I have a proposal for a possible solution to the DPRK nuclear issue. Have the USA loan Japan enough nukes that could cause considerable damage to China if ever used for that purpose. The ostensible reason being that Japan needs nukes to protect itself from North Korea.
Japan and the USA then stipulate that America will take back every one of the nukes once North Korea’s nuclear capabilities are completely and verifiably dismantled.
If one is intellectually honest, they will admit that China is the only country that can do anyhing of substance in order to get NK to stand down in regards to its nuclear program (short of a military attack from the USA). Since China is deathly afraid of a militarized Japan – especially if Japan has its finger on the button – they will be compelled to do whatever is necessary in order to get the nukes out of Japan’s hands. Logically, this would hopefully mean that China would compel NK dismantle its nuke program forever.
America would surely hear shrillness from much of the rest of the world who would be claiming that the US is only against nuclear proliferation in certain circumstances and not others. However, the fact that we’d take back the nukes after the NK threat is over might be enough political cover to weather these accusations.
I know there are risks in this policy. Perhaps an odious nuclear state like Russia or China would use the same argument to give nukes to a country that is friendly with them, but unfriendly to the USA. However, the worst of such countries (read Muslim) would almost certainly not be a recipient as China and Russia have their own Muslim problems and would therefore not be compelled to give a nuke to a country that may eventually use that nuke against the county that made it in the first place.
Despite this risk, I feel that the risk of not taking what many would consider aggressive action is worse than taking minimal or no action.
Please note that in this proposed solution, the UN has no role. I think I’m preaching to the choir here when I say that the UN is totally inept and is more inclined to allow rogue states to commit rogue actions than it is to allow responsible states to prevent them.
If anyone has a few minutes, I’m certainly interested what you think about this proposal. If I’m misguided or am missing a likely ramification, I would like to hear from the informed – as the readers of this blog seem to be.
