North Korean Nuclear Threat

* It is reassuring that 51% of Americans feel so strongly about nuclear weapons that they would support the use of force against North Korea to eliminate them (Dec. 10).

Your poll has left some obvious questions unasked, however. For instance, how many Americans would support the use of force by North Korea to rid the United States of nuclear weapons? Or, how many Americans find it odd that the world’s largest holder and continuing producer of nuclear weapons is telling other people that they can’t have them? Or, since the CIA was completely inaccurate in evaluating Iraq’s military and nuclear strength, how many Americans actually believe what the government says about nuclear weapons in North Korea?

Nuclear weapons are an abomination and should be eliminated from the planet. Why don’t we start with the only country that has ever used them?

ROBERT V. BREUNIG

Riverside

* The recently organized saber rattling of Les Aspin and the military Establishment has dual purposes. One, to prevent further cuts in the military budget. Two, to prepare the public for a possible preemptive strike against North Korea.

It is ridiculous to consider North Korea a nuclear threat. Their leaders know full well that were they to foolishly unleash one bomb the entire country would be destroyed by our retaliation.

PAUL STONE

Los Angeles

* North Korea’s nuclear facility is threatening world peace. The IAEA is persistently demanding for North Korea to allow inspection of its facilities, but so far the efforts have been in vain.

Kim Il Sung is certainly an ill-advised dictator, taking no heed of world opinion. He says the facilities are not for making weapons but for scientific research. Who would trust the despotic communist who has been tricking his people and the world for almost half a century?

The United Nations should take up the problem immediately and the Security Council should pass a resolution that calls for economic sanctions, as a first step, followed by military intervention, if necessary.

If economic sanctions are effective, not only can’t the North Koreans continue to make nuclear weapons but the notorious communist polity will surely collapse. Why do we wait?

The South Korean government is unexpectedly taciturn this time. They are gun-shy in view of the past experiences. But, believe me the North doesn’t dare to battle against the United Nations again. No doubt they must remember the untold sufferings of the last war, which they flippantly launched 43 years ago.

I think South Korea should speak louder and press the Security Council to take prompt measures against the North. Time is running out.

KEUN HO RHEE

Northridge