The Spectre of War

With most of the U.S. distracted by the Republican and Democratic conventions last week, it's little wonder that much news out of Asia didn't make it to the mainstream media.  I've been reading articles from various sources that state recent U.S. sanctions against North Korea for their human rights abuses have been met with fury and an outright declaration of war.

Han Song Ryo, North Korea's top diplomat of U.S. affairs, is quoted as saying: "The United States has crossed the red line in our showdown.  We regard this thrice-cursed crime as a declaration of war."  North Korea's government also claims that upcoming U.S. and South Korean joint military exercises include training to assassinate top North Korean leaders.

Even more frightening is a statement from the North Korean Atomic Energy Institute: "If the U.S. and other hostile forces persistently seek their reckless hostile policy towards the DPRK and behave mischievously, the DPRK is fully ready to cope with them with nuclear weapons any time."

U.S. crossed 'red line'
North Korea Fires Another Missile

We know that the North Korean leader has been looking for an excuse for war for a long time.  We know that the country has missiles with the capability of hitting U.S. soil.  We also know that China has been simmering with resentment as well and it won't take much for that country to become hostile.

So what is going to be done to defuse this situation?  Is anyone even paying attention?

My grandfather served in both World War I and World War II.  I'm sure he would have been very sad to know that the world can't truly be peaceful for long.