By Themistocles Konstantinou.
The issue….
Few hours passed till the time when I saw in my mailbox the following article as a link and when I finished it (mean read it), I noticed something usual and common in dictatorships and authoritarian regimes: The “secretly” covered methodology to modify peaceful equipment into military equipment. That’s the obvious and on first view. But it is not exactly like this!!!!
Here is the article when I had this ascertainment (and the inspiration for the article):
“North Korea’s mobile missile launcher: made in China
The transporters used by the Korean People’s Army as mobile missile launchers were actually imported from China, according to a report released by the Sanctions Committee under the UN Security Council.
A contract was signed on Nov. 5, 2010 for a Chinese enterprise to provide six heavy off-highway vehicles to the forestry ministry of North Korea. In the contract, the vehicles were to be used to carry lumber, reports the Seoul-based Yeonhap News Agency. After the purchase, the North Korean authority modified the vehicles into mobile missile launchers, possibly violating its contract with China in the process, according to the report.
The vehicles were first displayed to the public on Apr. 15, 2012 during a military parade to celebrate the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the founding father of North Korea. When military analysts from the United States and Japan accused China of selling off mobile missile launchers to North Korea, Beijing denied it as impossible.
Selling weapons with the ability to launch nuclear missiles to North Korea is not only a violation of UN regulations, but of the policy and laws of China as well, according to a Chinese official.”
Where is the fault…..?
I will try to explain where the missing point is. At first we have to consider why states such as N. Korea, or Iran, Syria etc. acting as “thieves”. The answer is simple: Because of sanctions. That’s why. On many cases – like the above example of N. Korea – we see the rhetoric of their mentors (In our case, China) denying any involvement on the issue. After that we have to follow two options:
China’s rhetoric is true and they didn’t know anything for the modification or,
China knew it and tells lies to the rest of the world, only to cover-up the illegal action.
Let’s now take the second option – as I said before it is impossible – but as a working theory I could accept it.
The N. Koreans make the modifications and did all this change under a complete secrecy. Why they displayed these carriers to the public on Apr. 15, 2012 during the military parade, till the time they know clearly that their secret become “no secret” anymore? Why they uncover their success? Just only to attract new sanctions in their country? More sanctions against their struggled economy and their impoverished society? Or China is so stupid to release N. Korea to uncover this illegal action?
I think the answer is NO! The carriers came to N. Korea from China just as they are in their real role! As mobile missile launchers, nothing more, nothing less! I can prove it, even if I am not a missile expert, but as a former Aircraft technician I know when a nation (undergoing technological and economic isolation), it is possible to cope with such achievements. Without wishing to belittle the capabilities of the North Koreans, it is impossible without financial support to do any technological transducer without the help and support of China. Still hard to believe that its nuclear program continues to grow without the help of China, even in the early stages so that it can continue to run autonomously in the sequel.
Even if we assume that things were just as it shown and the North Koreans are doing everything on their own, relentlessly arises one question: How and where they trained? On what schools and what universities? Without resources and isolated from the rest of the world, should be addressed on the only state that sustains them almost on everything…. China!
Automatically, everyone wonders now – if ever possible that -, China did not know anything and the North Koreans doing all this literally “under the radar”!
It is NOT ONLY N. Korea….
From the above vigorous example we can understand that in the same way other regimes like N. Korea do the same, exactly the same!!! And all are patronized constantly by another stronger state or regime, with resources, with knowhow etc. etc. Where this policy meets the interests of the West, things are simple, very simple. The backed regime, receives everything it needs to serve the interests of its own and anyone who sponsor it. The same happens on the example of Korea DPR from China and South Korea from the US. The same happened with Iraq in its war with Iran. After interests changed and the U.S.
We see the Russia’s support on Assad regime, because of Russia’s strong regional interest in the area. In addition I have supported in few articles my opinion about the energy issues in the area and the obvious support of Russia in Assad. Things get complicated when the interests of big and powerful of the world, are not served. Then the would-be dictators and/or the authoritarian regimes – unless they are subject to spheres of influence – are beginning and invent ways to outweigh their weaknesses.
On the other hand we have to consider and another one option, which is not so obvious but it can be as an option: The secret cooperation between N. Korea and Iran. It is worldwide known that Iran probably trying to build nukes. I don’t want to blame Iranians but we have to accept it as hypothesis. If we want to believe that Iran needs support in his actions, has only two ways to find support. The first is Russia, but nowadays is very difficult to find this kind of support from Russians. They faced difficulties, (the Russians), also in weapon deliveries which they signed years ago through old contracts. Despite the fact that Russians have built already the nuclear energy station in “Busher”, I don’t think that Russia would like to overpass the imposed sanctions. In our case I believe that the N. Korea’s cooperation is the Iran’s one-way only option and vice-versa!
What we have to believe…
If we believe that Korea DPR has acquired know how from China, then Iran has found his best ally! Iran despite the imposed measures may have sufficient resources to continue its alleged nuclear program and the Korea DPR already has the knowledge after having already doing nuclear tests successfully. Iran wants nukes; North Korea wants resources, so their collaboration is more than a reality. That’s why both the U.S. and Israel have so many fears against Iran and Korea DPR respectively. Just for their possible cooperation, (if it is not already existed secretly), that will enable them to hit Israel and US.
The question of what we have to believe is hard and the answer becomes harder! Difficult exercise indeed! First we need to understand the psychology of leadership of the strangled regime and correspondingly the psychology of a pressed nation, stressed daily by international sanctions. Secondly we assume that the leadership of this nation has restraint not to make some unpredictable move, which will pull other nations in a dumb and unnecessary conflict that is fatal both for them and for the states that govern them. If again we assume that its leadership is capable not to lose the control, who can guarantee what will happen to its society? We see the uprising in Arab countries such as Syria, Egypt, Libya etc. etc. The situation became uncontrolled when the masses became uncontrolled. On the whole scenery we have to add and the destabilizing factor of “Al-Quaida”. Could Al-Quaida even seek to acquire nukes? Maybe yes, maybe no, who knows? Someone once had said – I don’t remember when and who did it–something very wise: “I am not afraid if a nation wants to acquire some nukes, I’m afraid someone who wants to acquire only one!”
We have to consider that nobody is guilty or innocent in our case. But the whole situation is very complicated. Western nations imposed sanctions against Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba or any other nation, and may consider that could achieve their goals, whoever they may be the targets believe that they serve. But sometimes achieve the opposite result of what they are pursuing. In most cases the whole structure of “success” collapsing with remarkable intensity. Most times though, the collapse entrainment and those who gloat about their success. Therefore special handling needs incredible attention, discernment and developing of a clean diplomacy, successful moves, sobriety without frivolities and above all, wise and brave politicians and not occasional opportunists….
