High on Mushroom Clouds
So Kim Jong Il has decided that baby’s been in the corner long enough, thank you, and has reportedly tested a small nuclear device. As with Iran’s recent Security Council shenanigans, the “how could we let this happen” hand wringers seem to be leading public opinion, implying that somehow nonproliferation hasn’t failed. Our impotence at the Security Council this summer will probably not be repeated, but North Korea has little to lose from sanctions, and the military option is a strategic non-starter.
Then again, perhaps America is not fully utilizing its full range of policy options. Might the Stalinist eagle scouts of the Happy Shiny Peoples Democratic Republic of North Korea be willing to see things differently if *wait for it* the ASUO Student Senate weighed in on the matter? Remember, last spring the Senate changed it’s rules to allow the passing of resolutions, or statements of position on any old matter they feel like taking a principled stand on. Unfortunately for global stability, the flagship resolution condemning Iran’s nuclear program failed, despite a certain Senators cheery confirmation that “By all means I support going into Iran and killing them all.” Since that fateful meeting, the Senate has yet to pass a resolution on anything, suggesting either that they are focused on the real work of responsibly spending our incidental fees, or that AIPAC hasn’t been turning the screws. This could be about to change though, as newly elected Senate President Sarah Hamilton suggested at the 9/5 Senate meeting that more resolutions would be forthcoming in her tenure.
Although the ASUO does have the international political clout to provide bold leadership in troubled times such as these, perhaps they should continue to stick to the job they have rather than weigh in on situations they do not understand and cannot affect. Guys, I understand you want to discuss the stuff that makes you sound all grown up, but A) no one cares whether or not you think Iran or North Korea or whomever is making the wrong security choices etc, and B) the few students who do pay some attention to you guys would really rather you just stuck to your jobs. Call me crazy, but administering over $1 million of other peoples money sounds like enough work on it’s own.
