The ancient Roman god Janus—depicted as having two faces looking to the right and the left—represents beginning and ending, and the duality of looking both forward to the future and into the past. Coincidentally, around 500 BC in Greece, actors wore exaggerated masks to express emotions of sorrow and joy, which were then combined and looked like the two-faced Janus statues.
Over time, the meaning of the image was distorted to the current connotation of “two-faced”—saying different things to different people instead of speaking and behaving honestly.
During the 2016 US presidential campaign, transcripts of a speech by candidate Hillary Clinton in 2013 to a closed private group (National Multi-Housing Council) were uncovered. In that speech, she said, “You need both a public and a private position. You just have to sort of figure out how to balance the public and the private efforts that are necessary to be successful politically.”
Even as the government of North Korea and the US turn to inflammatory rhetoric, both sides have been in constant communication. It is reported that Joseph Yun, the US envoy for North Korea policy, and Pak Song Il, a senior North Korean diplomat at the country’s UN mission, have regular meetings.
Although nothing positive has necessarily come from these meetings, there had not been any public mention by either side that these back- channel talks had even happened. And each side continues to threaten “fire and fury” and to “blow the US from planet”.
As the newspaper headlines scream that the world is at the brink of nuclear war, the background reality is something different.
The US would never launch a first strike because it would accomplish nothing and be counterproductive. Both China and Russia would be forced to support North Korea, as having US military forces on North Korea’s border with either would be unimaginable. That option is completely off the table.
Kim Jong Un has threatened to send a missile near the island of Guam, which is sovereign US territory no different than Chicago or New York City. An error that actually saw Guam hit would be an act of war that would bring China and Russia in on the US side, as neither wants a few million North Koreans crossing the border for safety from a US reprisal.
If by chance the US were able to destroy any North Korean missile in flight toward Guam, Kim Jong Un would lose great military credibility both at home and abroad, and this would reduce the legitimacy and effectiveness of any future threats he might make.
On the other hand, if the US tried and failed to stop a missile, this would scare its allies into thinking that maybe US protection from North Korea is not as strong as being forecast. Foremost, Japan would have to look to its own defenses, reducing US credibility.
A missile launch by North Korea that is unchallenged and is successful also accomplishes little, except to give the US enormous data of the capabilities and attributes of the North Korean missile when used under actual combat conditions.
We have each government appearing to increase tensions to a point of action where both sides have little, if anything, to gain and yet face great tangible loss. Governments often act foolishly, but this situation is almost beyond comparison. So then the question must be asked, what is the truth behind—to paraphrase Mrs. Clinton—the public position and the private agenda?
1 comment
The world is challenging the primacy of the US as The World Leader. NK is showing the way, as is small Philippines with its aggressive president Duterte, and so is Venezuela. There are many instances where the use of the possibilities that Russia and China offers, they are getting away with it. The more this hand is played the more the US begins to look smaller in the eyes of many. But what really is reality? Is it for real? we dont really know.