Nick Denton's Pax Americana Solution

Nick Denton, relationship to me unknown, has proposed a solution to the Pax Americana ambitions of this administration and the neocon's - walk away.

It won't happen. War, or at least a super strong military, is too much a big business in this country and gives too much support to politicians for a sensible course to be adopted.

A reasonable state might spend five times as much on it's military as its strongest possible coalition of opponents. The U.S. surpassed that long ago and has embarked on a period of history where the state will use the power it bought.

We in the domestic opposition seem fated simply to try to keep the forms and traditions of the American Republic which is becoming a Global Empire.

On his specific point, walking away from South Korea and see if it's neighbors will solve the problem, I do not think it will happen or is advisable. A nuclear-armed North Korea is a danger to American economic and foreign policy interests. While "China, South Korea, Japan and Russia are strong enough to contain Kim Jong-il, or depose him if necessary" the immediate threat of North Korea is to South Korea and the U.S. will not let South Korea be threatened. Russia would just as soon stay out of this and China is ambivalent. We are going to have to face him and decide if he is containable, can we remove his serious weapons, or do we have to have another military action.

Based on the previous actions of this administration, they will probably pursue an aggressive course. Kim makes Saddam seem like an English gentleman. We have treaty obligations and economic ties to South Korea. North Korea is a much more serious threat.