The Korean Affair....

Finally North Korea has given up the ghost. I mean, a nation can be pushed to the limit only for so long as it can be pushed. The day it realizes that it is reaching the end of its tether, it is wise to cede victory for that day, conserve one's energies, and maybe live another life.

And in this case, it will be a much better life for sure, as in its winter of discontent, North Koreans have suffered immensely, either through the belligerence of its leadership or through the apathy of the world. Maybe I am being harsh on the world, but then I never quite understood the rationale behind imposing economic sanctions and near-total blockades on nations, supposedly to cause tyrants to back down. That really never works that way, does it? I mean, if it were true, then Saddam would have capitulated long before now, and we wouldn't be seeing Iraq in such a mess. In the end, the tyrant always manages to find the loopholes and emerges unscathed, but the common folk are the ones worst affected by these sanctions, and maybe even become more fanatical in their devotion to their 'Leader'.

The important fact is that in this withdrawal, North Korea perhaps has emerged as the biggest winner as more than anyone else, it will be benefited by the peace in the Korean Peninsula. The assurance that its right to the peaceful usage of nuclear energy would be respected, as also that the U.S. would endeavor to normalize relations with North Korea, as also that North Korea would be eligible for vital economic aid, as also major infrastructure assistance, goes a long way in showing why the North Koreans must have chosen to act the way they have acted so far. After all, it is better to have lost the struggle on one's own terms than to have won the battle on someone else's.

And perhaps this has even larger ramifications when it comes to global politics, larger than the Koreas. The U.S. could perhaps seek to learn on how to deal with its problems in a similar manner, in a calm and composed way, led by conversing with the parties concerned, and arriving at a mutually beneficial consensus. The best example of where such an approach could work wonders would be in Iran, where the U.S. is keen to get the ruling government to desist from continuing its nuclear weapons program. Although I am not in any way saying that the U.S. is perhaps justified in stopping others from acquiring nuclear weapons whilst keeping stocks of its own, the rationale behind the mission should be comprehended.

Russia, in its own way, is pushing Iran towards complying with international law. Russia, at last count, was a major supplier of arms and ammunition to Iran; it is investing in key infrastructure areas, and is assisting Iran in improving its domestic facilities. Any decision by Moscow to pull out over Iran's belligerence would be viewed more seriously by the Iranians than all the huffing and puffing from Washington D.C.

So, can we expect some change in the Bushes? I sure do hope so.