Article source : Is North Korea a Diversion for a US-Jordan Invasion of Syria?
Most of it is shadow boxing. A storm in a teacup.
Here is the reason why.
1. N Korea is incapable of waging war with the US. However, it can send a warhead by any means, even low-tech ones, like the suitcase bomb. It has easy access to the Korean Peninsula and Japan. So the threat that N Korea poses is a huge US ‘make believe’, much like Saddam’s WMDs or Iran’s nuclear programme.
2. Kim Jong Un is a moderate, western educated, much-loved leader of his country, much like his grandfather. He is required to be ruthless to be in power. He serves a purpose in the geostrategic world, much like the Pakistan Army and ISI. He is the reason why the US troops are in Korea.
3. N Korea wants Aid. It was a clear stated objective of the Six Party Talks that they will give up their nuclear programme in return for $$s. So the US and EU promised to pay as per the Talks, but they could not have with China being their mentor. It would have ended the circle of blackmail. (I met two North Korean Academics. They were 50’s born senior guys. We invited them to an international conference. They clearly stated that they wanted USD. So money is important to them more than any nationalistic need). They can be bought, but China will not allow it. N Korea’s revenue is from exports to China and casinos in Macao. Trump made his money and lost it, through dubious deals and running casinos in Atlantic City. This is where there will be a meeting of minds!
4. THAAD may irk China, but really is no deterrent if there is a proliferation of missiles in the air. Every system has a limitation.
5. US-Jordan offensive into Russia. I don’t think it will have boots on the ground. US and Russia will not have an open confrontation period. This is because of Trump, who in my opinion will not anger the Russians. His love for East European women must tell us something. At best he will drop a bomb is some barren region perhaps informing Russia.
6. All this rattles China and there is a fringe benefit for Sino-Indian relations, favouring India!
Post war US met with little success in: Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Balkan States, Sudan, Libya, Cambodia, Laos, Yemen, … the list is endless. True that they have been the world’s ‘go-to’ policemen.
War is never easy, many failures makes one victory. Importantly, today almost everyone has the Bomb!
