WSU Peace And Conflict Studies Director Talks North Korean Threat
DETROIT (WWJ) - The United States is looking for a "tough, comprehensive and credible package of new sanctions" from the United Nations against North Korea, in response to what that country describes as a nuclear test.
Fred Pearson is the Director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University and he addresses the threat that North Korea poses.
"They may exaggerate, somewhat, their accomplishment for effect -- not that they haven't entered the nuclear era -- it certainly seems they have -- but it would appear that they may be working on the hydrogen fusion bomb project - rather than having completed it," said Pearson.
So how much of a threat is North Korea?
"They are working on longer range missiles that could perhaps reach Hawaii or Alaska - but that isn't there yet, what they can do quite clearly and they've made this clear with their test is reach Japan or South Korea and these are key US allies," says Pearson.
But the United States is skeptical of North Korea's claim that it tested a hydrogen bomb.
"That could also be some counter-propaganda against them being recognized as having achieved something -- but I think it's more likely to be the case that they (North Koreans) want us to think that they are at a high level of sophistication -- because the whole use of this as a deterrent to any outsider messing with them."
Pearson said his worry is the threat of United Nations sanctions -- he says North Korea could turn around and sell any nuclear technology it has to terror groups like ISIS in retaliation.
Pearson says the test put China in a difficult spot.
The Chinese will want to condemn the test but have a stake in making sure North Korean doesn't fall ... bringing the west to its border.