Thank You, North Korea

You know the story. Kim Jong-il's government conducts an underground atomic bomb test in southwest North Korea. Seismologists first thought it was an earthquake, until the North Koreans gloat about their successful experiment, which they claim rivals the firepower the Americans used in World War II. The United States call for sanctions against North Korea again, as if Jong-il et al hadn't sufficiently pressed their luck years ago. And just what good can come from this bullshit? It will demonstrate China's ultimate core values to the entire planet.

Many have speculated as to China's long term intent re: global politics/economies. They have the world's most significant military reserves, and I'm certain they don't need that kind of manpower to tyranize the pacifistic state of Tibet. The Chinese may have criticized the Korean missile tests, and they openly deplore North Korea's atomic bomb testing, but (unfortunately for the Chinese) the international community will not let them sit on their hands this time. Unless they're willing to clamp down on their political and economical ally, they will compromise any covert scheme they've been planning.

So, thank you, North Korea, for bringing light to some of the sensitive issues most of us can't publicly acknowledge. Countless books have been published on this subject, and many of them seem to offer valid points. But now that the world is even less stable than it was yesterday (a difficult feat), the circle will close on some of these issues. You've either damned yourselves or the Chinese (or both), because brazen acts such as today's will not go ignored. No more luxurious reports. No more meetings to decide when to hold the meeting to decide. No more pardons. I am confident our flawed but comparatively responsible coalition understand better than I do that immediate and conclusive results are warranted. This issue must be put to bed pronto.

It saddens me to say this, because I have always felt war was a futile, unhuman practice, but this kind of nonsense transcends social justice. My heart goes out to the people of North Korea, people who are as powerless as I am when it comes to global politics and societal policy. As I understand it, the North Korean government uses the most basic necessities to control its people, and that is precisely how you condition a population to care nothing for its species while fostering an engrained hatred for countries with freedoms it couldn't begin to comprehend.

As I said, it saddens me, but I wholeheartedly support any compaign, violent or otherwise, that would reduce such dangerous behaviour to a state of oblivion. Future generations depend on our pre-emptive handling of this situation. You couldn't convince me otherwise.