Possibilities for both Koreas in the Midst of Craziness by Norman Markowitz

I will be very brief because I have to rush this off.

The Pentagon, always looking to keep military spending up, has joined  in what is a kind of Dr. Strangelove moment.  Atthe same time that the Obama administration has made a major breakthrough in U.S. relations in Latin America by calling for the normalization of relations with Cuba, the president, part serious but a little tongue in cheek, has codemned the North Korean government for its hacking of SONY Entertainment.  At the same time, the South Korean government, with no U.S. objections, has "dissolved" a small  party of the let with 5 seats in the South Korean legislature, a party opposed to U.S. military bases in South Korea and advocating an end to North Korean, South Korean hostilities

In his press conference, President Obama did mention the absurdity of the situation when he noted that the SONT film was a satirical comedy about a group of jerks who try to assassinate the North Korean leader.  He then warned about the dangers involved in regard to censorship and "self-censorship" of media

 

Actually, SONY is a Japanese based transnational corporation that, in part thanks to the Pentagon, beganto overtake U.S. companies like GE , fat and smug with their military contracts, in the world of consumer electronics, where the U.S. nad what looked like an insurmountable lead after WWII.  The North Korean government has denied charges that it has behind the hacking and some have even suggested that the whole thing was aimed at gaiining publicity for the film, wich from my reading is really a schlocky comedy aimed at the  Animal House market.

What the hacking h as done has been to show SONY executives in their statements about entertainment celebrities to be as big a group of jerks as the characters in the film.  Actually, given both SONY's history and the history of Japanese Imperialism in Korea, for all we know this might be a prextext to create a SONY directed Greater East Asia Home Entertainment Co-Prosperity Sphere, as Japanese imperialists defined thier WWII policy as creating a Greater East Asia Co-proesperity Sphere.  It is also possible of course that Hollywood was behind this to undermine its SONY rivals.  Or perhaps SANYO, SONY's Japanese rival.  I am of course, joking but the whole situation is a farce

However there is a positive aspect to all of thiis.  The North Koreans have called for a joint investigation with Washington.  If I were Obama I would do this immediately and also bring in both the South Koreans and the Cubans to show the new  departure in foreign policy.  And  Obama could show his support for Democracy in the South by denouncing  South Korea's  act of political suppression as forcefully as he had the SONY hacking

 

 

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  • Sorry for all the typos. The issue remains important, especially the complete news blackout on the South Korean repression of a legitimate political party
    Norman Markowitz

    Posted by norman markowitz, 12/22/2014 12:24pm (9 years ago)

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