Both China and Japan have agreed that six party talks are not working with North Korea’s nuclear weapons manufacturing and it is now estimated that North Korea has enough enriched plutonium to make 5 nuclear bombs. Since North Korea claims to have detonated a large nuclear bomb in a test underground it has alarmed the nations of that region. There was a huge seismic event of 3.5 Magnitude on the Richter Scale in Northern North Korea.

Now China is upset because North Korea has defied their requests and tested a so-called nuclear weapon underground. Japan has already applied trade sanctions on North Korea and has no other options in that arena. The United States has some options such as a Naval Blockage, but that would only hurt the people of North Korea who live under that dictator.

China is all about business and trade and is not so particular with who it sells too; example being Iran, which sponsors international terrorism. Will China actually do sanctions on North Korea or does it just like talk tough? Will China flex its military muscle and take over North Korea, it could use some extra growing room. North Korea has significant assets and that is some nice real estate? No one is going to help North Korea and it would be a slam-dunk for China.

Either way a conflict may not be likely and sanctions will not work and if North Korea insists on manufacturing nuclear weapons and exporting them as an Industry then the whole world has a problem. It is well-known that Iran has already met with North Korea and it is quite possible that they could be North Korea’s first customer if North Korea has made nuclear weapons.

North Korea may soon test its first nuclear missiles. American spy satellites show photos of tunnels that look very similar to an underground test site. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that North Korea may have six nuclear weapons. IAEA boss Mohamed ElBaradei said North Korea has the plutonium and the technology to make five or six weapons. North Korea itself declared in February that it has nuclear weapons. American intelligence reports that Pyongyang already has one or two crude nuclear bombs.

So, what can be done to confront this nuclear threat? The current situation can not be addressed by the United States alone. It is my fear that the Republican majority in all branches of U.S. government will continue with the typical and ineffective go-it-alone strategy that has not won us the key support needed in protect our international interests. The international community is the only body capable of effectively handling the North Korean situation which has now developed into a global problem.

First, in a global economy, it is necessary for voters in the upcoming election to cast their votes to bring a more Democratic balance into the make-up of our current govenment. Democrats would be more effective in diplomacy and can speak the international tongue. Whether you agree with their policies and beliefs or not, they are more likely to restore trust and a sense of humanity to our foreign agenda.

Second, if the international community is the channel of tough sanctions, China is the key. The country of China is an emerging dominate player in the Asian region and is also responsible for trade that equates to roughly 50% of North Korea’s energy and food imports. If China does not accept its new international role in a responsible fashion, then the world will continue in its struggle to suppress renegade dictatorships.

Finally, North Korea has already been warned in their efforts to develop nuclear capabilities, but apparently decided not to listen. I believe we should impose the toughest of sanctions and work with our allies to allow for massive refugee transportation out of North Korea. At this point, deadlines should be drawn up for an international force to work together in removing this dictator from power if president Kim Jong-il does not comply and agree to dismantle his nuclear program.

In regards to a potential North Korean attack on South Korea, we already know that underground tunnels have been discovered to be dug deep into South Korean territory. The scary thing to note is that millions of people live in the capital of Seoul, South Korea, which is not very from the border with the north. If it is already assumed that some tunnels have not yet been discovered, what is to stop North Korea from detonating a nuclear weapon right under the heels of a major South Korean city such as Seoul? This would cause millions of people to suffer a horrific death. Another possibility to ponder is North Korea’s capability to transport weapons of mass destruction to our enemies whether it is Al Qaeda, Iran, Syria, etc.