Bloody hell.
A White House official has indicated that diplomatic relations with North Korea have been totally unsuccessful in curtailing the nation’s nuclear program, and that if things get much worse, the US military will be tipped to take the lead on Kim Jong Un‘s worrying regime.
Actually, let’s state that a little more bluntly. US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told CNN the UN Security Council that “if North Korea keeps on with this reckless behavior, the United States has to defend itself or defend its allies in any way, North Korea will be destroyed”.
Haley’s statement came amid the UN’s General Assembly in New York. It also arrived just a few days after North Korea launched a missile over Japan, a clear provocation from a nation developing missile technology capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland.
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Speaking about diplomatic options available to curtail the North Korean program – which have traditionally included trade sanctions, designed to slow the nation’s economy and ability to build fucking nukes – Haley said “we have pretty much exhausted all the things that we can do at the Security Council at this point.”
While declaring that “none of us want war,” Haley made it clear that if North Korean provocations continue, the issue will be handed over to the Pentagon and Defense Secretary James Mattis.
“We wanted to be responsible and go through all diplomatic means to get their attention first. If that doesn’t work, Gen. Mattis will take care of it,” Haley said.
While military options against North Korea potentially extend as far as toppling Kim Jong Un, targeted missile strikes against sites significant to the nation’s nuclear program are also a possibility.
Mattis has previously warned that any military intervention would lead to a catastrophic backlash. But, it’s also worth noting at this point that General Mattis has the nickname Mad Dog, and reportedly once told troops “be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”
Of course, these discussions come after US President Donald Trump’s “fire and fury” claim, and right around the same time as this friendly little message:
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2017
Too bad, indeed.
