Mullen: US Closer Than Ever To Nuclear War With North Korea
- 6 years ago
Former Joint Chiefs chair Mike Mullen told ABC News on Sunday that the U.S. is closer to a nuclear war with North Korea than ever before.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen on Sunday expressed his concern about the rising tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.
"We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," Mullen said on ABC News' 'This Week' during an interview with host Martha Raddatz. "And I just don't see how -- I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point."
His remark comes days after the United Nations Security Council voted in favor of placing new sanctions on North Korea. In response, North Korea called the new sanctions "an act of war."
Meanwhile, President Trump has repeatedly warned the reclusive nation over continued threats and missile testing.
Back in August, when North Korea said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike near Guam, Trump told reporters, "Let's see what he [Kim Jong-un] does with Guam. He does something in Guam, it will be an event the likes of which nobody's seen before, what will happen in North Korea."
Trump also tweeted, "Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!"
Reflecting on Trump's statements in the past months, Mullen said in his Sunday interview, "will [the president] follow through on his rhetoric? Or will we actually be able to get to a situation where it could be solved peacefully? And I'm just more inclined to see over time that the rhetoric seems to be where the president is."
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen on Sunday expressed his concern about the rising tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.
"We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," Mullen said on ABC News' 'This Week' during an interview with host Martha Raddatz. "And I just don't see how -- I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point."
His remark comes days after the United Nations Security Council voted in favor of placing new sanctions on North Korea. In response, North Korea called the new sanctions "an act of war."
Meanwhile, President Trump has repeatedly warned the reclusive nation over continued threats and missile testing.
Back in August, when North Korea said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike near Guam, Trump told reporters, "Let's see what he [Kim Jong-un] does with Guam. He does something in Guam, it will be an event the likes of which nobody's seen before, what will happen in North Korea."
Trump also tweeted, "Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!"
Reflecting on Trump's statements in the past months, Mullen said in his Sunday interview, "will [the president] follow through on his rhetoric? Or will we actually be able to get to a situation where it could be solved peacefully? And I'm just more inclined to see over time that the rhetoric seems to be where the president is."