Nuclear brinkmanship

SIR – The Korean peninsula is the most heavily militarised area in the world.

However, although the Americans abrogated paragraph 13(d) of the ceasefire agreement (which prevented the introduction of nuclear weapons and missiles to the peninsula), they made it clear that they would never allow the North Koreans to develop an ICBM with a fully functioning nuclear warhead.

It would appear that the North Koreans are on the brink of achieving exactly that. Should nuclear weapons be used, the North Koreans have ensured their forces are deployed to present maximum risk to South Korea.

The US military has a series of operational plans to remove the North Korean nuclear capability. I am becoming increasingly alarmed that such a plan might be implemented. What is clear is that any pre-emptive strike on North Korea could result in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of deaths. As a key permanent member of the UN Security Council, defusing the situation should be our top priority. Admiral Lord West of Spithead London SW1