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Is the US backing itself into a corner over North Korea?

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    Gordon Chang explains the nuclear weapon threat against the United States

  • Duration 6:49
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And -- Gordon Chang author of nuclear showdown North Korea takes on the world golden thank you for being -- on this very important day.

I'm the principal -- the point James was getting out that.

The North Korea cannot yet threaten the US because that hasn't put the technology although I'm a long range missile together with the miniaturized nation of a nuclear warhead which they can man on top of that missile but does this test.

Bring them closer to that moment and if so by how much.

You know certainly they've crossed the very important technical threshold a critical one.

Because they've had a powerful explosion and if it's a miniature device that even makes this more significant.

-- -- Maybe five years perhaps only three years away from doing what James was talking about which was putting a -- -- -- on -- long range missile.

Know their missile -- now already get to Alaska Hawaii.

Parts of Canada.

Maybe even the northern part of the West Coast you know they put a satellite into orbit with a few adjustments they will be able to -- -- warhead anywhere they want what you.

Whether they say.

We tested a -- shared device.

Do we trust one trust them on that do we know how many too because is a difference between.

This size which could have all caused quite normally warhead but -- point -- -- can only almost do it and one that actually can.

What are we what are we trusting what that telling us about that technological capability.

Is that we don't trust what they say we only trust what we can observe ourselves.

And we won't know that for quite some time.

At this point I don't even know the Chinese know the size of the device that was tested the one party that does don't.

-- -- -- Because you know 20062009.

The first two nuclear test for North Korea Armenians were on site in North Korea to -- I'm sure that they were there it's a fairly safe assumption that they were there again if it weren't it would be just earth shattering and I don't think that there's been -- ruptured relations so you could assume the Iranians were there for this third test.

How do they physically.

Should -- that technology how does North Korea get.

Its nuclear technology.

To Iran.

Well that you know what they can do is they can just -- pieces apart and put them on ships or fly them over Chinese territory.

That's pretty easy.

In -- -- we know have bought North Korean nuclear technology that reactor that the Israelis destroyed in the Syrian desert September 2007.

That North Korean reactor was paid for undoubtedly by the -- causing -- didn't have the money to do that.

We pretty much sure that the north Koreans have sold process uranium to.

The Iranians.

This is not a good story about the closer connections between two -- and carrying out.

Now that the Chinese are always a major player in this as well.

And even the Chinese seem concerned about this today and expressing that concern which is not something they always do what is the significance of that what does that mean here.

We'll visit rhetorical shift I know we've seen in state media over the last two weeks -- that China is gonna probably reduce its aid to North Korea they went through with a test.

Many of the important thing is not -- China says it's what China does.

You know April 15 that big military parade in Pyongyang last year.

We saw six Chinese missile mobile missile launchers and basically Beijing just sold them to the north Koreans probably also sold the ballistic missiles that -- on top of those launchers this really increases North Korea's ability to wage -- -- war.

We -- said nothing to the Chinese and public you know it's nice that there's the rhetorical words but nonetheless we got to see what the Chinese are actually doing.

-- UN security cancel met earlier today here in New York strongly condemned.

This test.

Great woods from this UN security -- -- -- we'd seen her strong woods before they don't seem to make any difference as far as -- north Koreans go.

Walk Canada US and the rest of the world actually practically.

Do that will make a difference because only seem to do right now is -- -- around in this circle combination test combinations -- Still a lot of people say there's nothing we can do because we're -- doubt you know we have too many sanctions that's not true.

You know the bush administration's sanctions of 2005 we cut the north Koreans often the global financial system.

When Pyongyang wanted to move money around the world they had to put cash in suitcases and give them to their diplomats who acted like mules and unfortunately we lifted those sanctions prematurely and 2007.

At the behest of Beijing.

We need to put those sanctions back on also we need to stop the north Koreans from sending missiles and -- nukes to Iran.

And that means we need to put ships in the water off of north Koreans can't locate.

It's got a big.

It's gotta be because that's a major.

Step if we take that step it's a major step but it's also going to be devastating for peace and security around the world.

When -- -- get a North Korea nuke and a three stage missile.

So there are no good options right now Jonathan everything that people proposed yes they're big downsides of them but we have -- ourselves into a corner and.

I guess that the point here is Gordon you -- about the Iranians.

That the north Koreans almost half to fire.

And reach the United States -- US territorial something to make.

Should blow the world up -- it in a sense that's that's the debt that's the difference -- that which is -- much greater technology the Iranians only have to fire a missile as far as his.

Loyal to blow the world that would be north Koreans only have to fire as far as Japan new that is very important because you know we have a -- -- -- I don't think so but it's not out of the realm of the possible he got to remember the north Koreans have never given up the goal of unifying the South Korea and of the peninsula from under their rule.

And you know the one thing that Koreans say they hate the Japanese -- so that would make North Korea very popular that did that.

You know it's not entirely out of the realm of -- could happen especially because right now China and Japan are really struggling they've got this.

This almost pseudo war over this and -- islands and so we cannot assume that so which is off the use.

-- three to five years before they could probably hit the United States.

How long performance you've really I didn't care for anywhere in the united since they can authority hit the US Alaska Hawaii but a 35 years before they can -- nuclear warhead on that missile that I -- -- right so -- -- save three to five years before they could put that wall head on a missile could reach Japan out.

That the missile technology is not a question here it's a miniaturization once again yes that's that's the really that's a stumbling block and -- we have three to five years but that'll go pretty quickly.

And maybe even faster than that the north Koreans and surprises member they've crossed too important thresholds recently the three stage missile in December and now this test today all right.

Gordon Chang author of ValueClick shut North Korea takes on the well thank you very much as always here expertise going great to see you thank you John --

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