Kim Jong- un is a dictator. So was Mao Tse Tung under whose leadership China emerged as a major nuclear power almost 50 years back. At that time, Americans made a lot of hue and cry but did practically nothing, and China continued to develop its rocketry, missile technology, and delivery capability, of its nuclear arsenal. Something similar is happening again, and one is constrained to say that history is repeating itself.
North Korea has just fired and tested a long range rocket that traveled a distance of about 1,700 miles over a trajectory that took it over Japan, before disintegrating and falling into the Pacific Ocean.
Just a few days earlier the North Koreans had tested three medium range missiles which they fired into the Sea of Japan. These short range missiles traveled about 170 miles. The US Pacific Command had termed the tests a failure, as it claimed one of the rockets exploded and the other two failed. This observation was quickly revised to state that that two of the missile firings were successful only one failed. This news is widely reported all over the globe.
Bombing the North
Nort Korea has continued developing its missile technology, and despite strong statements by President Trump, the USA has not bombed North Korea. The fact is that the South Korean president holds a veto power over strikes on the North.
He has gone on record and stated that there wouldn't be another war on the Korean peninsula. One reason for this approach is the fear that a US strike will unleash a North Korean attack on the South, which could lead to unprecedented destruction, as the main population centers are close to the DMZ. Preside Moon just cannot afford to take the risk of an American air strike on the North.
Missing the bus
The American threat to bomb North Korean nuclear sites is a little too late in the day. The Americans missed the bus five decades back when they failed to neutralize the Chinese nuclear sites. This has never been explained by any commentator or American leader. If the Chinese nuclear program had been nipped in the bud, the present situation would never have arisen.
Way forward
The Americans, including President Trump, are getting worked up about North Korea, while the real danger remains China. In short, the United States has accepted China as a nuclear power, and it looks a little late, to keep on talking about the Korean threat. Nobody can say that dictator Mao was a better human than Kim Jong, as during his rule more than 20 million Chinese died. America would do well to try and wean Kim away from China. This is not impossible, looking at what happened in Vietnam, when Ho Chi Minh, turned an antagonist of China.
