This piece prompted an invitation to the Japanese Center For Conflict Worldwide's annual symposium on conflict

President Bush said he expected the Korean Peninsula to be "nuclear weapons free," and expressed his belief that our allies were working discreetly to pressure North Korea to reverse their decision to augment its arms program with the admission of nuclear weapons into its arsenal. "I know they're not reluctant when it comes to the idea of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula," he said from his ranch in Crawford, Texas. "And we are in constant contact with the Japanese and the South Koreans and the Chinese and the Russians."

One would think that if a part-time madman were developing nuclear weapons of mass destruction just across the northeastern border of a super-power’s country that they would take an aggressive and active part in disarming the guy, especially if there were a billion people living in that country!

Looking at this situation which finds North Korea and the Kim Jong II regime continuing on with their nuclear development in blatant disregard for the accords which they agreed to, I believe that it is the perfect time for the United States to hand off some of it’s "world’s policeman” duties to others who wield influence around the world, namely China.

One has to give thought to the fact that maybe it isn’t so much the United States pushes its values onto other cultures in as much as it is the reluctance of other countries to step up to the plate and take a stand for the simpler things that we all know are right. Is it correct for Third-World, self-appointed dictators who simply amass a rag-tag group of thugs and arm them to put on store bought uniforms and commit genocide on the African continent? Is it acceptable for a rebel regime to acquire arms through the black market and keep an entire country’s people hostage to their fundamental and extreme religious beliefs while they execute women for venturing out of their homes to shop without having a related male to escort them? Is it okay to simply invade a neighboring country to covert the natural resources of their country? No. The answer to all of these questions is no. But strangely enough, when you look at the international community, even through the United Nations, it may not always be only the United States that stands up and say that these situations are unacceptable but it is always only the United States that puts its own people on the line when it comes to backing up the objection with the use of overwhelming force if necessary.

Some people would say that it is the obligation of a super-power to help the smaller less developed countries in time of crisis, to help guard them against rogue nations whose mentally questionable leaders view power as a basic right. To that statement I say that I agree. It is the obligation of countries that have achieved the level of super-power status and those who are leaders of the world community to give assistance and aid to those who are less fortunate than they are. This is true whether it be a country or simply an individual. But when the entire world community keeps calling upon the generosity of the same country all the time it is easy to see why those who do not get the lion’s share of the aid would become bitter. It is easy to see how those aren’t the beneficiaries of the kindness doled out by countries who have the ability to help would be ripe for the kinds of bribery and manipulation that would-be dictators have to offer. With that thought kept in mind can anyone argue that perhaps this is some of the reason why so many smaller, less developed Third-World countries harbor ill will toward the United States?

It is time for other developed nations to embrace their responsibility on the world stage. The North Korean situation should be of paramount concern to the leaders of China and the United States should let the Chinese government take the lead in defusing the situation while keeping a cautious eye on the matter. More developed nations such as Germany, France, Japan, Russia, and an assortment of others whose economies are more stable than most should help shoulder the burden of economic aid that is required through out the Third-World. This can be easily done through the United Nations. It is the moral obligation of each country’s government to extinguish notions of hatred that may exist within their country whether it is for a religion, a sexual orientation, a nationality or a political belief.

Simply put, it is time for the leading countries of the world to step up to the plate and start shouldering their part of the burden of being the moral conscience of the world or "the watchful eye”. Perhaps then the world will see that it isn’t necessarily all about the culture of the United States being imposed onto another country’s culture or the arrogance of the United States or the foreign policy of the United States that attracts the ire of the wicked, the mentally unstable or the purely evil, rather it is the price that is paid by those who would protect those who are unable to protect themselves. Perhaps then they will see the true essence of the people of the United States and that the good will of the American people completely outweighs the false perception of greed which some of the people of the world view us.

So, China, the ball is in your court.

Frank Salvato is a political media consultant and the managing editor for The New Media Journal.us. He is a contributing writer for The Washington Dispatch, GOPUSA, OpinionEditorials, Men’s News Daily, Canada Free Press & AmericanDaily. His pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com. He has appeared as a guest on The O’Reilly Factor, The Kevin Matthews Radio Show (Chicago) and The Brad Messer Radio Show (San Antonio). His pieces have been recognized by the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention and are occasionally featured in The Washington Times and The London Morning Paper as well as other national and international publications.