Trump warns major, major conflict with North Korea is possible
The stern message
comes as American officials try to clarify their stance on North Korea after a series of mixed signals during Trumps first 100 days in office
Rob Crilly
Donald Trump has warned that a war is likely with North Korea unless a diplomatic solution can be found to the stand-off over the pariah states nuclear missile programme.
Trump highlighted the risk of a major, major conflict at the end of a week when the US tightened sanctions on Pyongyang ahead of a United Nations Security Council meeting on the issue.
The stern message comes as American officials try to clarify their stance on North Korea after a series of mixed signals during Trumps first 100 days in office. At the same time, the presidents stalled domestic agenda this week he unveiled plans for tax reform that immediately ran into opposition among some Republicans has made an early foreign policy success all the more urgent.
Before taking office, Trump was told by Barack Obama, his predecessor, that North Korea would be his biggest challenge.
Satellite evidence suggests Kim Jong Uns reclusive regime is ready to conduct its sixth nuclear test.
Although it has not yet managed to miniaturise its warheads, US military officers believe trials of ballistic missiles have reached the point where its conventional arsenal could now reach Hawaii, which is American soil.
There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea, Trump told Reuters in an interview at the Oval Office.
Wed love to solve things diplomatically but its very difficult.
The US has asked China to increase pressure on North Korea, harnessing its power as Pyongyangs biggest trade partner. Trump lavished praise on Chinese president Xi Jinping for Chinese assistance in trying to rein in North Korea. The two leaders met in Florida earlier this month.
I believe he is trying very hard. He certainly doesnt want to see turmoil and death. He doesnt want to see it. He is a good man. He is a very good man and I got to know him very well, Trump said. With that being said, he loves China and he loves the people of China. I know he would like to be able to do something, perhaps its possible that he cant.
Any direct US military action would run the risk of massive North Korean retaliation and huge casualties in Japan and South Korea and among US forces in both countries.
When asked if he considered North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to be rational, Trump said he was operating from the assumption that he is rational, and noted that Kim had taken over his country at an early age.
Hes 27 years old. His father dies, took over a regime. So say what you want, but that is not easy, especially at that age, Trump said. Im not giving him credit or not giving him credit, Im just saying thats a very hard thing to do. As to whether or not hes rational, I have no opinion on it. I hope hes rational.
Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, said last week that Beijing had warned the country it would impose unilateral sanctions if it conducted any more nuclear tests.
It has already banned imports of North Korean coal and oil shipments could follow, according to local media reports.
Chairing a UN Security Council meeting on Friday to build global economic, diplomatic and military pressure against Pyongyang, Tillerson called on UN member states to downgrade diplomatic relations with Pyongyang and underscored the urgency of action.
With each successive detonation and missile test North Korea pushes north-east Asia and the world closer to instability and broader conflict, said Tillerson. The threat of a North Korean attack on Seoul or Tokyo is real.
But Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi warned against potential chaos on the Korean peninsula and said dialogue and negotiations were the only right choice to address the threat from North Korea.
The use of force does not solve differences and will only lead to bigger disasters, Wang told the Security Council.
However, some of Trumps other comments such as demanding South Korea pay a billion dollars for an anti-missile shield and renegotiate a free-trade agreement were hardly reassuring. Nor were they helpful to his secretary of state at a time when Trump needs a united front against Kim.
Its phenomenal. Its the most incredible equipment youve ever seen shoots missiles right out of the sky, Trump said of the Terminal High Altitude Defence System (THAAD), which is designed to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles.
And it protects them [South Korea] and I want to protect them. Were going to protect them. But they should pay for that, and they understand that.
The writer is a commentatoron strategic affairs
