President Margaret Beavis and Vice-President Sue Wareham of the Medical Association for Prevention of War Australia argue that the current tensions are fueled by mutual provocations and the volatile temperaments of two unpredictable and dangerous leaders. However, Australia plays a role in the tensions with its blatant double-standards when it comes to nuclear armament.
They explain that as rhetoric against North Korea ramped up, the US tested Minuteman ICBM nuclear launch missiles from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, however, Australia was silent.
They also indicate that although the majority of nations have declared that nuclear weapons should never be used again, Australia has refused to support this declaration. By thus promoting the notion that nuclear weapons have a legitimate role -- a notion that is rightly seen by most countries as discriminatory, provocative and dangerous -- Australia has forfeited any right to preach disarmament to North Korea.
Their point is that the nuclear weapons cannot be essential for some nations' security and forbidden to others and all nations should be judged by the same legal standards, and however, Australia defies this notion.
They also suggest some possible options to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula: the negotiation of a formal end to the Korean War by a binding peace treaty; an offer to North Korea of diplomatic recognition to reduce that country's isolation; the cessation of provocative military measures by all parties; and abandonment of the destabilising THAAD missile defence system.
And they emphasise that Australia should clarify its position that we will not join any war against North Korea, and nor will we support measures that inflict further suffering on its people.
