So Kim Jong Il detonated his nuke. I already argued that he had every right to do so and still practically the whole world was deeply shocked. Especially the Chinese government, which had been pushing for a resumption of the six-party talks.
The Chinese sternly condemned the test, mainly because they lost face. Making the Chinese loose face is always dangerous. Of course Kim knew this, but he still went ahead.
What’s next? Even if China would condone limited sanctions in a U.N. resolution, sanctions are a dead-end street. The only thing sanctions will achieve is to push the North Koreans even more on the path of escalation. Pressure or sanctions will never achieve their intended purpose of tempering the behavior of the recipients of pressure and sanctions.
China is still advocating diplomacy, but ’standard’ diplomacy probably won’t work. The U.S. are still opposed to bilateral talks and the North Koreans are not really in the mood to listen.
Only a major diplomatic initiative could make a difference. With an idiot occupying the White House, nothing positive is expected to emerge from Washington.
In the waning days of his presidency, Bill Clinton made plans to travel to Pyongyang. Time ran out then. Maybe he could still go. I am sure he will like Kim Jong Il’s ‘Pleasure Brigade’…
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