U.S. Presses China to Punish North Korea for Ship

Mrs Clinton has a difficult task. The results may not be visible for some time. The south and the north would like to go to war. If the northern regime collapses,
the population will stay put. The political supporters of the regime will run north to China. Iran is probably innocent of all but "Twisting the Lions tail" or rather, hooding the eagle. Republicans, do not tease.

Nothing the United States is doing diplomatically with China is determined by the amount of debt the US has issued to China. OK

First, we've prodded China this year to accept sanctions on Iran and to levy punitive measures against North Korea for the sinking of a South Korean ship. OK

With Russia, not a large holder of US debt, we ended a missile program to which they were opposed, and signed an arms reduction treaty. OK

The US deals with China because China's large, powerful, and central to politics in the region, not just because it owns bonds. OK

Second, China believes its ownership of US debt is a position of weakness, characterized by recent talk by Beijing officials of balancing US currency. It is.

And yet the dollar continues to appreciate--no flight to the Euro from China today--thanks to our excellent national credit rating in the face of other global currencies crumbling. True

What would anyone else have us do? China (or South Korea, for that matter) won't be more keen on us invading North Korea than diplomatic overtures. Unclear.

Should we just ignore the sinking of a South Korean ship, then? We will not.

George Orwell in Animal Farm pointed out that: "Some animals are more equal than others."

I expect that there is a flow of luxury goods and food to the northern regime. reducing or cutting of this flow along with a scolding may have the desired effect. Baring that there are black ops. Any such must be deniable. Predators or cruise missiles are out. Some foolhardy Korean must go in and decapitate the regime.

It would really be better if he/she did not survive and was recently North Korean with real papers. I do not want the job of running such an agent. Better to try Mrs. Clinton.