War with North Korea would be ‘on an unbelievable scale’, US military chief says

Pentagon chief James Mattis has warned that a Military action on the Korean peninsula over North Korea’s continued missile activities would be ‘tragic and on an unbelievable scale’.

The military chief delivered the sombre caution days after North Korea led by defiant leader Kim Jong Un test-fired what analysts say was its longest-range rocket yet despite tough talks from top US officials in recent weeks.

“As you know, if this goes to a military solution, it is going to be tragic on an unbelievable scale, and so our effort is to work with the UN, work with China, work with Japan, work with South Korea to try to find a way out of this situation,” he said.

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Mattis also credited the efforts of China to apply pressure on North Korea as having some limited influence.

“There appears to be some impact by the Chinese working here,” he said.

About three days ago, a US envoy revealed that there is a possibility of direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang if it halts its nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Nikki Haley, Washington’s envoy to the United Nations while speaking to reporters on Tuesday ahead of a closed-door Security Council meeting said; “We are willing to talk but not until we see a total stop of the nuclear process and of any test there”.

Washington and Beijing – the North’s sole diplomatic and military ally – are working on a new resolution targeting Pyongyang, she added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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