Resolved: The U.S. should seek military action against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Resolved: The U.S. should seek military action againt the DPRK The framework for the round will be one of Deontology in terms of a duty to protect rights Fagan, Human Rights Center writes: National and international institutions bear the primary responsibility of securing human rights and the test for successfully fulfilling this responsibility is the creation of opportunities for all individuals to lead a minimally good life. The realization of human rights requires establishing the conditions for all human beings to lead minimally good lives and thus should not be confused as an attempt to create a morally perfect society. While the object of individual human rights may be modest, the force of that right is intended to be near absolute. That is to say, the demands of rights are meant to take precedence over other possible social goals. rights as trumps expresses the fundamental ideal of equality upon which the contemporary doctrine of human rights rests. Treating rights as trumps is a means for ensuring that all individuals are treated in an equal and like fashion in respect of the provision of fundamental human rights. Fully realizing the aspirations of human rights may not require the provision of 'state of the art' resources, but this should not detract from the force of human rights as taking priority over alternative social and political considerations. This means weighing protection of rights and a duty to do so comes first in the round 1. North Korean Human Rights Violations civilliberties.about.com write: "North Korea is in all likelihood the most oppressive regime on Earth. The North Korean government enforces loyalty and obedience through its Ministry of People's Security, which requires citizens to spy on each another, including family members. Anyone who is overheard saying anything perceived as critical to the government is subject to a reduced loyalty group rating, torture, execution, or imprisonment in one of North Korea's ten brutal concentration camps. The North Korean government divides its citizens into three castes based on their perceived loyalty to the Dear Leader: "core" (haeksim kyechung), "wavering" (tongyo kyechung), and "hostile" (joktae kyechung). Most of the wealth is concentrated among the "core," while the "hostile"--a category that includes all members of minority faiths, as well as descendants of perceived enemies of the state--are denied employment and subject to starvation. As many as 3.5 million North Koreans died of starvation." 2. Reliance on Domestic Regime Change is Futile Taylor, Comparative Strategy writes: "Advocates of a more deliberate approach to regime change, however, could rightly argue that predictions of an impending DPRK leadership collapse served as one of the primary rationales for US acceptance of the 1994 Agreed Framework, and that such an outcome never eventuated. They could point out that the regime has already survived a decade of severe national economic hardship, and that it could well endure considerably longer. Moreover, they could also note that the interests of North Korea’s neighbors, particularly China, lie with preventing a complete economic implosion. Likewise, Beijing clearly remains apprehensive over the ﬂood of refugees that could result from any signiﬁcant degree of economic dislocation in the DPRK." 3. U.S. Military Superiority Taylor [2] writes: "Proponents of imposed regime change can argue that the United States not only has a clear interest in using force to dislodge the Kim Jong-Il regime, but that it can also do so effectively. This line of thinking rests on the premise that the military preeminence America currently enjoys is unprecedented in the modern history of international politics. This unrivalled strength comes not only from the advanced nature of the systems operated by the US armed forces, but also from the innovative manner in which this weaponry is applied, the high standard of training given to its operators, and the depth of the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets that America has at its disposal. Supporters of regime change in North Korea would be correct in pointing out that, taken together, this extraordinary combination of capabilities gives the US the ability to exert decisive leverage in almost any combat theater. However, while the DPRK’s military machine does not want for quantity, most of its capabilities are aging rapidly, and many are already obsolete. There are also numerous indications that the level of training of the North Korean armed forces is deteriorating. Moreover, morale amongst North Korea’s personnel appears to be generally low."