Stephen Lendman

His rage for war makes any announced warnings sound especially ominous - even if they’re only bluster.

With him it’s hard to tell, the latest one coming after discussing Iran and North Korea with Pentagon officials.

During a photo-op with them assembled before dinner, he asked: “You guys know what this represents? Maybe it’s the “calm before the storm. Could be the calm before the storm.”

What storm, he was asked: “ISIS? North Korea? Iran?”

“You’ll find out,” he responded, adding “(w)e have the world’s great military people in this room, I will tell you that.”

He denounced Iran, said the country won’t be allowed to have nuclear weapons it deplores and doesn’t want, Trump likely ignorant of its longterm position.

Maybe he doesn’t care. Talking tough is his preferred way of operating, making threats and enemies at the same time.

On North Korea, he roared “(w)e cannot allow this dictatorship to threaten our nation or allies with unimaginable loss of life,” vowing to “do what we must do to prevent that from happening and it will be done, if necessary. Believe me.”

Hawkish generals running administration policy prepared “a broad range of military options,” he added. Earlier he threatened total destruction on the country.

Longstanding US hostility is why Pyongyang needs a nuclear and ballistic missile deterrent, genuinely fearing US aggression.

In January, S. 200: Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017 was introduced, a measure to prohibit preemptive use of these weapons without Congress declaring war.

Chances for its enactment are nil, the bill making a statement by sponsor Edward Markey, nothing else.

Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue earlier said “(t)he nuclear threat will not end as long as nations continue to claim that nuclear weapons are essential for their national security.”

Bush/Cheney’s December 2001 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), asserted America’s preemptive right to unilaterally declare and wage future wars using first strike nuclear weapons. Madness remains US policy.

Obama’s 2010 and 2015 National Security Strategies pledged US first-strike use of these weapons against any adversary, nuclear armed or not.

Obama approved a $1 trillion program to upgrade America’s nuclear arsenal over the next 30 years, assuring other nuclear powers will follow suit.

Trump said America “must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability…” As long as these weapons exist, they’ll likely be used again with devastating effects.

The only way to prevent eventual nuclear war is by eliminating these weapons entirely, the world community uniting on this most vital of all issues to save life on earth from possible extinction.

US imperial madness poses an unparalleled nuclear threat, the only nation ever using them, willing to use them again - North Korea, Iran, Russia and China prime targets.

What Trump has in mind about a possible impending storm is reason for great concern. What hostile action does he have in mind? What country does he plan to attack next?

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
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