Negotiate with North Korea

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has just reset its Doomsday Clock to one-twelfth minute to midnight. That is the closest it has been since 1953 during the (contrived) Cold War with our wartime ally, Russia. Trump ticked the clock forward with his U.N. speech (violating the U.N. Charter which was created to promote peace) by threatening to “totally destroy” North Korea. If Trump had a hint of historical awareness, he would realize we virtually destroyed North Korea with the 1950-53 war (as we stupidly repeated 10 years later in Vietnam). The U.S. carpet-bombed North Korea with millions of tons of bombs and napalm, killing over 1 million people.

Despite signing an armistice agreement to leave Korea, the U.S. remained and still has 30,000 troops there practicing annual war games with South Korean troops. The U.S. is South Korea’s main source of armaments. Instead of engaging in reckless threats, Trump should negotiate for peace from his position of superior military strength by respecting the concerns of Kim and the North Korean people in the sincere pursuit of peace. The question is: Does he have the temperament or moral conviction to do that?

Buell Hollister

Spokane