The Groundhog Day of North Korean sanctions

It's never worked before. What makes anyone think it will work now?

North Korean special forces soldiers march in a military parade.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Damir Sagolj)

An important anniversary is coming up soon. I hope you have your calendars marked and your schedules free to celebrate in the manner you see fit. Because nearly 11 years ago, on Oct. 14, 2006, the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to pass sanctions on North Korea in response to the Hermit Kingdom's claim to have tested nuclear weapons.

President George W. Bush promised that the international community's reaction to North Korea's atomic ambitions would be "tough" and "swift." In response, a North Korean diplomat stormed out of the council chamber, declaring that he was interpreting the sanctions as "an act of war." Pointing to the empty chair, John Bolton, then the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said that the council's actions constituted a "clear and strong message."

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Matthew Walther

Matthew Walther is a national correspondent at The Week. His work has also appeared in First Things, The Spectator of London, The Catholic Herald, National Review, and other publications. He is currently writing a biography of the Rev. Montague Summers. He is also a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow.