When I should have been enjoying my weekend with my family, my dog, ham and stuffed mushrooms, and Roy Williams fumbling away the game for the Cowboys, I was too busy worrying about North Korea. Well, scratch that - I completely and totally enjoyed the Cowboys losing on Thursday. However, the worrying still stands. Although skirmishes between the Koreas are by no means unheard of, the magnitude of the latest incident is difficult to swallow. The results of any kind of open war between the nations would stink for everyone - we would probably have to at least think heavily about getting seriously involved.
Remember, the USA has been close with South Korea for a long time. Their economy is vital for the Western world; when the South accused North Korea of torpedoing one of their ships, the United States scrambled to its defense, even when independent reports raised many doubts about whether North Korea was actually responsible. It will be the US's job again to spring to South Korea's defense. We must, of course, keep in mind that North Korea may well be posturing; for example, a glance at North Korea's official government FAQ on its official website yields such claims as "the DPRK is a state free of homelessness, unemployment, prostitution, and starvation," as well as this beautiful exchange:
Q: Can I work in North Korea as a teacher/interpreter/(other)?
A: No.
It seems to me that any state that would claim these things would have no trouble playing chicken. The question is whether this time, North Korea is planning to back itself up.
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