In the midst of a genuine nuclear war threat, we have two “deranged” presidents going at it like school bullies on the playground.

North Korea’s Nuclear Threat

The fear that North Korea might someday launch nuclear weapons is not new; however, that risk is becoming more a reality in recent months. Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader, has not backed down on testing missiles despite disapproval from the United Nations and President Donald Trump’s severe warnings. If anything, Kim is more determined to improve the country’s nuclear weapons:

“Mr. Trump’s remarks have convinced me, rather than frightening or stopping me, that the path I chose is correct and that it is the one I have to follow to the last.”

Trump has been concerned about North Korea’s nuclear agenda for a long time. In 1999, while being interviewed by the late Tim Russert on “Meet the Press,” he warned the U.S. needed to step up to the plate and do something

“I’m saying that we have to do something to stop [them],” Trump said. “Do you want to do it in five years when they have warheads all over the place, every one of them pointing to New York City, to Washington and every one of us? Is that when you want to do it, or do you want to do something now? You’d better do it now. And if they think you’re serious, deal with lots of people if they think you’re serious, they’ll negotiate, and it’ll never come to that.”

Never before has North Korea been more of a threat to the world than now, and Trump was not shy on his threats to Kim. These threats, however, have sparked a strong response from the North Korean leader that may very well send us into the war we all desperately want to prevent.

Trump and Kim Exchange Insults

Since early August, Trump has been vocal and tough on Kim, hitting Twitter with a flurry of insulting and threatening tweets:

• “Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully, Kim Jong Un will find another path!
• Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before!

But it was Trump’s recent UN address and his comment, “We will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime,” that finally got Kim to respond. In a statement, North Korea’s leader said: “a frightened dog barks louder” referring to Trump’s statements. Kim said Trump is unfit to hold office, calling him a “rogue and a gangster fond of playing with fire, rather than a politician.”

While Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State, said Trump’s message is meant to be strong “in a language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesn’t seem to understand diplomatic language,” the fear here is that Trump may have done the one thing to provoke Kim to launch more nuclear warheads – he has insulted the man and his country in front of the world:

“Now that Trump has denied the existence of and insulted me and my country in front of the eyes of the world and made the most ferocious declaration of a war in history that he would destroy the D.P.R.K. [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea], we will consider with seriousness exercising of a corresponding, highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history.”

Kim’s statement may be the first of its kind as no other North Korean leader has issued such a public message before. The leader did not mince words; the threat to our president and our country is frighteningly clear. “I will make the man holding the prerogative of the supreme command in the U.S. pay dearly for his speech calling for totally destroying the D.P.R.K,” and “Whatever Trump might have expected, he will face results beyond his expectation.”

Insults May Lead to Nuclear War

Even Trump supporters can agree that one of the biggest worries with his taking office was his lack of decorum and ability to deal appropriately with foreign nations. The president’s intentions to deal harshly with and perhaps intimidate Kim may have backfired. And where does that leave us?

Kim has said he will release a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean. The dangerous potential for catastrophe is real – not just to the atmosphere and marine life, but possibly for human life as well. All of our fates hang in the balance while two grown men threaten and insult each other, holding a twitching finger over the big red button that could begin the end of the world.

Kim’s message is clear: “I will surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.”

Using the antiquated word “dotard” to insult Trump, Kim was saying the president is old and senile. Saying he will tame Trump with fire while at the same time saying he will send a bomb into the ocean – well, what else can one conclude that we just might be joining the ranks of science fiction movies after the ‘war to end all wars.’