As Trump and Kim Jong Un Unleash War Rhetoric, Allies Urge a Slower Hand

Ahead of another test of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities expected to occur as soon as this weekend, Washington is ratcheting up the rhetoric against the Hermit Kingdom and putting on a show of military strength, including moving an aircraft carrier strike group into position around the Korean peninsula.

The buildup of firepower and tough talk comes just before the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founding father and grandfather of the current ruler. The date is often a tense time for the region, as it is traditionally marked by displays of military strength, including missile launches.  

President Donald Trump has been vocal about the impending North Korean tests all week, calling the deployment of an aircraft carrier and other ships to the area “an armada,” while disclosing that submarines are part of the group. “We have submarines,” he told Fox News. “Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you.”

Read the full article at Foreign Policy.