The right approach or no? (Wong Maye-E, File/AP Photo)
Donald Trump has made North Korea a foreign policy focus during his nearly 100-days-old presidency, and his administration is indicating it will embrace a different approach to dealing with the Hermit Kingdom's nuclear threat than previous administrations. Vice President Mike Pence proclaimed the "era of strategic patience is over" while visiting South Korea, including the Korean Demilitarized Zone, on Monday as part of a 10-day Asia trip. Highlighting Trump's willingness to use bombs in Syria and Afghanistan, Pence also advised, "North Korea would do well not to test his resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region."
Pence's comments came after North Korea's failed test missile launch over the weekend. On Saturday, the country celebrated the 105th anniversary of the birth of its founder, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un, with a military parade in Pyongyang and showcased its supply of various types of missiles. North Korea has warned of the possibility of a "super-mighty preemptive strike" as tensions with the U.S. have escalated.
Regarding North Korea's latest missile launch attempt, Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, Trump's national security adviser, said Sunday that "all options are on the table." He later stated, "[I]t's time for us to undertake all actions we can, short of a military option, to try to resolve this peacefully."
Trump too has been vocal about addressing North Korea's increasing aggression. After hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month, he tweeted, "I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!" He added, "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A."
The Trump administration's expressed stance on handling North Korea and the Kim regime has earned praise from some members of the Republican Party. Sen. Lindsey Graham remarked, "The fact that the vice president of the United States went to the DMZ, looked across the way and said, 'We're watching you' – Donald Trump is not going to let this nutjob in North Korea get a missile to hit America. And if I were North Korea and China, I would start thinking anew about the president of the United States."
However, the president has also garnered criticism for his approach. Last week, the Trump administration backed reports that it had sent the USS Carl Vinson toward the Korea Peninsula, but on Monday, news broke that the aircraft carrier was, in fact, operating in the Indian Ocean at the time. Pat Garofalo of U.S. News and World Report thinks the incident raises concerns about Trump's North Korea policy and his communication with America's allies more generally. "Now, sure, some unpredictability can be helpful to a leader at times, but when dealing with a situation that could lead to a nuclear conflagration – if not here in the U.S. than certainly over South Korea and Japan – I'd argue that more clarity, not less, is the way to go," writes Garofalo.
So, is the Trump administration taking the right approach to North Korea? Here's our Debate Club's take.
Viewpoints
George A. Lopez
George A. Lopez
Bankrupt the Regime
George A. Lopez is Hesburgh Professor Emeritus at the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame. He served on the UN Security Council panel of experts for sanctions on North Korea from October 2010-August, 2011.
David C. Kang
David C. Kang
The Reality Remains the Same
David C. Kang is professor of international relations and business at the University of Southern California. His latest book, “American Grand Strategy and East Asian Security in the 21st Century,” will be published by Cambridge University Press later this year.
Welton Chang
Welton Chang
Do the Hard Work of Diplomacy
Welton Chang is a Truman National Security Fellow, a former U.S. Army officer and Defense Department analyst who served a tour in South Korea and two tours in Iraq.
Anthony Ruggiero
Anthony Ruggiero
No More Kicking the Can
Anthony Ruggiero , a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, was an advisor to the U.S. delegation to the 2005 rounds of the Six-Party Talks and spent 17 years in the U.S. government. Follow him on Twitter: @_ARuggiero
Bruce Klingner
Bruce Klingner
All Bark and No Bite?
Bruce Klingner is senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation. He previously served 20 years with the Central Intelligence Agency and Defense Intelligence Agency, including as CIA’s deputy division chief for Korea.
James S. Robbins
James S. Robbins
Trump Is Finally Changing the Game
James S. Robbins is senior fellow for national security affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council.
Siegfried S. Hecker
Siegfried S. Hecker
Analyze and Act Accordingly
Siegfried S. Hecker is a senior fellow emeritus at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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