CNN is now reporting that the United States has “temporarily” halted recon flights over international waters off North Korea, following Sunday’s intercept by Dear Leaders MiGs. This is understandable, I suppose, because if we sent that plane back into the air with fighter escort, we’d better be prepared to shoot down any MiGs that threatened our aircraft. And if we did that, it would give the North the casus belli it so clearly — and insanely — craves.
Now, if we’re taking the temporary break to steel ourselves for the possibility of imminent war with North Korea, fine. But as Joshua Muravchik’s sobering article in the current issue of Commentary details, American policy toward North Korea has been one long list of communist bullying, and American backing down, hoping to avoid confrontation. Ultimately, they cannot be allowed to get away with it. Where is the condemnation from governments around the world against the North for acting illegally and provocatively? The North Koreans are bringing the world ever closer to nuclear war — and we hear not a peep from the French, the Germans, the Russians, or anyone else.