By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Congressman Mike Rogers (R) from Saks made the following remarks today in response to the Tuesday nuclear detonation in North Korea.
Rep. Rogers said in a written statement, “North Korea continues to provoke the world, and its supporters in Beijing and Tehran appear unconcerned with potential reactions from the United States.”
Rep. Rogers continued, “More alarming is how little influence these threats have on the President and his policies. President Obama has been the world leader on reduction of nuclear weapons, but he’s only succeeded in reducing the deterrent that protects the American people and its allies. Instead of changing course, it appears the President is poised to double down on this failed policy tonight.”
Congressman Rogers concluded, “If the President won’t lead, and if he won’t change course to avoid his sequestration of America’s defenses, Congress must act without him.”
Under President Obama, the United States has drastically decreased the size of America’s nuclear arsenal. Meanwhile North Korea and Iran have both been blatantly defying international law by continuing to develop and improve their nuclear weapons program and are developing missile programs that potentially could threaten their regions.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said: “We’ll do the usual drill.”
The third underground nuclear test by North Korea prompted the U.N. Security Council to call an emergency meeting.
North Korea announced that it had successfully detonated a miniaturized nuclear device at a northeastern test site on Tuesday. South Korean, U.S. and Japanese seismic monitoring agencies have all acknowledge that they detected an earthquake in North Korea with a magnitude between 4.9 and 5.2.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the test was conducted safely but with “great explosive power.” North Korea said that the test was necessary because the United States opposed North Korea’s peaceful, sovereign right to launch satellites.
Last month, North Korea’s National Defense Commission said the U.S. was the prime potential target of its nuclear and long-range rocket programs.
Congressman Mike Rogers represents Alabama’s Third Congressional District. This is his sixth term in the United States States Congress.
