I was just reading about North Korea's latest tantrum over UN sanctions and I was thinking about it. Although the last thing I'd ever want to see is nuclear warheads in the hands of these maniacs, on the other hand I can kind of appreciate why they're pissed off. If America has enough ICBMs to blow up the entire world several times but says to another country: "you're not allowed them" I can see why that country would feel patronized. I'm obviously not suggesting that they should be encouraged but I just think the current approach is wrong. If you catch your kids smoking dope, and you know they'll keep doing it no matter what you say, should you stop their pocket money and take away their Nintendo? Or do you think that would alienate them even more and the better thing to do would be to try to get on their level and foster some sense of responsibility for their own actions (difficult as that may be)? North Korea will always do what the hell they want and no amount of sanctions will stop that - in fact I only see it making things work - imagine a petulant child who shits in the living room just to spite his parents. I was thinking something more akin to Kim Dae Jung's "Sunshine Policy" - ok, it didn't do anything dramatic but it certainly improved things and it got him the Nobel prize in 2000. And if you know the Aesop's Fable from which the policy takes it's title you'll see the analogy is apt.

I have a solution. Why don't the western countries get rid of their bombs before expecting everyone else to do the same?

And a real UN (not one controlled by the US) to police all nations to make sure everyone is disarmed.

Problem solved. No fear of nuclear war ever.

It would really be great if instead of needing to have nukes that they first think about feeding there people. So many are starving and from watching Kim and his gang, they seem to be eating more than their share.

I agree that the USA shouldn't be the policemen of the world. We really need to mind our own business. We have some many problems at home.

I think the point of the new sanctions basically are if you are going to spend all your money on nuclear weapons and not feed your people, then Kim, his family and gang are no longer to live the high life of fancy cars, big boats, expensive imported foods, liquors, etc. Obviously he has crossed the line once to many times so that he has even pissed off China. Do you think exploding an underground nuclear device a few miles from the chinese border with no notice might have done it?

americans think that north korea is the 'axis of evil'.

but north koreans perceive america to be the 'axis of evil'.

beauty and evil are in the eye of the beholder, i guess.