Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10), Chairman of the House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee, lead fellow House Armed Services Committee members in sending a letter to President Obama focused on responding to the most recent provocative actions by North Korea. The letter is signed by Reps. Mike Rogers (AL-3), Joe Wilson (SC-2), Mike Coffman (CO-6), Mo Brooks (AL-5), Rob Bishop (UT-1) and Jim Bridenstine (OK-1).
“In 2011, Secretary Gates warned that…North Korea was ‘in the process of becoming a direct threat to the United States.’ Today, this reality is upon us; the North Koreans are deploying [a] new road mobile ICBM. This capability combined with the recent, apparently successful, nuclear test may enable the Pyongyang regime to deploy a nuclear warhead that could threaten the continental United States,” write the lawmakers.
The members urged the president to reassess his administration’s defense and security posture toward the Kim regime and its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. They also call upon the president to strengthen the nation’s defensive and offensive cooperation with its allies. The administration has allowed the Proliferation Security Initiative, a worldwide effort to stop trafficking of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, to languish. This coupled with the administration’s annual slashing of our missile defense program has emboldened the North Korean regime.
“Each and every entity violating international sanctions on North Korea, must immediately be frozen out of global commerce. Urgent action must be taken to undo your devastating reductions to our missile defenses,” they added.
NOTE: The full letter follows below.
President Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, DC
Dear President Obama:
In view of the North Korean government’s apparent abrogation of the armistice agreement and threats to launch a pre-emptive nuclear attack on the American people, I am writing to urge you to reassess your administration’s defense and security posture toward the Kim regime and its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. In view of its reckless actions, your Administration can no longer ignore the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea.
In 2011, Secretary Gates warned that, with its continued development of long-range missiles, a potentially road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, and nuclear weapons, North Korea was “in the process of becoming a direct threat to the United States.” Today, this reality is upon us; the North Koreans are deploying this new road mobile ICBM. This capability combined with the recent, apparently successful, nuclear test may enable the Pyongyang regime to deploy a nuclear warhead that could threaten the continental United States.
It is not enough, however, to reverse the significant cuts on our missile defenses since you came to office in 2009. It is also time to strengthen our defensive and offensive cooperation with allies. The Proliferation Security Initiative, which has languished under your Administration, must be strengthened with increased interdiction. And, of course, now is plainly not the time for more arbitrary reductions to U.S. nuclear forces, especially when our allies have made abundantly clear, they will deploy their own nuclear weapons if they no longer feel protected by ours.
We must stand unwaveringly with our South Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese allies, and deepen our military cooperation in every practical way in the face of this threat from North Korea.
Each and every entity violating international sanctions on North Korea, must immediately be frozen out of global commerce. Urgent action must be taken to undo your devastating reductions to our missile defenses.
Your administration must respond to these explicit and obvious threats to the American People.
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