Public Speaking Articles - How Should We Respond to the Cheonan Incident?


by CEDRIC RICE - Date: 2010-07-28 - Word Count: 627 Share This!

The million dollar question is how should we respond to the sinking of the Cheonan? The sinking was done anonymously but all of the evidence points to the North Korean government as being the culprit. The investigation was done by a commission of several countries so there is no doubt in my mind that they came up with the right results but the UN would not assign the blame to any specific country. That leaves the region in a sticky situation. The South Korean government is sure that North Korea is the culprit but the North Koreans are sticking to their story of innocence. So now the question remains. What is the course of action that the South Korean government and the United States who is their ally take?

The United States and South Korea have taken a correct first step of asking that United Nations sanctions be put in place against North Korea for the incident, but the UN has balked. Sanctions never seem to work whenever they are used so I think that this step was mostly symbolic and done so that protocol would be followed. Now that the UN will not impose sanctions the question of what next pops up.

The Chinese refused to condemn the action of the North Korean government which probably had a lot to do with the fact that the UN wouldn't assign any blame. This puts the US and South Korea in the tricky situation of taking a next step. They can't justify the use of force because technically there is no one cited as being responsible for the action. If they were to take some type of unilateral military action it would certainly be condemned by the world community. This would put the North Koreans in the victim seat rather than making them the villain.

The US and South Korea are conducting a large scale joint naval exercise as a show of force which is good, but the problem is that the North Korean government has threatened a military retaliation if the exercises are conducted. They exercises are under way as this article is being written and all is quiet so the US and South Korea have successfully called the bluff of the North Koreans.

I imagine that if the North Koreans attempt any provocation that they will be dealt very swiftly. They have sense enough to know that also. They will probably continue to make idle threats in order to save face in the region, and with the world.

The United States and South Korea have placed more than enough firepower in the area to handle any provocation that the North Koreans may attempt. I believe that any military provocation on the part of North Korea will be handled swiftly and violently by the US and South Korea. The reason being is that the South Koreans need to find a way to retaliate for the sinking of the Cheonan. They are pursuing all legal avenues but they have been masterfully blocked by the Chinese refusal to assign blame which has caused the United Nations to follow suit. The South Korean government may attempt to provoke North Korea into action during the joint naval exercises but North Korea is too smart to jump on the bait. There may be a rogue commander who would take a gambit but I am sure that they have all been ordered to walk softly. The biggest problem for the South Koreans is that they have promised to strike back in some way but all opportunities so far have been denied. I will look for them to continue to attempt to push the right buttons to cause the North Koreans to give them a valid reason to strike back. Military Ring Express


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