Description
Book SynopsisPresident Trump threatens North Korea with `fire and fury like the world has never seen', whilst fellow Republican John McCain warns that the country risks `extinction'. But what does the regime in North Korea actually want? Is Kim Jong-un truly the mad cartoon villain that the media love to portray? Without being an apologist for the oppressive North Korean government, T. J. Coles exposes the propaganda war waged against it, revealing the truth behind the simplistic news headlines. North Korea has made multiple offers to the international community to end its nuclear programme in exchange for assurances that it won't be attacked by the US. It has even committed to a no-first-use policy for nuclear weapons - something the US itself will not do. Far from being a state in self-imposed hermitage, North Korea has diplomatic relations with over one hundred countries. It is the US, argues Coles, that deliberately seeks to isolate the regime as part of its wider geostrategic goals in the Asia Pacific. The US's real target, and ultimately its biggest challenge, is China. Coles debunks myths regarding North Korea's military and demonstrates that in actual fact it has limited capabilities. In building up its own armed forces in the region (the so-called Asia Pivot), the US is playing a dangerous game of nuclear brinkmanship. Fire and Fury provides a sharp, succinct briefing for anyone seeking a broader, less distorted and more balanced understanding of current events, whilst offering solutions for ordinary citizens who wish to further the cause of peace.
Trade Review`Coles has written a sharp critique of the fundamentals of American policy toward North Korea and the distortions in our media which typically treat the “North Korean threat” in a vacuum devoid of either contemporary American threats, or the long history of American nuclear intimidation of the North. A very timely and important book.’ – Prof. Bruce Cumings, author of The Korean War
Table of ContentsIntroduction - 1. The US and China - 'Full-spectrum dominance' and the importance of oil - The Asia Pivot: 'Shape the region's rules and norms' - Japan and the Peace Constitution: 'The Japanese people still don't understand' - US-China relations: 'Challenges to the US-dominated order' - China-North Korea relations: 'Emphasizing economic development' - The US-China-NK axis: 'China's greatest concern is reserved for the US military presence' - 2. The US and North Korea - Genocidal rhetoric: North Korea's `extinction' - Korea: historical background: 'Anti-colonial struggle' - North-South: partition and war: 'We burned down every town in North Korea' - North Korea: the Cold War and after: 'Stiffening quills, retreating into its shell' - 3. North Korea and the Rest of the World - North Korea-South Korea: 'The Vietnam war caused NK to act when it did' - NK-Japanese relations: 'North Korea cannot survive without food and oil' - Russia-North Korea: 'Economic relations expanded alarmingly' - North Korea's economy: Moving towards 'free markets'? - Pipeline politics: 'Peace pipelines' - 4. Fantasy vs. Facts - Nuclear weapons, missiles and posture: 'War could erupt from a simple miscalculation' - The threat: Image and reality: 'Deterring foreign enemies' - North Korea's diplomacy: 'Axis of evil' - Sanctions: 'Food aid has fallen due to sanctions' - Provocations: 'We have no authority to seize cargo' - Conclusion: What can we do? - Notes - Index
