Should the U.S. help Japan go nuclear?

As Carolyn pointed out this morning, the CW is that China gave North Korea the OK to fire off its missiles. North Korea is totally dependent on China, and so the Bush administration clearly – and reasonably – thinks it’s up to the Chinese to put Kim back in his box. Earlier today, Christopher Hill, the State Department’s North Korea point man, commented: “We need China to be very, very firm with their neighbors and frankly with their long-term allies, the North Koreans, on what is acceptable behavior and what is not acceptable behavior.”

Whenever the Chinese are being difficult, you can bet your bottom dollar that the idea of getting Japan to go nuclear will be floated. Indeed, David Frum, of axis of evil fame, goes even further today, suggesting that we should also remind the Chinese that Taiwan could be a nuclear power too. Now, if the mere sight of Koizumi serenading Bush with a little Elvis was enough to make the Chinese give the North Koreans the nod, one can only imagine how they would react to the prospect of Japan – let alone Taiwan – going nuclear.

One of the reasons that the Japan card comes to the top of the deck so quickly is how few options there are when it comes to North Korea. Military hostilities would inflict unacceptable damage south of the 38th parallel, sanctions have little effect on a country already so cut off from the rest of the world, and cutting off food aid would lead to a humanitarian disaster that wouldn’t bother the North Korean regime one bit. It’s all almost enough to make one think that perhaps the policy community dismissed the Team America World Police option a little too hastily.