Ted Cruz: Time to put Kim Jong Un on his heelsPresident Trump’s November decision to designate North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism — in response to legislation I introduced that passed in Congress last year — was more than just a symbolic move. The administration has not only plugged holes in America’s sanctions regime against Pyongyang, but it has also established a decisive break from the policy failures of past administrations. It’s now time to seize the initiative, put Kim Jong Un on his heels and set conditions on America’s terms...........
.......What the American people expect, and our allies need, is courageous leadership that forces Kim to respond on our terms and our timing. America should employ all elements of our national power to reverse this dynamic, but none more so than robust economic sanctions.
North Korea is a mafia state that funds its illicit pursuits through foreign shell companies, bank cyberheists and arms exports. Like any mob, it needs partners. Last month, the Institute for Science and International Security identified 49 countries responsible for enabling sanctions violations. This is a staggering figure, made even more concerning by the geographic diversity of the offending countries. From Eurasia and the Middle East to Africa and Latin America, nefarious regimes including China, Russia, Iran and Cuba — as well as governments with weak export controls — have bankrolled North Korea’s nuclear pursuits.
The scale of Kim’s operation is undoubtedly impressive, but also vulnerable. As the Center for Advanced Defense Studies observed in December, North Korea “is reliant on access to hard currency to survive and it is willing to go to unprecedented lengths to obtain it.†The report also identified bottlenecks in Pyongyang’s operations that are dependent on U.S. dollars and are vulnerable to disruption — including corporate entities that the report said provide cash for the regime in U.S. dollars and are vulnerable not only to direct sanctions but also to indirect measures leveled against foreign banks holding their correspondent accounts...........
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/time-to-put-kim-jong-un-on-his-heels/2018/01/16/b147115a-fafd-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.7089d74aafc6
