The last thing the world needs is a weak America that does not take serious measures on behalf of itself or its allies; Rhetoric is not enough

Countries that depend on the United States for protection must be very worried right now

writes Jerry Philipson from Comox, British Columbia.

If the Americans are unable or unwilling to stop the North Koreans from threatening them with nuclear weapons, why should anyone else feel protected by the U.S.?

If there isn’t an immediate unambiguous response to the North Korean provocation, how can the Japanese, South Koreans, Israelis, Taiwanese or many others really believe in the Americans anymore?

The last thing the world needs is a weak America that does not take serious measures on behalf of itself or its allies. Rhetoric is not enough. The United States should see to it that North Korea’s nuclear capability is eliminated.