World waits, holds its breath
If Kim Jong-un were to start a war, to attack the United States or one of its allies, he would be signing a suicide note
MALCOLM TURNBULL
A RARE Twitter silence from President Donald Trump after North Korea launched a second missile over Japan within a month carries ominous signs that the US military is making moves to bring Kim Jong-un to heel.
The North Korean tyrant is testing the resolve of the President and sending a message that UN sanctions passed this week — including a cap on oil sales, a ban on natural gas and a block on certain exports — have only made him more dangerous. The missile, which has not been identified by type but was observed by the US being fuelled in preceding days, was fired from near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and flew directly over northern Japan, landing in waters about 2000km east of Hokkaido. All told, the missile flew about 3700km, more than the distance needed to hit the US base in Guam, in the western Pacific.
The launch comes immediately after direct threats were issued against Japan, with the so-called North Korea AsiaPacific Peace Committee stating in the aftermath of the UN sanctions: “Japan is no longer needed to exist near us.
“The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche.” Juche is North Korea’s philosophy of military “self-reliance” which has seen it successfully test six atomic bombs.
Immediately after the missile, launched at 6.57am Pyongyang time and which landed in the sea 20 minutes later, US military and political representatives reportedly gathered in the Situation Room in the early evening, US time, to discuss the latest outrage.
The White House is yet to comment, but Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman for the United States Pacific Command, which monitors missile activity on the Korean Peninsula, stated that “this ballistic missile did not pose a threat to North America” or to Guam.
However, this missile, like the launches before it, was made without forewarning to commercial jets or shipping in the region.
As Kim becomes more menacing by the day, the world is waiting to see how Mr
Trump will react. The President, unlike his predecessor Barack Obama, has not made the mistake of drawing “red lines” under issues and then failing to act.
Instead, Mr Trump has repeatedly said he would not telegraph warnings of any military action he planned.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said: “If you have now set off a hydrogen bomb and you have the capacity to miniaturise it, to vaporise it and murder mil- lions of people, the world is not going to stand idly by.”
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the North Korean leader was bringing calamity upon himself.
“If Kim Jong-un were to start a war, to attack the United States or one of its allies, he would be signing a suicide note,” said Mr Turnbull.
“That would be the end for his government and thousands and thousands of people would die.”
Foreign Minister Julie Bish- op suggested that the missile showed “greater capability” than the previous tests, at least in range.
She said she would discuss the situation next week at the UN General Assembly in New York, but by then the US may have lost patience.
Japan is now in a state of anxiety and relies on the US for its protection.
“We as a nation simply cannot accept these repeated provocative acts by North Korea and we have lodged our firm protest and while communicating the strong anger from the Japanese public,” said Japan’s Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga in an address to the nation.
The North Koreans also issued further florid provocations at the US after the sanctions were enforced, stating: “Let’s reduce the US mainland into ashes and darkness. Let’s vent our spite with mobilisation of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now.”
North Korea appears determined to force President Trump into some sort of action.
The US had stated it would prefer any option other than a military response, yet it is running out of alternatives as Kim risks millions of lives.
Australian academics argue we are still not at the brink.
“Most pundits are hoping (Trump) is being advised to respond coolly if he responds at all,” said John Blaxland, former soldier and Professor in Intelli- gence Studies and International Security at the ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre.
“After all, this is becoming the new normal. There is no evidence yet that Kim Jong-un has mastered the ability to lock in the ICBM capability and to place a nuclear warhead on the tip. The sanctions have to be allowed to bite.
“Best to hold one’s nerve” will be the advice he’s receiving.
“Here’s hoping he heeds it.”