United States Air Force (USAF), Major General James Eifet yesterday called for increased partnership and information sharing among nations in the Indo-Pacific region in the face of a nuclear threat from North Korea.
Whilst the US and North Korea have shared an antagonistic relationship for many decades, Major General Eifet warned that it was not only his country, the Republic of Korea and Japan who were at risk from a possible missile attack but also several other countries in the region.
The Major General chose an analysis of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un’s missile tests to indicate that even Sri Lanka was in range of a possible attack by intermediate and intercontinental ballistic missiles from North Korea.
“In the highest level of government, the US is committed to pursuing our shared objective, to maintain regional stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific,” said Major General Eifet as he reiterated the US’s stance that North Korea threatened regional stability and security and must be dealt with.
Addressing the 3rd Annual Colombo Air Symposium held in Atthidiya, the Major General stressed that in the event of attack, “Air power must be ready to respond fast and lethally”.
“Kim-Jung-Un’s irresponsible behaviour puts at risk everyone,” said the US Officer as he went on to highlight the multiple ways in which the global economy and people would be impacted through war with North Korea.
“We all want peace over war and are one hundred percent in support of a diplomatic solution to this challenge. That said we must be ready with viable military options, if diplomacy fails to defend our ideals, allies, and threaten the international rules and norms which are the foundation of our system,” added Major General Eifet.
He added, “Having air power alone is insufficient.
We need better processes to share information, among allies and increase our understanding of our current operating picture”.The US military officer also took the opportunity to castigate China over its claims in the South China Sea.
He stressed that the US considered China’s maritime claims as excessive and that it challenged the ‘freedom of navigation in our oceans’.
“China’s enforcement of ambitious and excessive maritime claims, together with building of expensive military facilities on artificial islands raises legitimate concerns for our region.
North Korea is the most urgent threat but we cannot ignore the threat of China in the South China Sea and the US is watching China carefully to consistently call upon China not to continue to build, reclaim and militarize disputed territories,” he said.Delivering a strong message against China’s actions, the Major General said the US would not “Acquiesce acts which restrict the freedom of the international community. We will continue to use our power to challenge excessive maritime claims”.
As the US flexed its muscles in the air and maritime domains, it asked for greater partnerships with nations in the region for as Major General Eifet believed, “Strong partnerships enable us to advance collective interest including security”.
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