The North Korea situation is getting a whole lot more tense

The Trump administration is also trying to pressure China into doing more to curb its aggressive ally and neighbor

By Matthew Rozsa

Staff Writer

Published July 31, 2017 7:54AM (EDT)

 (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Tensions between the United States and North Korea are escalating as President Donald Trump continues his efforts to crackdown on the wayward nuclear power.

On Sunday the United States ordered two supersonic B-1B bombers to fly over the Korean peninsula, according to a report by Reuters. This occurred two days after North Korea successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach the American mainland.

Not surprisingly, Trump took to Twitter on Saturday to discuss the North Korea crisis. He focused on China, an ostensible ally to both countries, which he blames for not exerting enough pressure on the military fiefdom to curb its aggressive behavior.

North Korea's ICBM launch occurred one day after Congress passed sweeping sanctions against that nation, Iran and Russia. This makes North Korea the second American adversary to react poorly to those sanctions, as Russian President Vladimir Putin retaliated by ordering 755 American diplomatic personnel to be fired.

During an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein — who plays a leading role on the Senate intelligence committee — shared Trump's dismay with China, even as she urged a restrained response by the United States.

"I think the only solution is a diplomatic one. I'm very disappointed in China's response, that it has not been firmer or more helpful," Feinstein said.

Similarly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson condemned both China and Russia as "economic enablers" of the rogue state, according to a report by Bloomberg. His sentiments were echoed by United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who declared that "China must decide whether it is finally willing to take this vital step. The time for talk is over. The danger the North Korean regime poses to international peace is now clear to all."


By Matthew Rozsa

Matthew Rozsa is a staff writer at Salon. He received a Master's Degree in History from Rutgers-Newark in 2012 and was awarded a science journalism fellowship from the Metcalf Institute in 2022.

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