Force as a governing philosophy, the saga continues

For those in the West - especially those doing so and perversely calling themselves "liberals"; where is George Orwell when we need him - this is what it looks like.

North Korea sentences US reporters to 12 years labor

I also want all immigration hardliners to take note. Their logic is the same. It is as ugly there as it is here.

It's such a clever game, isn't it? We give the harshest sentence for something that shouldn't even be sentenced. And then we show mercy. So everyone knows what nice guys we are.

That is what will likely happen here. Washington will engage diplomatically. The journalists will be released for some condition from Pyongyang. And we will continue the dance of dominance and resistance and all of the ugly manipulations of power until we secure what we really need which is a better working relationship with the DPRK, which does not allow them to bully either their Southern neighbors or anyone else for that matter, but which focusses on peaceful, constructive engagement that facilitates free markets and democratic reforms, and perhaps lays the groundwork for some realizable and verifiable assurances around the development and use of nuclear weapons, patiently and far more effectively than the foolish beyond words dance of aggression that we have been engaged in for the last several years.

This nonsense needs to end. The current cycle of provocation takes us farther away from resolution not closer.

It is time to move beyond the wrongheaded and counterproductive policy of aggressive diplomacy to get to something that will actually work.