By John R. Harvey
North Korea’s recent nuclear test has generated much media attention and expert commentary. Notwithstanding legitimate concerns about nuclear weapons in the hands of a rogue regime, there’s been a lot of hand-wringing about what to do.
Many urge negotiations to contain or even roll back the nuclear program, but DPRK’s leaders have shown no interest. They say they’re going to keep their nukes to avoid what happened to Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi.
Absent agreement on preconditions for talks, President Obama has wisely chosen not to provide Kim Jong Un with an ill-deserved negotiating forum, and the associated stature that comes with major power engagement, simply because he possesses or tests nuclear weapons.
So what should we do? Yes, increase secondary sanctions, freeze overseas bank accounts and seek further to isolate a regime that, as documented by a well-regarded UN panel, has carried out unspeakable crimes against a large segment of its population.
Most important, our approach should also include a concerted military-technical effort to deny Kim Jong Un and his crowd the perceived benefits of owning nukes. We must convey to them credible US capabilities to prevent or otherwise thwart any use of nuclear weapons against our forces or allies.
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