Right now Im just sitting and contemplating what the North Korean nuclear test means for the world that we live in. I went to see a talk by Jack Pritchard, the president of the Korea Economic institute (KEI), today and it made me think about war and peace. Is it possible that I will not see a world in peace in my life time? Very likely. Does that make me sad? Very. But its only over recent developments that I have come to think like this, before, I was convinced that as long as we just sort this problem, or just that problem out, then we will move towards a world in relative peace.
I really believe in Robert Cooper's idea that state's can become postmodern; where we are so internconnected through trade and a shared belief in non-hostile solutions to conflicts, that war will no longer seem like an appropriate option. Basically, its believing in diplomacy, just like the states within the European Union does today, or Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Other states, like the US, can be seen as modern, who still resorts to hostile measures. I was not a Realist who believed the world to be in a constant struggle for power. And I am still not, but living in America has certainly dampened my idealism, I find myself settling in to the thought of the world being, at least in a majority of places, in a state of disorganization and instability.
The North Korean bomb was just another sign the world is becoming a more, not less, dangerous place. Its like waking up from the 1990s where everything was kind of going ok, Eastern Europe became democratized, there was economic growth after the 80s and technonlogy spurred everything on. But now it kind of seems a bit gloomy again, with Iraq, Iran, North Korea (or the Axis of Evil as Bush likes to refer them as). Russia is again acting like a Authoritarian state, Africa is seeing little progress and there is sudden real possibliliy of a nuclear arms race with Kim Jong-il, who is honestly frightfully mad.
I just get a feeling it doesn't have to be like this though, American foreign policy has not convinced me, I might see the world more gloomy but that doesn't mean I believe that we are reacting the way we should do. Im hoping for a return to diplomacy, a returned belief in that war isn't the good solution. A return to multilateral talks, not bombings. And, it would be really helpful if this U-turn came now, not after Kim Jong-il have bombed Seoul, been attacked by China and sold all its knowledge and plutonium to terrorist groups, and to Iran. Thats what I hope for, some progressiveness please.