I just came in the news and I'm still kind of shocked, even though I've kind of saw it coming. North Korea declared in their national TV program that they are actively at war again with the south.
Some of my readers are military wives. Some of my personal friends are military wives, and we even have one close friend set to start a tour in South Korea this summer. We are beyond relieved that one close friend has just returned from his tour there and is now safely back in the US.
What I am asking myself is: what is necessary on top of what already happened for someone to step in? I am calling on the US, the UN, the NATO. Yes, I am specifically not mentioning Germany here, because our military is forbidden by our constitution to start a war. That is why our military was not involved in the Iraq war. It was clearly an attack without clear provocation. We were, however, involved in Afghanistan, since it was considered a defensive mission after the Taliban had attacked the USA. We currently have some defensive missiles stationed in Turkey after the government has called for help since Syrian attacks had hit targets in Turkey and have caused casualties among the civilians there. Therefore, without a clear UN or NATO mission, we cannot attack.
But why hasn't the US military done anything? They and South Korea are the first targets, as this madman Kim Jong Un has declared on several occasions (as I recall, Saddam Hussein has not made threads that clear). He most likely has nuclear bombs and missiles that can carry them (Saddam Hussein did not; indeed, in order to justify the mission there, explosives where re-classified as weapons of mass destruction). Why is no-one coming to help the people, who are starving to death and are put away in labor/death camps by the tens of thousands? Didn't the US claim Saddam Husseins acts against the population as another reason to invade? Well, Hussein was definitely no innocent when it came to acts agains human rights. However, the North Korean regime is above and beyond that!
I know the reason why the US has not invaded North Korea, but that's not up to discussion here. What's important now is that world leaders work together beyond primary interests and politics to de-escalate a situation that is probably one of the greatest dangers to world peace and might just develop into the first nuclear conflict after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War 2.
I am scared. I am scared for this world and I am scared for our friends and their spouses. Something has to be done, and quickly.
What is your opinion on the current situation? Are you concerned or do you think Kim Jong Un just rattles his sabers a little louder than usual?
UPDATE: This is the witness statement Ms. Soon Ok Lee, a former inmate of one of North Korea's notorious interment camps has made during a hearing at a US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titles "Examining The Plight Of Refugees: The Case of North Korea". It is a very difficult read describing in great detail the inhumane cruelties the inmates face every single day. I was in tears and had to stop several times, but I would still recommend the read just to know why I feel so strongly about this case.
I'm not much of a news person but I know when I hear war that it means serious business and its nothing to joke about and I pray all things go well. and that it's ended.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Laney! I also hope for the best and an international force to finally take out those looney Kims. It's way past time!!
DeleteWow! Kim Jung Un is still a new leader. There's a lot we don't know about him. Is he emulating his father's foot steps? His father seemed to be mostly talk when he was alive. With what the world is today, we should all be concerned. 9/11 was a surprise. At the time it happened, we as a country had our guard down.
ReplyDeleteJessica
The Wondering Brain
Thank you very much for your thoughts, Jessica! What I've read so far, Un is more compared to his grand-father than his father. I know that Kim Jong Il was a lot of talk and no action; so far, Un has followed up with action, which concerns me. He did the missile testing despite the international disapproval; he now even seems to have angered its more or less only ally China, since they have also approved the latest sanctions against North Korea. I hope that he is going to emulate his father, but even then, something needs to be done to free this poor people of his. I am going to try and find the witness statement a former inamte of one of these camps has made in front of a human rights commission. I read parts of it and just couldn't do it any more.
DeleteMy husband and I were in S. Korea before we got stationed here in Germany (Ansbach, come visit! ;) ). It wasn't ever scary even though the N was doing crazy shit all the time. If they really believed it was unsafe they would take out all family members, they have a really great evacuation plan too. It's put into practice frequently as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe the US won't start anything with N. Korea because China is backing N.Korea and China is scary big, and you know... Owns a lot of America financially. That's just what I think though. I think that the N. talks a lot. Also, I think they do a lot of shady shit, you know what I mean? Especially when they shot a bunch of the S. Koreans on a tiny Island, and when that ship was attacked. Blah blah. They're just jerks.
Thank you so much for sharing your first-hand experience of living in the region, Adrienne. I checked out your blog and wanted to ask you about that.
DeleteWatching the news it seems to me that Kim Jong Il was all about big speeches but never followed up on anything. Un, in contrast, is making big speeches and, at least in part, is following through. Neither Kim Il Sung nor Kim Jong Il have ever declared the cease fire treaty void, if I remember correctly. Un has tested its missiles, even though China spoke against it. And during the last UN conference on the matter, even China spoke in favor of further sanctions against North Korea. This is a strong sign in my eyes.
Still looking for the witness statement my husband has found about 3 years ago.. Will update the post as soon as I've found it!