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North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test

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    “Nuclear Showdown” author Gordon Chang on North Korea’s test of a nuclear device.

  • Duration 3:21
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North Korea is -- again conducting its most powerful underground nuclear test to date.

The question is how close the nation -- to being able to launch a nuclear bomb that could hit the US.

Here to talk about the threat is Gordon Chang author of the book nuclear showdown North Korea takes on the world.

Welcome back to the show what do you think so how how big of a threat -- this to us.

Well I think it's pretty substantial.

First look at -- remember the north Koreans have -- two very important thresholds they launched a three stage missile on December successful put a satellite into orbit which means with a few technical adjustments they can land a nuclear warhead anywhere.

And of course they just tested -- a powerful weapon today.

And you know if it's a miniature -- weapon as they claim it's even more impressive.

So you know essentially three year is maybe five years they'll be able to incinerate any city on the face of the earth.

-- got to remember this is a militant and unstable regime.

Yes absolutely it and beyond that you know there are other nations that are lining up to buying these systems from them I -- you look at north -- -- no qualms about why exactly.

They're developing this weapon Iran at least says you know it's for energy were not really you know helping weapons but not.

These -- -- in 2003 of the north Koreans told one of our diplomat that they reserve the right to sell anything that they make and they have been selling nuclear technology to the Iranians.

That did that reactor in the Syrian desert that was destroyed in September 2007 by the Israelis.

That was paid for by the Iranians and North Korean reactor and the north Koreans have actually sold them process uranium in all probability and of course all the Iranian missiles are North Korean ones.

So you've succeeded terrifying is there anything we can do about this what does that really mean -- most people say there's nothing we can do because we're sanctioned doubt we've.

It implied all the sanctions we can but that's not true.

In 2005 the Bush Administration put in place sanctions that cut the north Koreans -- -- the financial system you always talk about -- being money.

Well the north Koreans in order to move cash around the world had to put it into suitcases and give it to their diplomats who -- acted as mules and unfortunately we lifted those sanctions too early in 2007 at the behest of Beijing.

But that really crippled the north Koreans if we do that again will get their attention.

September regional conflict as well where I'm looking -- and interest what about everybody else this is of very volatile region perhaps the most volatile right now.

You have the Chinese and the Japanese going out -- The north Koreans hate the Japanese.

And I don't think that they would launch of anybody.

But they're certainly not gonna launch -- us but they could launch -- the Japanese and that would really be awful right now because you have essentially the Chinese and the Japanese warships in very close proximity to each other.

The Chinese are using targeting radar on the Japanese this is a very provocative act and then you have the north Koreans they they did.

Explode this nuclear weapon they probably are gonna exploit another one pretty soon according to South Korean intelligence so this is gonna further -- the region.

How do you think it plays out from here -- you think that really happens what is the next that.

Well the next step is you know we go to the Security Council but they're not gonna do any thing they haven't done anything for two decades.

Really the next step is up to us and we need some strong leadership from Washington.

Because we don't have very much time to put North Korea back in the box there Gordon thanks so much for coming on the -- -- is traffic appreciate it.

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