Taking All the Wrong Turns on North Korea
AntiWarSEP 2022
Report: Navy SEALs Allegedly Killed North Korean Civilians in Failed 2019 Mission
Above: U.S. Navy SEALs training off the coast of Alaska on Feb. 28, 2024. Image copyright: Salwan Georges/The Washington Post/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This SEAL raid exemplifies the tough choices presidents face against authoritarian dictators like Kim Jong Un: approving high-risk ops for critical intel amid nuclear talks and potentially averting catastrophe. Yet, it reveals dangers — mission failure, civilian deaths, aborted goals, escalation risks and secrecy evading Congress — highlighting how minor errors can spark disaster and erode accountability.
Establishment-critical narrative
Presidents from both parties, from Bush to Trump, routinely meddle abroad, deploying troops whimsically without accountability. While Bush killed the Agreed Framework, enabling North Korea's nukes, Trump later approved risky SEAL ops amid talks, echoing hardliner failures. Bipartisan recklessness ignores non-interventionist roots — fueling endless conflicts and eroding liberty.