Samurai With a Nuclear Sword

North Korea has officially opened Pandora’s box. On October 9, 2006 Kim Jung Il categorically changed the values of geopolitics by having his increasingly built up army test an underground nuclear device. Ostensibly, unimpeded Pyongyang will be in possession of Asia’s second official nuclear arsenal (the first being China). Aside from the obvious worry about yet another country possessing nuclear weapons, which, all things being equal could accidentally or purposely, end up in the hands of terrorists from around the world. We tend to focus solely on Islamic terrorists but one can assume that any mans money is as good as the next and officials looking to sell elicit nuclear weapons aren’t going to be too picky with whom they sell to.

NK’s nuclear program matters most to Japan and South Korea, whom will most immediately feel the brunt of any aggressive move on the part of Pyongyang. The dynamic between these three nations are intriguing. Seoul and Pyongyang have in recent years attempted to find a way to negotiate a reconstitution of the whole Korean state, beginning of course with the former sending aid to the latter. Certainly a nuclear North Korea throws the prospect of creating one Korea into chaos for at least the time being.

Japan is a different story altogether. Korea was annexed and controlled by Japan until the end of World War II and much like China; they apparently have long memories regarding being imperialized. The North Korean regime has admitted to wide spread kidnapping of Japanese citizens for a variety of purposes, not the least of which to provide their “Dear Leader” with a fresh supply of sex slaves. In response to this the Japanese threatened to impose sanctions on the already impoverished nation and they in turn responded by threatening Japan with nuclear war. It is important to note here that officially, Japan is still a “pacifist” government and has been since two of their cities were decimated by the world’s first atomic bomb attack.

It is also widely believed that since North Korea already shares missile technology with Iran, it would not be a leap of faith to think that said Korean nuclear technology will find its way to Bushehr, Natanz, or Arak just as soon as the Stalinist Korean dictator can get it there.

Now here is the connection; Iran has made it perfectly clear that despite all this talk about how Islam is a peaceful religion and all of that, it is every good Muslims goal to help in the effort to push Israel into the sea. In other words, Iran, along with many Islamic terrorist groups has dedicated themselves to destroying Israel once and for all (though they may settle initially for just moving Israel to Europe or anywhere that isn’t the Middle East).

Because Israel has been under constant threat of total destruction nearly since its inception (as declared by both the League of Nations and the United Nations for those keeping score) by the Muslims/Arabs/Persians, it has made it a moral and security imperative to arm themselves with nuclear weapons. According to a Reuters article, “Based on estimates of the plutonium production capacity of the Dimona reactor, where the programme is based, Israel has approximately 100-200 nuclear explosive devices. Israel has not signed the NPT treaty.”

In short folks, Israel has allegedly armed itself to the teeth in order to defend itself from its neighbors whom are bent on Tel Aviv’s destruction. Now if North Korea is going to run around Asia making all kinds of vile threats again Japan, not to mention continuing to kidnap its citizens while supplying them with a steady supply of heroin, I think Japan has every right to forgo its “pacifist” military structure to pursue nuclear bombs for themselves.

As I’ve said in the past, if an arms race is what the majority of the world seems to want then let’s just get to it then. It seems to have worked wonders for Pakistan and India, whom were mortal enemies until the most recent years. Both of those nations have nuclear arsenals and yet they have found a way not to use them at the slightest provocation. Instead is actually making headway in establishing something resembling a modest peace.

While I doubt this model will provide for peace between either Israel and Iran or North Korea and Japan, the world should not be forced to suffer only the most mad regimes or the UN Security Council Permanent members being the only ones to possess nuclear weapons. In the case of Japan, I think they need to get on with developing their own nuclear program as soon as possible. Furthermore, I think for all of the above reasons, Israel should be as helpful as possible to Japan. Hell, if North Korea can just give Iran nuclear technology, why can’t Israel give their goods to Japan?

As a matter of fact, Israel and Japan have a long history of economic cooperation and diplomatic relations. For example, Israel exports to Japan polished diamonds, chemical products, machinery, electrical equipment and citrus fruit while importing from Japan automobiles, machinery, electrical equipment and other chemical products. Japan is one of the many countries that actually recognizes Israel, as opposed to others who apparently still think that piece of property is still trans-Jordan. There is also a lively exchange between scientists of both nations through ongoing joint projects and academic exchanges among universities. It would appear that since North Korea aids Iran in fomenting terror world wide, including in Japan, that Israel and Japan should be natural allies.

Japan needs to have a nuclear arsenal in order to defend itself from North Korea and what crazy designs they may be harboring. Sanctions do not work for the most part as other countries will just flout or institutions like the UN will make a mockery of them (UN Oil-For-Food I’m looking in your direction). Not to mention that China is one that proves that if you really want to have influence in the way the world works, it helps to have a strong economy and lots of your own nuclear bombs. Let us face facts here; NK wouldn’t have even tried this maneuver if China and its own arsenal of atomic bombs weren’t propping it up.

The once great Samurai nation needs to shake off its trauma from Hiroshima and Nagasaki fashion itself a new sword for the next great battle and dip into its ready supply of plutonium. Let the Asian arms race begin.