North Korean Logistics

There have been many who consider North Korean dictator Kim Jong Ill to be an irrational dictator, calling his isolationism foreign policy as self destructive to his country. They use this rationale to advocate their belief that North Korea's possession of a nuclear weapon is threatening to the international community, demanding sanctions be placed . Some have gone so far as to call for the United States to respond militarily.

The assertion that Jong-Il is insane is incorrect. Jong-Il has made the same realization that his father, Kim Il-sung, made, which is that the most effective way to consolidate power in a state is to have complete control over the population. This involves the limiting of foreign influence, which calls for the abolition of any foreign media, as well as the strict regulation of or termination of domestic media (which resulted in only two television channels available in North Korea, both of which are owned and operated by the state).

Jong-Il's desire for a nuclear weapon is actually the behavior of a rational leader. Jong-Il, along with other nuclear weapon seekers such as Iran's Ali Khamenei, realize that never in the history of international relations has a country with a nuclear weapon been invaded. In the interest of maintaining power and hopes to eliminate any foreign threat, Jong-Il has publicized his alleged possession of nuclear weapons technology.

The plausibility of Il's claim that his country has the ability to produce nuclear weapons is substantial enough to attract the attention of the international community. Already, the UN security council has condemned the actions of North Korea, and most are calling for sanctions against the country. China, however, has been the most reluctant country to cooperate, rejecting the United State's demand that they cut off all trade relations with North Korea. They have however, agreed to comply with the UN's request of discontinuing the trade of military goods with North Korea.

The United States will likely never see a war between themselves and North Korea. Each country understands the ramifications of such a war, which would be significant for both countries. Instead, the United States and the United Nations must rely on diplomacy to effectively contain any threat by North Korea. Additional pressure by China is essential in the continuation of successfull diplomacy. Because of North Korea's reliance on Chinese trading, any threat to eliminate trade with North Korea will have significant leverage on Jong-Il's decisions regarding his nuclear program.