Once the U.N. Security Council, under pressure from China and Russia, watered down North Korea sanctions Sept. 11, it was a matter of time before President Donald Trump’s military option became the only way to stop North Korean President Kim Jong-un’s nukes and ballistic missiles programs. China and Russia thought they were buying Pyongyang more time by watering down sanctions, preventing the Security Council from implementing a total oil embargo on the Hermit State. With the watered down sanctions, Kim already thumbed his nose at the Security Council proclaiming no sanctions would stop North Korea from developing its nukes and ballistic missiles. After diluting the sanctions, 64-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sept. 5 that North Korea would rather “eat grass” than give up its nukes and ballistic missiles, a sobering reminde to the White House.
Speaking today on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper, U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley had a grim assessment. “We have pretty much exhausted all the things that we can do at the Security Council at this point,” Haley said, telegraphing to U.N. leaders ready to meet at the 2017 opening of the General Assembly Sept. 19 that the prospects for war on the Korean Peninsula grows by the day. With Kim detonating a missile-ready thermonuclear device [hydrogen bomb] Sept. 3, Trump and Defense Secretary James “Mad Dog” Mattis have grown impatient. When Kim shot an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan Sept. 14, the prospects of war leaped. Kim’s threats to turn the U.S. into “ashes and darkness,” “sink” Japan and “wipe out” South Korea, there’s zero evidence that the sanctions did anything other than incite Pyongyang. Trump has turned whole mess over to Mattis.
Once thought unthinkable, namely, war on the Korean Peninsula, the prospects of Kim getting a nuke-tipped Intercontinental Ballistic Missile [ICBM], has far worse consequences to the U.S. and its allies. Trump spoke Sept. 5 to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, letting him know to prepare his people for possible war on the Korean Peninsula. Trump told Mood that “appeasement” won’t work with Kim Jong-un. Moon responded by preparing “decapitation” strikes at the North Korean regime. U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley would be better off refraining from talking about U.S. options in North Korea. Trump has said repeatedly to the press that he won’t comment on any options currently under consideration, other than saying the military option is on the table. Telegraphing a possible U.S. response only puts Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow on high alert.
Getting more blunt, Haley didn’t pull any punches on CNN. “If North Korea keeps on with this reckless behavior, if the United States has to defend itself or defend its allies in any way, North Korea will be destroyed. And we all know that. And none of us want that. None of us want war,” saying too much on the airwaves. Expecting to meet on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly with Moon, Trump branded Kim Jong-un “Rocket Man.” “I spoke with President Moon of South Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in North Korea. Too bad!” Trump tweeted Sunday morning. Echoing Haley’s remarks, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said Sept. 16 that the U.S. was at the end of the road. “We’ve been kicking the can down the road, and we’re out of road,” said McMaster, saying time was running out on a peaceful solution.
Speaking on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, McMaster restated that time was rapidly running out. China wants the U.S. to give sanctions a chance, a code word for letting Kim continue to develop his nuke-tipped ICBM. China and Russia show abysmal insensitivity knowing Kim has threatened the U.S. with nuclear annihilation on repeated occasions. China and Russia want to let Kim keep his nukes and ballistic missiles if the U.S. agrees to stop war games with South Korea. Kim has never said that if the U.S. stops join-military exercises with South Korea that he’ll stop his nukes and ballistic missiles program. “This regime is so close now to threatening the United States and others with a nuclear weapon . . .” McMaster told Chris Wallace. U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) said she believes Kim would not give up his nukes or ballistic missiles without getting something in return.
Feinstein opposes anything the Trump administration does to deal with a clear-and-present danger to U.S. national security. “I think that North Korea is not getting to give up the program with nothing on the table,” Feisntein told Jake Tapper. Feinstein knows that Putin admitted that Kim Jong-un would rather “eat grass” than give up his nukes and ballistic missiles programs. Threatening the U.S. and its allies will get a lot worse once Kim has an nuke-ready ICBM to hit the United State and its allies. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. has signaled to Pyongyang that it’s ready to talk about its nukes and ballistic missiles program. “We have tried a couple of times to signal to them that we’re ready, when they’re ready,” said Rex. “And they have responded with more missile launches and a nuke test,” proving there’s no way to stop Kim without wiping out his nuke and missile arsenal.
