The world held its breath all last week, and continues to be on alarming alert after the heightened escalation between US and North Korea reached its peak. Both US and North Korea have traded accusations and started a military buildup, mobilizing troops and sending heavy war machines into the region.
The conflict erupted when Washington threatened to hit Pyongyang against the backdrop of testing missiles in China Sea, which was considered an imminent and dangerous threat to US allies, namely South Korea and Japan, as well as to the tens of thousands of US troops deployed in the region.
Trump administration is keeping all options on the table, with Donald Trump tweeting: “North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!”
Nevertheless Washington recognizes the importance of having a joint approach with China, which remains North Korea’s most important trading partner and ally in the region.
Any attack against North Korea might spark an all over war and it will not be a picnic. It would far more dangerous than anything we have seen, even worse than what is happening in the Middle East.
Former MI6 head Sir John Sawers has warned that tensions with North Korea were actually a much bigger threat to world peace than the war in Syria.
“If you are looking for a world crisis which could bring about the dangers of a clash between great powers then North Korea is a bigger concern than Syria,” he told BBC .
Despite the US threats, Trump’s Inflammatory rhetoric, and military buildup, Pyongyang never bowed down, it even threatened to drown US warships or to start a devastating preemptive nuclear strike against the US forces in South Korea and Japan. Seoul, south Korea’s capital houses more than ten million people and is only 24 km away from the North Korean border which makes it an ideal easy target to North Korean missiles. US Military bases in the region with more than 70 thousands American soldier are under the mercy of Pyongyang missiles as well.
Taking these facts into consideration, the White House calmed its rhetoric giving way to diplomatic endeavors and Chinese mediation to interfere.
The US is highly unlikely to launch an attack on North Korea because the move could possibly escalate tensions all the way to nuclear war, let alone the heavy loss of lives that it might cause in the American ranks.
The only possible option left for Washington is to hope for the success of Chinese efforts or to prepare for more sanctions and to tighten siege against Pyongyang which it has become accustomed to.
A lesson learned here, the only guarantee for states, governments and people, is to depend on their domestic capabilities to preserve dignity, independence and sovereignty.
Source: Al-Manar Website
