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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Nazi POWS once held at Camp White near Medford Learn about proposed 55-mile scenic bikeway outside Ashland Plastic Round-up set for May in new location Ashlanders respond to controversy raised by Indiana law Bracing for Common Core Education Bracing for Common Core Ashland Kiwanis recognize Lillian Huang Chautauqua series brings author Jane Hamilton to Ashland Ashland Runs on Volunteers: OLLI classes pay dividends in joy of teaching, learning New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Environment Lots to celebrate at SOU Arbor Day rites Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. 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Enyart Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Shareable Sports Latest Stories Upset-minded Raiders swept by No. 17 Concordia AHS softball team routs Churchill Four-year letterman Fredrickson leads sizzling Grizzlies Trip of a lifetime Paul nets 41 as Clippers rally past Trail Blazers High school Upset-minded Raiders swept by No. 17 Concordia AHS softball team routs Churchill Four-year letterman Fredrickson leads sizzling Grizzlies Grizzlies ace first MWL test Ashland's Knecht provides bright spot in Grizz nonleague loss to South Medford Southern Oregon University Upset-minded Raiders swept by No. 17 Concordia Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Voices Latest Stories Herb Rothschild: Stick to the facts Letters to the Editor, April 4 Our View: Ashland climate plan: Small steps add up Jeffrey Gillespie: Dancing the Pyongyang Polka Editor's Notes: Not falling, flying Editorial Our View: Ashland climate plan: Small steps add up Our View: More of the same at SOU? Our View: Restoration remorse over Ashland's Plaza Our View: One for the books Our View: Build it; they will play Letters Letters to the Editor, April 4 Letters to the Editor, April 1 Letters to the Editor, March 30 Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Herb Rothschild: Stick to the facts Jeffrey Gillespie: Dancing the Pyongyang Polka Editor's Notes: Not falling, flying Matthew T. Mangino: Prison deaths on the rise Council Corner: Ashland’s climate plan Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories A Country Cajun Revival comes to the Unitarian Community blog: Poets, put on your party shoes Spring exhibitions open at Schneider Museum of Art Community blog: Ashland High grad performs at OSF's Hip Hop Open Mic Top 5 things to do this week Theater Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' Music A Country Cajun Revival comes to the Unitarian Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk Movies Movie review: Suspend all belief in reality — ‘Furious 7’ is just fun Movie review: The action is even more insane in ‘Furious 7’ Movie review: ‘While We’re Young’ is a thought-provoking comedy-drama Alan Alda knows the secrets to acting, marriage Movie Listings: April 3-9 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Health Watch: Work out like a pro athlete App Finder: Best baseball apps Ride & Drive: 2015 Ram Laramie Longhorn 1500 Ashland's First Friday Art Walk Ashland Kiwanis recognize Lillian Huang Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Nazi POWS once held at Camp White near Medford ... Learn about proposed 55-mile scenic bikeway outside Ashland ... Plastic Round-up set for May in new location ... Nazi POWS once held at Camp White near Medford ... Learn about proposed 55-mile scenic bikeway outside Ashland ... Plastic Round-up set for May in new location ... COMMENTARY Jeffrey Gillespie: Dancing the Pyongyang Polka By Jeffrey Gillespie DailyTidings.com By Jeffrey Gillespie Posted Apr. 3, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Jeffrey Gillespie Posted Apr. 3, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The late, great Christopher Hitchens referred to North Korea as "the worlds first necrocracy", and he's right: The original leader, Kim Il-sung, despite being dead since 1994, still holds the honorary title of "Eternal President". This alone should set any Western mind at ease as to the extreme cultural differences between our country and that of the DPRK. The current leader, Kim Jong-Un, is the grandson of the founder. His antics and tastes are the stuff of legend. A giant boy, obsessed with basketball and computer games, his favorite pastime is making complex, colorful drawings detailing his favorite American athletes. He lives, unsurprisingly, in palatial splendor, despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of his fellow citizens (millions, by some counts) have died of famine and overwork. As for his relationship to the international community, Kim continues to provoke Seoul and the West with nuclear testing, sabre rattling and military exercises on an excruciatingly regular basis. He has supplied nuclear and ballistic missile technology to Syria, Myanmar and Iran. He has embraced an anti-Western posture as a major component of his cult of personality. Despite all of this, the United States tolerates him and his surreal behaviors when it comes to international relations. The reason for that forbearance is more obvious than it seems. Washington loves the Hermit Kingdom. While the official line on North Korea is always one of condemnation and containment, the U.S. and its allies fully recognize the need for continuity of leadership when it comes to the trigger-happy regime established under the Kim's. Not only does North Korea offer a perfect buffer zone between China and South Korea, but it makes for a superb excuse as to why we have so many of our most valuable and sophisticated weapons systems stationed near Seoul, as well as floating around in the Sea of Japan. The level of power projection offered by maintaining the status quo in the region is reason enough for America to support Kim Jong-Un, although certainly not overtly. In 2009, the Obama Administration had stated that it would evaluate the possibility of talks with North Korea in an attempt to find common ground around their nuclear program. Within a few short years, that policy had shifted to one of "strategic patience." Put another way, Washington is open to seeing Pyongyang decide for itself as to when it might consider denuclearizing. Given the current climate, and the fact that America is negotiating with Iran (a state with far more strategic power than North Korea, and an equal animosity towards the West), why would we wait? Because an unstable North Korea is among the best possible chances we have for continued Chinese containment. It has the added benefit of keeping Japan and South Korea beholden to us as proxies. It supports and enhances America's stated goals regarding a "pivot to Asia." It might even make Russia think twice before going off on another one of its recent land campaigns. Kim is not unaware of this peculiar alliance. If he really wanted war, he could easily have one by lobbing a few missiles into the Demilitarized Zone, a strip of land running 160 miles across the Korean Peninsula that is the first line of defense between North and South. The United States would respond mightily. North Korea would be a hole in the ground within 48 hours. All in all, tolerating the eccentricities of an autocratic despot, in a country where everyone else is cowed and beholden to him (making use of our usual double standard when it comes to human rights violations) is a small price to pay for all of that geopolitical clout. The presence of The Dear Leader is an even smaller price to pay if it keeps China quieter than she otherwise would be — for now. Jeffrey Gillespie's writing has appeared in the Santa Fean and Art Collector magazines, the Portland Mercury and Willamette Week. He lives in Ashland.   By Jeffrey Gillespie DailyTidings.com By Jeffrey Gillespie Posted Apr. 3, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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