Perhaps force is next step in standing up to atomic threat
THE world faces a very grave situation over what to do to contain the Korean dictatorship of Kim Jong-un after the sixth and most powerful nuclear test in defiance of international law and progressively tougher UN resolutions passed unanimously with China and Russia’s support.
This comes after a series of Korean missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads were launched demonstrating to Japan and South Korea they can be hit.
The Korean War was brought to an end in July 1953 after President Eisenhower had used the Indian Prime Minister Nehru to warn the Chinese leader Zhou Enlai in May that the US would use atomic bombs north of the Yalu river in North Korea unless peace talks in Panmunjom between North and South Korea made rapid progress.
DETERRENT
In 2006 the deteriorating situation in North Korea was part of an “uncertain world too big a risk for our defence” that convinced Labour Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to renew our UK nuclear deterrent.
So Britain cannot wash its hands of the dilemma the US faces and disown any decision President Trump might make particularly if it emerges it had the support of the Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis.
President Trump has talked directly to the Chinese President Xi in person and by other means many times.
If Chinese diplomacy cannot change the mind of the Korean leader what will short of force? Perhaps initially using the Massive Ordnance Air Blast bombs on all nuclear sites will suffice leaving nuclear bombs as a last resort only if South Korea is attacked.
These MOAB bombs (also known as Mother of All Bombs) were used for the first time ever in April against an ISIS cave complex in Afghanistan. It is an horrendous choice the US is facing. A full version can be found at mirror.co.uk/politics