Sanctions have typically caused hunger for the common people of the nation that is sanctioned. Those at the top hardly ever starve. North Koreans need food from all that I know, pills and the way they intend to get it is by threatening to bomb somebody with a nuclear weapon.
This may be the time for Pro Active Civil Demonstrations on the part of the United States China and Japan. It would also be good if internationally all nuclear weapons were made illegial.
Things would be better in the world if the rules of war were enforced at the least, purchase and there was a sensible recognition that weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear weapons have lost their value except as they might be useful in Planet Defense against Asteroids or Comets that are so far way that the debris would not hit the earth.
Actually the utility of nuclear weapons is doubtful for even defense of the planet from rocks.
There is a difference between a conventional arm, drugs such as my 32 caliber revolver, and a nuclear weapon. I do not want to give up my 32 and can justify having it since I ought to have a shotgun to go with it, because it is not always people that I need to defend myself from. There is the rabid racoon to think about on occassion.
As well there is the possiblity that I might get so hungry as to shoot an animal and eat it. So far I have only had to use my gun for target shooting, but if I was hungry enough I am likely to shoot something to eat.
Really I ought to get a shotgun, but I do not need a grenade or a larger bomb.
For the peace to be maintained and advanced in Korea, food is be best weapon.
Poor people are starving in North Korea and at some point that could be very painful.
The United States dropped a couple of bombs on Japan to end a war. The use of nuclear weapons these days would be tantamount to an apocalyptic riot, but riots happen.
War is sort of like a sport and the current problem is that the UN has not become a forceful referee.
I think that in the case of North Korea some good may come from the conflict if it is recognized that the North Korean offer of a Freeze is an opening for an international ban.
In all cases of conflicts between nations there is the fact that nations that have been enemies in the past, will be friends in the present or future.
The egos of leaders and the desire of the common people to have heroes to follow repeatedly result in wars that the innocent are not rightfully caused to suffer.
If we are to endorse the rights of man, then we really ought to endorse the right of the common man to live a life that is simply the spiritual quest for the material necessities as enough of a conflict to create a soul.
Work is enough of a struggle in my opinion.
And good honest work ought not be any source of shame either.
To cause simple work to be a source of pride requires that the employer and the employee can all feel ethical pride in their accomplishment.
Therefore if we are to have any prospect of global peace eventually, I suspect that the basis for the value of the money in the World Bank must be pegged to a full accounting of the commons, and that there be established from that full on book accounting a pro-rated target international minimum wage.
The entire elimanation of hunter gatherer societies is upon us at this time in history and this means that money is the earth.
There are only so many sensible things to use money for, and war is not one of them if we are to turn the use of money into a better art than the art of war.
Love- Russell