvage, unguided (no evidence of manifest), abandoned (not manned) with whatever means at one’s disposal.
What reasonable nation’s should not do is allow such despotic nut case leaders in Iran and North Korea to develop their aggressive capabilities.
The idea that, well if we do that then other nation’s could do it to us is incredibly pathetic. The result of that reasoning is to let despotic regimes proceed to develop their capabilities until you cannot do anything about it and then be subject to their blackmail and likely cause more death and destruction for want of serious action early on.
International law or precedent is not a suicide pact.
R Mall
