OPINION:
Joseph DeTrani is correct that we should all be concerned about nuclear proliferation, but he is quite wrong if he thinks China will help resolve the North Korean nuclear threat (“Instability in Northeast Asia,” web, July 15
It seems remarkable that anyone who has been involved for the past 20 years with attempts to get China to lean more heavily on North Korea to give up its nuclear aspirations still believes there are possibilities of success.
The recently announced North Korean nuclear doctrine of the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in response to an imminent or perceived-to-be-imminent threat confirms what many have recognized for years. The North Korean regime sees its nuclear capabilities as a deterrent against pressure from other nations to change its policies.
It is sad that after all the futile attempts to get hostile nations to abandon their efforts to acquire nuclear capabilities, there are still some officials who believe nuclear disarmament remains an option.
It is time America and its allies recognized that we can stop North Korea only by reinforcing our own deterrent to a level at which not even Pyongyang would attempt an exchange. This means producing an effective anti-ballistic missile defense while modernizing and enhancing our offensive capabilities.
Such changes will certainly require a change of administration.
STANLEY ORMAN
Rockville, Maryland
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