According the British newspaper The Sun, war is "looming" between North Korea and the USA. The entire British press seems intent on stoking fear of an impending war with the NKs. They are not alone. A sizeable chunk of the American media is also talking about how close the USA is to war with Kim Jung Un and the Merry Missile Men. It's crazy, and it's counterproductive.
Let's look at what has actually happened:
1. President Trump has decided to be vocal about what conduct the USA will not accept from North Korea. During the Obama years, America never stated any limits on North Korean conduct. If the NKs exploded a nuclear bomb, the USA would condemn the action after the fact and then take no action. Obama made clear that our plan was "strategic patience" which is another name for "not leading from very far behind." Obama pretended that nothing was happening, and the NKs got nukes, more nukes and rudimentary missiles. Japan and South Korea were put under the threat of nuclear attack by the North Koreans. President Trump, however, has been outspoken about what will be a step too far by the NKs.
2. Preisdent Trump has not backed down in the face of NK sabre rattling. Again, in the Obama years, Kim Jung Un or his father was able to make threats to destroy the USA or South Korea and to get from the USA in response some sort of financial assistance to placate the NKs. Each time Kim needed money, he would start threatening. The difference now is that President Trump no long has the USA backing down in the face of NK threats. Instead, Trump is talking the same talk as Kim. America is also strengthening its forces in the region in ways that are quite obvious and which are intended as warnings to the NKs.
That's all that's really changed. During Obama's years, if the NKs stepped on America's toes, Obama would say "we're sorry" and stick out the other foot so that the NKs could trample that one as well. Trump is pushing Kim off our toes and saying "watch where you're going."
Let's be clear; there are no moves toward war. What is happening is that we finally have a president who wants to stand up for the safety of the American people. He won't let the slide continue towards a day when Kim Jung Un has the means seriously to threaten nuclear attack on the American mainland. That's far from war.
So why must the media promote the idea that war is "looming"? First, it does sell papers or gain clicks on websites. More important, it plays into the narrative that President Trump somehow doesn't know what he is doing on foreign policy. "He's leading us to war" is a great way to stoke fears of Trump's competence. Of course, so far Trump has proven to be much more successful than the ever-supine Obama was.
This is one instance in which the media really is the enemy of the American people. It is truly wrong for the media to falsely claim that war is imminent. Kim Jung Un knows that his days on Earth will come to a quick end if he challenges America in war. He may be crazy, but he's not suicidal.
Let's look at what has actually happened:
1. President Trump has decided to be vocal about what conduct the USA will not accept from North Korea. During the Obama years, America never stated any limits on North Korean conduct. If the NKs exploded a nuclear bomb, the USA would condemn the action after the fact and then take no action. Obama made clear that our plan was "strategic patience" which is another name for "not leading from very far behind." Obama pretended that nothing was happening, and the NKs got nukes, more nukes and rudimentary missiles. Japan and South Korea were put under the threat of nuclear attack by the North Koreans. President Trump, however, has been outspoken about what will be a step too far by the NKs.
2. Preisdent Trump has not backed down in the face of NK sabre rattling. Again, in the Obama years, Kim Jung Un or his father was able to make threats to destroy the USA or South Korea and to get from the USA in response some sort of financial assistance to placate the NKs. Each time Kim needed money, he would start threatening. The difference now is that President Trump no long has the USA backing down in the face of NK threats. Instead, Trump is talking the same talk as Kim. America is also strengthening its forces in the region in ways that are quite obvious and which are intended as warnings to the NKs.
That's all that's really changed. During Obama's years, if the NKs stepped on America's toes, Obama would say "we're sorry" and stick out the other foot so that the NKs could trample that one as well. Trump is pushing Kim off our toes and saying "watch where you're going."
Let's be clear; there are no moves toward war. What is happening is that we finally have a president who wants to stand up for the safety of the American people. He won't let the slide continue towards a day when Kim Jung Un has the means seriously to threaten nuclear attack on the American mainland. That's far from war.
So why must the media promote the idea that war is "looming"? First, it does sell papers or gain clicks on websites. More important, it plays into the narrative that President Trump somehow doesn't know what he is doing on foreign policy. "He's leading us to war" is a great way to stoke fears of Trump's competence. Of course, so far Trump has proven to be much more successful than the ever-supine Obama was.
This is one instance in which the media really is the enemy of the American people. It is truly wrong for the media to falsely claim that war is imminent. Kim Jung Un knows that his days on Earth will come to a quick end if he challenges America in war. He may be crazy, but he's not suicidal.
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