Mind Your Own Damn Business Politics
Inspect the North Korean ship bound for Myanmar, or destroy it
by Robert S. Siegel on June 29, 2009
North Korea has sent a ship to Myanmar (Burma), a nation ruled by one of the few governments more tyrannical than North Korea (though recent statements from Iranian clerics suggest they may be seeking the number one spot on the on the Top Ten list of nations ruled by despotic regimes).
The North Korean ship is probably carrying North Korean weapons. No good can possibly come from a North Korean weapons shipment reaching Myanmar, at least not if you value human life and human rights. And this is where the wonderful United Nations timidly slithers into the story.
On June 12, I wrote that The UN is a Crutch the U.S. Leans on Too Often, because of the feeble sanctions the UN placed on North Korea, due in part to U.S. wishes. The sanctions allow foreign nations to inspect ships heading to and from North Korea pending approval from the nation whose flag the ship is flying. Use of force was not authorized for ships that refuse inspections, according to the Associated Press.
The obvious point here is that no ship with something to hide is going to allow an inspection knowing full well that the party requesting the inspection will do nothing if refused permission to inspect. For a ship, with a cargo operators want hidden, to allow such an inspection defies common sense. Therefore the UN policy will not stop any illegal cargo. I want the U.S. to do more with the Myanmar bound ship and not fail humanity by relying on the UN.
The U.S. has a destroyer following the ship that is heading to Myanmar. The North Koreans have issued threats to the U.S. and any other nation that interferes with North Korea’s business, so the situation of the ship is dangerous. Susan Rice, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, is not saying whether the U.S. destroyer might do more than just track the North Korean vessel, not even whether that destroyer will request permission to board and inspect the ship. Earlier reports were that the U.S. would follow the UN rules, meaning the U.S. would take no action if refused permission.
I have a lot of problems with this entire scenario. First, the UN is not capable of acting as any sort of international police force. The UN lacks the forces and the moral authority to make any decision approving action against a particular nation or nations. The UN’s value is as a place for diplomacy and it should focus on its strengths, not endanger world peace attempting what it is unable to do properly.
No doubt that threats of war from North Korea need to be taken very seriously, and that undermined any real show of strength most UN member nations would otherwise have shown.
Second, I want no part of looking away and allowing a weapons transfer that will bring about more terror and death in Myanmar, or anywhere else. Not when our nation is in a position to prevent the atrocity.
I want the U.S. to demand permission to board the ship, and if refused, I want the destroyer to disable that ship, request permission again, and if refused, I want the ship sunk in the name of human rights. If the Navy is allowed to board the ship and does not find weapons, the ship should be allowed to go free, but if there are weapons they need to be destroyed.
Damn the UN. Full speed ahead.
by Robert S. Siegel on June 29, 2009
North Korea has sent a ship to Myanmar (Burma), a nation ruled by one of the few governments more tyrannical than North Korea (though recent statements from Iranian clerics suggest they may be seeking the number one spot on the on the Top Ten list of nations ruled by despotic regimes).
The North Korean ship is probably carrying North Korean weapons. No good can possibly come from a North Korean weapons shipment reaching Myanmar, at least not if you value human life and human rights. And this is where the wonderful United Nations timidly slithers into the story.
On June 12, I wrote that The UN is a Crutch the U.S. Leans on Too Often, because of the feeble sanctions the UN placed on North Korea, due in part to U.S. wishes. The sanctions allow foreign nations to inspect ships heading to and from North Korea pending approval from the nation whose flag the ship is flying. Use of force was not authorized for ships that refuse inspections, according to the Associated Press.
The obvious point here is that no ship with something to hide is going to allow an inspection knowing full well that the party requesting the inspection will do nothing if refused permission to inspect. For a ship, with a cargo operators want hidden, to allow such an inspection defies common sense. Therefore the UN policy will not stop any illegal cargo. I want the U.S. to do more with the Myanmar bound ship and not fail humanity by relying on the UN.
The U.S. has a destroyer following the ship that is heading to Myanmar. The North Koreans have issued threats to the U.S. and any other nation that interferes with North Korea’s business, so the situation of the ship is dangerous. Susan Rice, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, is not saying whether the U.S. destroyer might do more than just track the North Korean vessel, not even whether that destroyer will request permission to board and inspect the ship. Earlier reports were that the U.S. would follow the UN rules, meaning the U.S. would take no action if refused permission.
I have a lot of problems with this entire scenario. First, the UN is not capable of acting as any sort of international police force. The UN lacks the forces and the moral authority to make any decision approving action against a particular nation or nations. The UN’s value is as a place for diplomacy and it should focus on its strengths, not endanger world peace attempting what it is unable to do properly.
No doubt that threats of war from North Korea need to be taken very seriously, and that undermined any real show of strength most UN member nations would otherwise have shown.
Second, I want no part of looking away and allowing a weapons transfer that will bring about more terror and death in Myanmar, or anywhere else. Not when our nation is in a position to prevent the atrocity.
I want the U.S. to demand permission to board the ship, and if refused, I want the destroyer to disable that ship, request permission again, and if refused, I want the ship sunk in the name of human rights. If the Navy is allowed to board the ship and does not find weapons, the ship should be allowed to go free, but if there are weapons they need to be destroyed.
Damn the UN. Full speed ahead.
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