“North Korea crisis could spark a global chain of nuclear strikes”: Luxembourg Forum

“Proliferation begets further proliferation leading to risk of additional terrorist capability.”

Blair acknowledged that aspects of the agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA) with Iran, were questioned when it was signed. “But now it has been done,” he said. “It has a process of verification – it means that for now at least the nuclear program of Iran can be stalled, and the sensible thing, in my opinion, is to preserve it.” The Middle East, he added, was going through a period of great strife and “abandoning the JCPOA would add another dimension of immediate risk which at present we don’t need.”

Blair described the North Korean regime as “abhorrent.” But diplomacy, with the help of China, and not saber-rattling was the right avenue to stop Kim Jong-un acquiring a nuclear arsenal. “We can threaten military action… But unless there are elements of which I am unaware in either the weakness of the North Korean defenses or the strength of U.S. capabilities, it is hard to think of a pre-emptive strike which would not result in catastrophic consequences,” said Blair.

William Perry, the former U.S. defense secretary who had served under Presidents Carter, Reagan, and Clinton, said he was “appalled” by the rhetoric used by Mr. Trump over the North Korean crisis: “Leaving aside the matter of political decorum, I think this kind of language stimulates and creates the kind of condition which may mean that the U.S. and North Korea may blunder into a war. And the results of such a war would be catastrophic.”

Perry dismissed Trump’s claims about the supposed failure of the Iran nuclear deal. “I do not agree with his views about the agreement. We can see that the agreement has been successful in significantly curtailing the Iranian nuclear program, to the benefit of our security,” he stated.

“President Trump seems to think that the agreement could be scrapped and then renegotiated. But another agreement is not something which would be available. Scrapping the deal would have an effect everywhere including Europe, among our allies, who know that it is working.”

Hans Blix, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said: “President Trump recently spoke of his regard for the UN. The UN has said that Iran is complying with the agreement. Mr. Trump now wants to walk away and unilaterally tear up this agreement, saying it is not working. But the fact is that the Iran deal is far-reaching and in place… reached multilaterally and other countries believe it is working and they will try to preserve this agreement.”

Des Browne, the former British defense secretary, pointed out that even the most senior members of President Trump’s administration are urging him not to scrap the agreement. “We know that the Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson; the Defense Secretary, General James Mattis; his National Security Adviser, General H. R. McMaster have all taken this view. This seems to be the view across the whole world apart from a very few exceptions. This is an agreement which has the support of the international community and also the support of Iran. But we have Mr. Trump determined to take this strange, lonely road. JCPOA was hard fought and hard won. It is something of vital importance, it is something worth fighting again to keep.”