North Korea has put its military on high alert in response to joint military exercises being held by the US and South Korea. The North’s plans to launch a communications satellite is also raising tensions.
Japan is threatening to shoot down the satellite launch as it claims the technology can also be applied to nuclear missiles. Pyongyang says it is ready to go to war if there is any attempt to interfere.
“The possible shooting down the satellite by Japan certainly could be interpreted as an act of war”, believes Dr. Ivan Eland from the Independent Institute, a think-tank based in Washington and the author of ‘Empire Has No Close Foreign Policy Expose’.