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NORTH KOREA AND its nuclear weapons programme pose a “threat to us all”, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said, calling on the international community to work together on the issue.
“It is therefore imperative that we do our part each of us to fulfil our obligations and work together to support our shared goal of denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula,” Mattis said in a policy speech at the Shangri-La defence summit in Singapore today.
Pyongyang test-fired another rocket on Monday, the latest in a series of launches and atomic tests that have ratcheted up tensions over its quest to develop weapons capable of hitting the United States — something President Donald Trump has said “won’t happen”.
“The regime’s actions are manifestly illegal under international law,” Mattis said.
“There is a strong international consensus that the current situation cannot continue. China’s declared policy of a denuclearised Korean Peninsula is our policy as well, and also that of Japan and the Republic of Korea.”
Trump — who frequently denounced China on the campaign trail — has turned to Beijing to help rein in North Korea’s weapons programme.
Mattis’s challenge on his visit is to reassure allies that America can apply pressure on China over its claims in the South China Sea, while at the same time convincing Beijing that controlling North Korea is in its own security interests.
“The Trump administration is encouraged by China’s renewed commitment to work with the international community toward denuclearisation,” Mattis said.
UN sanctions
The UN Security Council yesterday imposed sanctions on 18 North Korean officials and entities as the US vowed to respond to Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear tests “through other means, if necessary”.
The council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution that put North Korea’s suspected spy chief, 13 other officials and four entities on the UN sanctions blacklist, hitting them with a global travel ban and an assets freeze.
“The Security Council is sending a clear message to North Korea today: Stop firing ballistic missiles or face the consequences,” US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council.
“Beyond diplomatic and financial consequences, the United States remains prepared to counteract North Korean aggression through other means, if necessary,” she added.
China, Pyongyang’s ally, backed the sanctions but renewed its appeal for dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula.
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Pretty sure the U.S. Poses a threat to us all.
@Darren Mc Mahon: Yes they want to start another war so they can control the banks there
@Darren Mc Mahon: the US usually states ‘a threat to us all’ right before they kick off. It’s like saying ‘buckle up ’cause we need a war and we’ve just found one’
@Darren Mc Mahon:
Us all? … im pretty sure Kim Jung-un wouldn’t find Ireland on a map.
I dont think North Korea is a threat to all of us
@Darren Mc Mahon: the US is a rogue nation with a rogue President and a rogue military industrial corporation known as the Military Industrial Complex which controls all of the above.
@Skybloo: and Donald Trump couldn’t find New York on the map without help.
So does the US, in fact North Korea actually signed up to the paris climate accord and im pretty sure they are smart enough to know they would be obliterated if they even tried to shoot their 20th century half arsed missiles at anyone. The world is ready to defend against north korea but the planet cannot sustain American pollution for much longer
@Kevin Higgins: Well said. US nuclear missiles can be fired by Trump without approval of the house or Senate. A man with wild mood swings that when being briefed asked why he couldn’t nuke other countries. He is a far bigger threat.
Really getting sick of America’s hipocracy at this stage
North Korea: US is a threat to us all.
“The regime’s actions are manifestly illegal under international law’ what’s he on about? Israeli settlements and land grabs?
“The regime’s actions are manifestly illegal under international law,” – sure they’d know best what that entails.
The world needs to stand up to Trump’s erratic international cherry picking policies. As clmate change stands right now it is a far bigger threat to mankind than North Korea. The west has always closed one eye to some of America’s questionable foreign policy and weighed in behind it but now as Trump’s actions are seen more and more as totally self serving it’s traditional allies will have to think deeply before it offers support on other issues in future.
Always starts with that line ‘ poses a threat to us all’
Seeing as the US recently admitted they have no capability to intercept any incoming ICBM then they should be worried. If NK had no defences of its own the US would be on the Chinese border by now. Their memory of what the US did to NK civilians produced the current situation.
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: they actually could kill a relatively primitive ICBM.
Readying the masses for a military ramp up or engagement, primarily for the benefit of the industrial military complex and all that benefit from it.
Hope I’m wrong.
To be Honest, climate change poses more of danger than North Korea!
@robert lester: climate change is a natural phenomenon whereby nuclear missiles are not. I disagree with your statement.
Yeah it poses a threat like syria,Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan,. If I remember correctly Iran and north Korea were on George Bush axis of evil including Iraq . I wonder why they haven’t invaded Iran or north Korea. It’s just a coincidence that both countries have nuclear weapons
@Benny Dowling: America is paranoid, look at the mess they’re creating around the world and it’s time they cleaned up after themselves.
US is a threat to us all until the psychopath is impeached more like.
@Ken Pepper: lol ur a funny guy. Deluded but funny.
The only country with the clout to reign in Nth Korea is China. If China takes action. the regime collapses.
@Just Me: and then what happens? US military on the Chinese border, millions of Korean refugees spilling into North East China, a region with a long history of political separation from China and foreign rule. China would rather keep their puppet in place
Coming from a place that says climate change doesn’t exist I can nearly start to imagine that North Korea is all sweetness and light!
USA. Marching to the beat of their own war drums since 1776.
Go fly your own kite, America and we’re too busy cleaning the planet.
As expected, America wants a war and wants us to go along with it. Ask most people in the world and most would agree that the biggest sponsor of terror in the world is the US with the most dangerous leader running it.
Someone must have told the US there’s oil and gas in North Korea….Their just planting the seed now just in case they need it more than the Koreans…
I think north Korea needs some freedom.
Does anybody believe anything this bullying country says. North Korea is no more a treat than Malta but these fools want more war and more misery and to create more terrorism. Boycott American products where you can and destroy them.
Ya
Why are you using a photo of Lord Sugar’s Aide?
You know it, I know it, we all know it – the biggest threat to any of us is the US.
Yeah whatever Daffy Duck……we believe you…
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