Markey says prez ‘gambling’ with nuclear war
U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey says President Trump is “gambling” with nuclear war with his continued saber-rattling at North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
“The situation in North Korea is a very dangerous situation for the United States of America and for the entire world,” Markey, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s East Asia Subcommittee, told reporters in Boston yesterday.
“President Trump is gambling with possible nuclear war when he doubles down on threats of a major, major conflict with North Korea. We don’t need tough talk from President Trump, we need tough diplomacy,” the Bay State Democrat said.
So dire are tensions between the two countries that Markey supports U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Harry Harris Jr.’s call last week to station defense radar and ballistic missile interceptors in Hawaii.
“The admiral in charge of our fleet testified that he believes the North Koreans have the ballistic missile capacity to reach Hawaii. So it would be important for us to have a ballistic missile defense system that could help to protect against an accidental launch from a tripwire having been crossed by the United States and North Korea,” Markey said.
Still, in a showdown with North Korea, Markey concedes “the likelihood of there being a diplomatic resolution is low. ... President Trump must realize that there is no military solution to this crisis with North Korea. We must negotiate with North Korea in partnership with the Chinese putting a stranglehold on the North Korean economy.”
To the contrary, Markey claims there has been a 37 percent increase in trade between China and North Korea since last year.
Markey said Trump is “sending mixed messages” by touting his good relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while warning of escalating hostilities with North Korea.
“We could stumble into an accidental war with the North Koreans that could escalate very rapidly from conventional into nuclear war,” Markey said. “It is not helpful for him to say that he is not going to take the military option off the table. North Korea could destroy South Korea right now with its nuclear weapons. North Korea could destroy Japan right now with its nuclear weapons. A military escalation is not an acceptable option. We have to find a way to diplomatically resolve this issue.”