Thursday, July 11, 2009

By MARK VALENCIA

Kaneohe, Hawaii

Regarding Ralph Cossa's June 4 article, "The path with North Korea": Like U.S. Defense Minister Robert Gates, Cossa wants to turn back the clock. They and the world must face the fact that North Korea is a nuclear power.

What they fail to explain in their rants against North Korea is why the United States apparently is no longer opposed to Israel, India and Pakistan having nuclear weapons yet remains vehemently opposed to North Korea having them. North Korea was a member of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty before withdrawing. The others never even joined. North Korea has threatened South Korea with nuclear attack, but U.S. President Bill Clinton threatened North Korea with the same.

Despite Cossa's pontifications, I suspect the main difference is that Israel, India and Pakistan are allies/friends of the U.S., while North Korea is not. Given such hate-based bias, I fear that if the Cossas of this world have their way, we will have a second Korean War. Realistic compromise is the only rationale way out of this dilemma.

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