Personal Diplomacy

This past week, famed discoball Dennis Rodman visited North Korea on what some have called a "diplomatic mission," others a "wrong left turn at China, and oops, let's try to pass this off as actually meaning to come here." He returned, saying that Kim Jong-Un, the Stay-Puft leader of North Korea, had a message for US President Barack Obama: "Call me."

No, seriously, Kim Jong-Un said "call me," like he's a tittering schoolgirl and Obama is the captain of the high school's varsity football team. Of course, the Obama Administration released a statement along the lines of "we are working to reach a constructive dialogue with North Korea regarding their nuclear program, etc. etc. etc.," but all denigration aside, why not call Kim Jong-Un?

Let's state some obvious facts first: North Korea has been "at war" with South Korea since the armistice for the Korean War. The United States holds a sizable force along the border. South Korea falls under the United States' nuclear umbrella. North Korea has been testing nuclear arms, seriously pissing off their closest ally, China. The level of famine within North Korea (according to many sources) kills off a large percentage of the population. Recent defectors state that the level of belief in the state's propaganda is falling. The North Korean regime may be feeling stresses. If now is not the time to engage North Korea directly, it is certainly coming.

The United States and South Korea are the two main "opponents" to North Korea, though the North has always seen the US as the larger threat. At this point, there is nothing "weak" in calling Kim Jong-Un directly and asking, "Are you ready to negotiate your nuclear program?" Who knows, perhaps Kim Jong-Il's son is more reasonable than his father and is willing to let some compromise happen within that humanitarian crisis of a state. Even if he isn't, calling the current leader is certainly a better sign of respect and possible willingness to actually negotiate than implementing harsh sanctions and issuing the same bellicose rhetoric over and over again.

So, President Obama, even though you haven't met him, it's not that crazy, and I'm sure you have his number, so call him, maybe. At least do it with all the starving citizens of North Korea in mind. You did win a Nobel Prize, after all.

That's all for now,
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