One of my acquaintences is a former ambassador to Korea and director of the CIA office there. He is an old school hawk and diplomat. He once said that North Korea was our worst failure; and that the only alternative we have, if we want peace, is to engage. With skepticism always, perhaps with a carrot and stick [kimchi and seaweed?]. But enough so that there would not be war. It's better than unleashing forces that might result in the mass slaughter of North Koreans, South Koreans, Japanese and Americans.
This is called realism. Used to be that a group of socialists, the activists and the idealists, were utopian. If we simply ended poverty and got rid of our nuclear weapons, and just worked with people in the third world rather than side with any anti-Soviet thug, the world would be a much better place. True enough. Still, lots of cold warriors really thought that communism was truly appealing, and truly frightening.
Then the Soviet Union imploded.
Now its the neo-cons who are utopians. They insist that american capitalism and free elections can be imposed with military action. Even most idealists on the left didn't believe this. Bush is now, in my view, a Utopian - admirable perhaps, but dangerous.
If we want to encourage democracy, we have to do it with the people and institutions already present; we have to engage other countries with integrity, respect, and skepticism. I cannot be made a perfect world, until He comes again. And that's up to Him, not us.
For now, we limp along together, keeping our eyes on the prize.
With further notes by Vox Populi. Eamonn also reflects.
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