Should U.S. Trade Troops in South Korea for Norks’ Nukes?
May 27, 2018 in Economics
By Doug Bandow
Doug Bandow
The summit between President Donald Trump and North Korea’s
Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un remains off, for now. But the president
suggested that he might reverse course again. Especially after the
surprise meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon
Jae-in, anything seems possible. A Trump-Kim tête-à-tête
could fail spectacularly, but it would offer an opportunity to
reduce tensions on the peninsula and perhaps even advance the
objective of eliminating the North’s nuclear arsenal.
Most American policymakers desire the end of the Kim dynasty, if
nothing else because of its crimes against the North Korean people.
However, the most critical issue facing the U.S. and Northeast Asia
is the prospect of the DPRK expanding its nuclear arsenal and
extending the range of its missiles. Resolving that issue would
increase opportunities to engage the North over human rights.
Failing to satisfy the two sides’ respective security concerns
would make progress in other areas unlikely.
Any meaningful agreement, especially one which meets the
administration objective of speedy denuclearization, will require
U.S. concessions. But so far the administration position appears to
be that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea should disarm,
hoping to receive generous but as yet undetermined benefits. That
includes on the crucial issue of security, even though the last
dictator to trust Washington after disarming, Libya’s Muammar
Gaddafi, ended up dead at the hands of a street mob. Pyongyang’s
outburst, which led President Trump to cancel the summit, appeared
to be the DPRK saying that it would not be played.
The Trump administration and its ally South Korea have offered
verbal assurances, such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s
statement that he does not desire regime change and the president’s
promise that Kim will be “very, very happy.” Little better are the
paper guarantees on offer, such as a peace treaty to formally end
the Korean conflict. The plea appears to be to “trust us.”
However, Kim, despite his relative youth, is no impressionable
naïf, likely to be moved by the president whispering a few
sweet-nothings into his ear. At age 27 Kim took over a venerable
dictatorship, eliminated a gaggle of more experienced rivals, and
even brutally purged family members.
After decades of military
involvement on the Korean peninsula, America’s presence has become
an important card to play in negotiations with North Korea, whether
at a summit or in other negotiations with Pyongyang.
What could the U.S. offer? The most visible American military
threat and important symbol of U.S. intervention is the troop
presence in South Korea, along with the underlying security
alliance. The latter was formed in the aftermath of the
inconclusive end of the Korean War. Despite massive …read more
Source: OP-EDS
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