NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “A top U.S. naval commander said Tuesday [9-5-17] that Pyongyang’s recent string of missile and nuclear tests has brought the U.S. closer to its allies in Tokyo and Seoul—rather than dividing them, as he says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had hoped.
The remarks from Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, come amid signs of friction between the U.S. and South Korea, and warnings that North Korea appears to be planning to test-launch another intercontinental ballistic missile.
The rapid advance in North Korea’s military capabilities has exposed differences between Seoul’s more dovish approach and Washington’s harder-line strategy on Pyongyang, and also raised questions in Tokyo and Seoul about the U.S.’s commitment to defending its allies in the event of a conflict with North Korea…
Following a summit of leaders of emerging economies in China on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said resolving the tensions over North Korea will require that all the parties engage in dialogue and warned that continued talk of a military solution could result in a catastrophe. North Koreans, he said, ‘will eat grass but they will never abandon their nuclear program.’ “
-Jonathan Cheng, “North Korea Crisis Strengthens Alliances, U.S. Naval Commander Says,” The Wall Street Journal online, Sept. 5, 2017 06:00am