M A Hossain :
In the name of establishing democracy, the West had already given birth to ruthless autocracies in a number of Afro-Arab nations. On the other hand, West also are extending silent support to dictatorship in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Maldives, Philippines, Malaysia and even Bangladesh. It has already become crystal clear that actually the Western eagerness for democracy is nothing but a mere game -plan.
They are already to accept, even collaborate with autocracies or dictatorship once those regimes readily accept in performing as their puppets. In the case of establishing peace in the Korean Peninsula, the hidden agenda of establishing democracy or replacing autocracy with a Western -styled democracy would ultimately turn into the biggest obstacles.
President Donald Trump actually will have two cards in his pocket when he will meet DPR Korea (DPRK) leader Marshal Kim Jong Un. First, he would demand denuclearisation of DPRK and opening -up the doors for ‘foreign investment ‘-second, impose much harsher sanctions on Pyongyang. Under the Plan-B, President Trump will apply all of his methods in totally isolating DPRK from rest of the world.
Let us not forget, the new secretary of State of the US is Mike Pompeo; and new National Security Advisor is John Bolton. Both of them are violently against Iran, for example, China and the ‘anti-West’ regimes in the world. For sure, both Pompeo and Bolton are not going to adopt softer attitude towards DPRK. To them, America is first; and for America, a resolution to the Korean crisis would mean losing the sure prospect of multi-billion dollar military equipment business with Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan.
At the same time, withdrawal of American troops from ROK and Japan. Meaning, Washington will lose its military presence in that region, through which they had been keeping eyes on China and Russia.
These are the bottle – necks.
Similarly as the US administration would never give nod to the Gun Control Act, they most possibly won’t abandon their huge profit making venture in the Korean Peninsula and the neighbouring countries. At least for the nearest future.
So there is a potential risk of an abrupt demise of the peace process, due to the US and West. If this fear turns into reality, then the real danger will actually emerge at the forefront.
Both the leaders from ROK and DPRK are showing sincerest attitude in restoring peace. But any complications created by the US would put ROK side into serious discomfort.
They may even become helpless. On the other hand, withdrawal from the peace process and further punitive sanctions on the DPRK would actually leave just a single option for Pyongyang – fire several inter- continental ballistic missiles loaded with nuclear war- head. Meaning, a third World War. Are we prepared for that?
(M A Hossain is a political and defence analyst and worked in the United Nations).
