What President Obama should say about North Korea’s provocative statements

By Lt. Gen. John H. Cushman, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Best Defense guest columnist

This is what the president should say:

Organs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have recently made announcements of that nation’s readiness to attack with long range weapons targets of the United States.

It is time for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to cease such behavior and to join the community of nations.

The United States has no intention to attack the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

If under any pretext the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea attacks the United States, we will respond with devastating might. Their nation will be a wasteland.

Leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have built military weaponry that can serve no useful purpose.

I repeat, it is time for them to cease such behavior and to join the community of nations.

End of conference

General Cushman commanded the 101st Airborne Division, the Army Combined Arms Center, and the ROK/US field army defending Korea’s Western Sector. He served three tours in Vietnam. He also is author of Command and Control of Theater Forces: The Korea Command and Other Cases (1986).