The opening ceremony of the winter Olympics in South Korea is upon us and the world will be watching. We know the leaders of both countries have already joined hands and will field teams in the competition. Some teams will be a mixture of both the North and the South we are told and both countries leaders say the event is the vehicle to future dialog.
So what will the Olympics portend for the future of the Korean peninsula in terms of cooperation and a move toward better relations between the two countries. Will North and South come to the conclusion that they themselves are capable of solving the problems that now exist without outside help. What if they agree that the DMZ is no longer necessary after 65 years in operations and that the North and South agree on a peace treaty with enforcement that would lead to the first step to unify the two countries.
What if North Korea agrees to abandon their nuclear weapons if South Korea informs the United States all American military troops and bases have to leave that country. Both the North and South have kept the armistice that has been in effect since 1953. Both know a miscalculation could start a war neither one wants and would have the potential to be catastrophic to both. South Korea's President is on record as saying he has a veto over the U.S. starting a war with the North.
The bottom line is that both North and South Korea have the ability to unite their countries and China, Russia and the United States would take a diplomatic beating because they themselves failed the test to be constructive concerning the Koreas for so long absent of any original thought. So, will any of this take place with the North and South? We do not know the answer, but some of those issues covered herein could actually take place. The fate of North and South Korea would be best decided by its own people for a true and lasting peace.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
