Unless you have been living under a rock you will know that U.S. president Donald Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea earlier this week. Ironically Trump used a speech at the United Nation’s, an organization whose primary role is the maintenance of international peace and security, to issue threats against North Korea, and its leader Kim Jong-un. As reported by NBC , Trump channeled Elton John, branding the North Korean leader as the “rocket man” and hinted that he would U.S. military might to wipe North Korea off the face of the map.
“If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph. Rocket man is on a suicide mission.”
“The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.”
As previously reported by the Inquisitr , Donald Trump has been accused of using bellicose rhetoric towards North Korea. Trump’s use of Twitter to declare that “the time for talking” to North Korea has passed did nothing to calm fears that the world may be on the brink of World War 3. Far from being cowed by Trump’s rhetoric, North Korea responded by testing a nuclear weapon, and by firing an intercontinental missile directly over Japan.
It is indisputable fact that no world leader wants to see the world draw into a global conflict, especially when World War 3 could so easily turn into a nuclear conflict. The problem is that neither North Korea nor president Trump seems willing to give an inch. Every hostile act by Kim Jong-un is met with an equally hostile act by the USA. As reported by USA Today president Trump’s response to the latest North Korean missile tests was to order another show of force by the U.S.military.
Just a day before Trump’s U.N. speech, the U.S. flew stealth jets and bombers over the Korean Peninsula in joint exercises with South Korea and Japan. Every hostile action potentially brings us one step closer to World War 3. New sanctions are designed to cripple the North Korean economy, a measure it is hoped will deny the rogue state with the finance needed to grow its nuclear arsenal and stifle its development of long-range missiles capable of delivering a nuclear payload.
Unfortunately, North Korea shows little sign of buckling under international pressure. As reported by USA Today an official response to Trump’s threat, to “totally destroy North Korea,” describes Trump as “a barking dog,” and says that Trump’s threats will not stop North Korea’s “parade.”
“There is a saying that goes: ‘even when dogs bark, the parade goes on.’ If Trump intended to scare us with the sound of a dog barking then he is clearly dreaming.”
China Issues An Ultimatum To The U.S. And South Korea
It is obvious that for World War 3 to become a reality nations other than the U.S. and North Korea will have to be involved. The North Korean regime is reclusive and largely without friends. China is North Korea’s major trading partner and even the Chinese have been critical of North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests.
The real worry is that China becomes embroiled in any conflict between North Korea and the U.S., and that remains a very real possibility. All the way back in January 2017 the Telegraph reported that China had moved nuclear missile systems into position to attack the U.S. mainland. There are tensions between the U.S. and China over disputed waters in the South China Sea, and China has moved anti-ship missiles, capable of attacking U.S. warships, into the area.
As reported by the Daily Express, the Chinese have issued an ultimatum to Washington , demanding that U.S. missile defense systems are removed from South Korea. China claims that the high-tech missile-defense system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) will do nothing to reduce tension in the region. The U.S. and South Korea point out that the systems are defensive and necessary to counter the threat from North Korea.
As things stand today it is difficult to see Donald Trump or North Korea backing down. Whilst that is the case World War 3 remains a possibility. Let’s hope diplomacy can find a way and that a nuclear World War 3 is avoided.
[Featured Image by KRT/AP Images]