We fight for that burning desire that feeds the soul, that zealous lust to reach the pinnacle of our aims. Whether that love is for money, religious ideals, or tyrannical ambitions, we would fight valiantly for what we hold dear.
So the stage is set for North Korea, whose rouge regime, infamous for corruption, has apparently tested nuclear weapons at the helm of a disillusioned leader, a leader whose aspirations of power and prestige are completely steadfast and self-involved.
In a policy shift away from the Clinton administration, President Bush cut all ties with North Korea and dictator Kim Jong-Il upon entering office. James Laney, a former ambassador to South Korea noted, “By not having any contact, we’ve lost any way of controlling or directing the outcome.”
For this, President Bush now finds himself in a tight showdown of human desire, a showdown whose symbolic implications will stretch from Iran to Libya. Bush requires North Korea to completely disarm; Kim Jong-Il yearns for self prestige. When these aspirations clash, worlds break as the dawn of war nears. The seed of peace may only be born from the small common ground that remains between North Korea and the United States – the shared desire of survival burns brighter than any single object of ambition, oil, or religious will.
The answer lies in China, the single most important element to North Korea’s survival. Without the trade and humanitarian aide that China provides, the economy of North Korea would assuredly collapse.
President Bush has demanded China to impose fierce sanctions on the North Koreans if they refuse to renounce their nuclear ambitions. However, China’s dependence on North Korea’s stability is far too great to risk the collapse of the country. Republican mandates have been strict and stubborn in their refusal to allow the Chinese to request concessions in the ordeal. We are far withdrawn from the day when President Bush’s America has the right to police the world.
China wants the United States to once again open talks with North Korea before it considers the implementation of sanctions. The day has come for the Republican White House to shed its ego and come to the table. It realized this too late in Sudan, where two million lives were lost before Mr. Bush engaged in talks to end the civil war, and it was the lack of open communication between leaders that caused the administration’s fatal mistake of invading Iraq.
We desperately need to find a creed, a balance on which we approach the international world not as stern superiors, but as flexible equals. Mr. Bush needs to concede to China’s desires to talk with Kim Jong-Il, and begin a road to peaceful disarmament, for the lights now shine on this arena in Asia as a symbol for the safety and security of the entire world. The pen is mightier than the sword, and we must fight for our survival.
Corey Ciorciari is a sophomore majoring in creative writing and business management. He may be contacted at c.ciorciari@umiami.edu.