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North Korea Nuclear Test: Why Now And Why Does It Matter? by Ubongusoro(m): 7:51am On Sep 12, 2016 |
North Korea has carried out what appears to
be its largest ever nuclear test, sparking
global indignation.
This is the country's fifth test. Why are the
North Koreans doing it, and why is it important?
Why now?
Well, there have been some reasons given by
the North Koreans themselves - and then there
are some that need to be read between the
lines:
Officially, it was a demonstration of the
"toughest will" of the Korean people to show
they can retaliate to an attack by enemies. It
was also a show against the "racket of threat
and sanctions" that the nation has suffered
at the hands of the global community via the
UN
Then came the technical reasons - to hone
the ability to put nuclear warheads on
ballistic missiles (although many experts still
doubt this has been effectively achieved)
And finally it was a show of national "dignity",
an important concept in North Korea backed
up by the fact it came on National Day, a
traditional time to show off military muscle
Unstated, but clearly obvious, was anger at US
and South Korean plans to install an anti-missile
defence system in the South, along with the
traditional lambasting of the annual US-South
Korea joint military exercises.
Why does it matter?
North Korea is an isolated communist nation run
by an unpredictable 32-year-old "supreme
leader" with his hands on an unspecified
nuclear arsenal and seemingly immune to any
global pressure to give it up.
Kim Jong-un's aggression and invective show no
sign of abating. If anything they are getting
worse. The North's southern neighbour- still
technically at war with the North because the
1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a
treaty - and Japan are particularly nervous.
The North has also often stated its aim of
targeting the US.
What next?
The US and Russia have already indicated that
there will be more discussions at the UN. A
resolution of condemnation is one course of
action, given that no nation on the Security
Council is likely to block it.
There have already been five sets of UN
sanctions and more may well be on the agenda,
such as blocking the export of fuel oil to North
Korea, but how effective they would be is
unclear.
China's response will be the most important. It
has to balance opposition to the North's nuclear
actions with a desire not to destabilise its
volatile neighbour.bbcnews.com |
Re: North Korea Nuclear Test: Why Now And Why Does It Matter? by APCsupporter: 1:16pm On Sep 12, 2016 |
Please can somebody tell me why USA is against it when they themselves also conduct nuclear tests? Is their a tangible reason or its just hypocrisy cos i remember how they "rewarded" Libya for not doing it |
Re: North Korea Nuclear Test: Why Now And Why Does It Matter? by Zainey338: 7:26pm On Sep 14, 2016 |
Hello every one, how are you? |
(1) (Reply)
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