All in the ‘nuclear’ family

Dear Editor:

It appears that North Korea has joined the nuclear weapons family. This has serious implications around the world. More rhetoric from the USA and the world community only adds to North Korean’s security concerns and isolation. North Korea is pursuing a nuclear program that it can ill afford for two basic reasons. Firstly, they want to try to insure their security against attack. The 1950-53 war is remembered by many Koreans and as everyone knows they were labeled part of the ‘axis-of-evil.’ We know what the US did to one of the other members of that infamous ‘axis.’ Secondly, they want to use their weapons program as a bargaining chip to loosen the crippling sanctions imposed on them. There’s nothing like detonating a kiloton atomic device to make the world take notice.

Perhaps it’s time to end the North’s isolation and open formal and ‘serious’ negotiation. The US should swallow some of its pride and send a delegation to Pyongyang. Massive food and oil aid along with non-aggression treaty might be offered by the US in exchange for the halting of the North Korean nuclear program. This may go a long way to easing fears and tensions on both sides. Continued rhetoric and economic sanctions could topple the Kim Jong-il government. A nuclear-armed North Korea with a warlord at its helm would be a case of going from the frying pan into the fire.

While this North Korea business has the media hopping, a much greater and sinister problem remains under the radar. After the end of the cold war, the USSR and USA stockpile of weapons weren’t gathered up by some atomic bomb fairy and magically transported into oblivion. While stockpiles on both sides have been greatly reduced from their astronomical cold war levels, thousands of weapons still exist. Contrary to popular opinion, the USA, Russia, and probably China are targeting each other with atomic weapons.

Now for the really scary part. Russia can ill afford to maintain its nuclear sites and can’t even properly keep track of its fissile material. Many other sites are ill secured and have fallen into disrepair. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we were all destroyed by a leaky ceiling dripping onto a control panel at a weapons silo in Siberia? It’s time to make universal nuclear disarmament a part of the Korean debate.

Respectfully

Doug Wilson

Kingston