Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s and not necessarily those of TheSprout. We are a platform for young people in Cardiff to share their views, news, and opinions.
In the current crisis between the United States (US) and North Korea (DPRK), it is easy to be scared of those in charge of our world. After all, at least one, and possibly two, nuclear-armed states are threatening each other with a war on an almost daily basis. Many feel more threatened by the DPRK and their leader, Kim Jong Un than they do by Donald Trump. It’s quite clear why. Mr Kim is painted as a murderous, war-mongering leader intent on the destruction of the US and its allies by the Western media. The majority of people see him as a threat. A threat that must be neutralised to prevent global destruction.
I disagree with this view.
Despite the constant images of a tough looking Kim Jong Un, celebrating the launch of another nuclear weapons test, I am less scared of him than I am of Donald Trump. Below are my reasons why I, and perhaps you, should be more scared of the 45th US President than the Kim Dynasty.
1.) The DPRK is not a confirmed Nuclear State, the US is:
For all the bravado about successful nuclear weapons tests coming out of the DPRK, no concrete evidence has yet been provided by the North of being successful in miniaturising a nuclear weapon small enough to fit on the end of a missile. Reports of tests come directly from the North Korean state broadcaster KCTV, meaning the information coming out of the country cannot be treated as either credible or trustworthy. Additionally, many military experts and critics are sceptical as to whether the DPRK has been able to develop the capabilities to launch a nuclear warhead. Without any evidence of this, there is no guarantee that the North could even be able to engage in a thermonuclear war with the US and its allies. In contrast, the US is most definitely a nuclear-armed state. The US was the first and only nation to ever use a nuclear weapon in a war, when they dropped the two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War in 1945. The US currently has 6,800 nuclear warheads, according to data from Hans Kristensen and Robert Norris at the ‘Federation of American scientists’. The US could engage in a thermonuclear war at any time, with 1,800 warheads currently deployed.
2.) It isn’t in the interest of the DPRK to engage in a war:
Whilst North Korea may make out they are ready for a war with the US and its allies, in reality, it would be catastrophic for the hermit country. The DPRK’s whole reason for developing nuclear weapons was to protect the country and its sovereignty. Engaging in a war would lead to an almost certain regime collapse in the North and a loss of control, which is exactly what the leadership of the country is trying to prevent. Kim Jong Un is very unlikely to engage in a war, as it would threaten his control over the North Korean people and his country. Despite the country threatening to serve violence and destruction to the US and its allies, the reality is that this is unlikely to happen.
3.) Donald Trump is more unpredictable :
If President Trump’s election campaign and early presidency has taught us anything, it’s that Mr Trump likes nothing more than expressing his opinions and doing the unexpected. He is well known for his outbursts on Twitter, and frequently expresses his frustration at North Korea. It is this quality that is particularly worrying, as Mr Trump could post a tweet leading to a confrontation with North Korea. A lot of the rhetoric towards North Korea from Mr Trump has come through his tweets. Whilst it is probably unlikely that a single tweet could lead to an all out war between the two nations, it could lead to a catastrophic miscalculation or misunderstanding. The unpredictability of Donald Trump is one of the most worrying aspects of the crisis.
Despite all this, the likelihood of any war between the US and the DPRK is slim. For all their talk, the two leaders are aware of the devastating power that a nuclear weapon could inflict. Whilst the situation may appear on the brink of an all out nuclear war, it likely won’t come to that. This game of brinksmanship seems tense, but in reality will likely amount to nothing.
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