The President of the United States, Donald Trump has vowed to respond to threats from North Korea with “fire and fury.”
The comment came after a statement from Pyongyang that it was considering to make strikes with its intermediate range ballistic missiles near U.S., strategic military installation on the island of Guam.
Donald Trump said, “North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He (Kim Jong-Un) has been very threatening, beyond a normal statement.” Mr. Trump was vacationing in New Jersey where he answered questions on North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.
He went on to say, “As said, they will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power the likes of which this world has never seen before.”
The questioning took place after news came that North Korea is going to obtain an atomic weapon that can strike the United States.
Reports from the media state North Korea has successfully managed to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to fit inside their missiles.
But U.S., Democratic lawmakers have criticized Trumps comments.
The Indian American Congressman representing Silicon Valley, Ro Khanna said, “This is not the time to push North Korea to make more threats and continue to test its long—range missiles. Instead the U.S., must listen to senior statesman such as Bill Perry, Sam Nunn, and George Schultz to engage in bilateral diplomacy.”
He further added, “The strict economic sanctions imposed by the UN should be used as a tool to start direct negotiations. Such tactics worked 20 years ago and the framework should be revisited given the disastrous consequences of any military conflict.”
Senator Dianne Feinstein also ridiculed the President’s bombastic comments and said, “There is no question that North Korea is seeking to add a nuclear warhead to an ICBM capable of reaching the United States.”
She also stated, “What this tells me is that our policy of isolating North Korea has not worked. The United States must quickly engage North Korea in a high level dialogue without any preconditions. Hopefully, secretary Tillerson is already discussing the possibility of reopening talks with our Asian partners during his current trip. In my view, diplomacy is the only sound path forward.” The Arms Control Association in a statement reported that resolving the issue with peace is far more difficult to achieve.
The statement said, “Trump’s attempt to play the role of nuclear madman is as dangerous, foolish and counterproductive as North Korea’s frequent hyperbolic threats against the United States.”
“Trump’s latest statement is a blatant threat of nuclear force that will not compel Kim to shift course. In fact, repeated threats of US military force only give credibility to the North Korean propaganda line that nuclear weapons are necessary to deter US aggression, and it may lead Kim to try to accelerate his nuclear program,” the statement read.
