Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 20, 2017
Donald Trump says ‘rocket man’ Kim Jong-un is ‘on a suicide mission’
U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that the United States will be forced to “totally destroy” North Korea unless Pyongyang backs down from its nuclear standoff, mocking North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a “rocket man” on a suicide mission.
September 6, 2017
Loud murmurs filled the green-marbled UN General Assembly hall when Trump issued his sternest warning yet to North Korea, whose ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests have rattled the globe.
Unless North Korea backs down, he said, “We will have no choice than to totally destroy North Korea.”
“Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime,” he said.
A junior North Korean diplomat remained in the delegation’s front-row seat for Trump’s speech, the North Korean UN mission said.
August 10, 2017
In his first appearance at the annual gathering of world leaders, the president used a 41-minute speech to take aim also at Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional influence, Venezuela’s collapsing democracy and the threat of Islamist extremists. He also criticized the Cuban government.
But his strongest words were directed at North Korea. He urged United Nations member states to work together to isolate the Kim government until it ceases its “hostile” behaviour. He said North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles “threatens the entire world with unthinkable cost of human life.”
In what may have been a veiled prod at China, the North’s major trading partner, Trump said: “It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime but would arm, supply and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict.” (Source: CBC News)
By SteveIn keeping with the let’s-mock-Trump-no-matter-what-he-says theme, Mackay would have us believe that North Korea is nothing but an annoyance and that the real threat to the world is the U.S.’s massive stockpile of nuclear arms under Trump’s control. Yet two weeks ago North Korea threatened the U.S. (and by geographical proximity, Canada) with an electro-magnetic pulse attack (EMP) that would cripple and destroy the U.S. should it succeed. Mackay can have his little bit of fun twisting things around and upside down when it comes to Trump but to dismiss egomaniacal despots as annoying, is irresponsible. History has shown us otherwise, that when these pathetic little men threaten us, they mean it. Why should we take the chance?