'US ready to denuclearise North Korea'

International Desk: The US is ready to forcefully "denuclearise North Korea," Donald Trump's national security adviser has said, calling the state a "grave threat". As tensions between the US and the communist state increase, General HR McMaster said the US was not ruling out war as they prepared to bring the regime to task.

"We're not committed to a peaceful resolution - we're committed to a resolution," Gen McMaster told the BBC.

"We want the resolution to be peaceful, but as the President said, all options are on the table. We have to be prepared, if necessary, to compel the denuclearisation of North Korea without the cooperation of that regime."

Gen McMaster added: "The chances of war - who knows what they are - they could go up or down based on what we all decide to do."

Gen McMaster also criticised North Korea for its repeated nuclear missile tests, calling the state a "grave threat".

In November the North Korean regime claimed to have successfully completed their most advanced nuclear test to date in a show of military strength.

The state said the intercontinental ballistic missile, topped with a "super-large heavy warhead," had the potential to hit the continental US.

Gen McMaster said the chance of war could change "based on what we all decide to do". But he added: "North Korea is a grave threat to all civilised people across the globe."

President Trump has previously tweeted that North Korea's leadership "won't be around much longer". The comment was interpreted as a declaration of war by its regime.

It came as the US publicly blamed Pyonyang for unleashing the so-called WannaCry cyber attack that crippled Britain's NHS as well as banks and other companies across the globe earlier this year.

"The attack was widespread and cost billions, and North Korea is directly responsible," Tom Bossert, homeland security adviser to President Trump, wrote in a piece published on Monday night in the Wall Street Journal.

"North Korea has acted especially badly, largely unchecked, for more than a decade, and its malicious behavior is growing more egregious," Bossert wrote. "WannaCry was indiscriminately reckless."

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/Dec 20, 2017/Nasim