Araweelo News Network

US President Donald Trump (Photo by AFP)

Washington(ANN)-US President Donald Trump has “built up conditions for an aggressive war” with North Korea, an American writer and retired professor says.

Professor James Petras made the comments in an interview with Press TV while commenting on Trump’s recent statements about North Korea.

Speaking to CBS News in an interview that was aired on Sunday, Trump said he does not rule out military action against North Korea if the country carries out another nuclear weapons test.

North Korea has so far conducted five confirmed nuclear tests and numerous missile test-launches, and it is believed to be preparing for a sixth nuclear weapons test. On Saturday, North Korea conducted its most recent ballistic missile launch, which most likely failed.

“It’s difficult to separate what Trump says and what he does. He has made some very dangerous statements regarding a possible war with North Korea. He had sent the battleships in the region of North Korea. He had military exercises,” Petras said.

“So one can say that he has built up conditions for an aggressive war with North Korea, and has made no indications that he is willing to use diplomatic and peaceful means,” he stated.

“One possibility here is that this is a threat to intimidate North Korea which apparently has failed,” he noted.

“He has made efforts to bring China in as an accomplice of the US without making any concessions and efforts to enter into any serious negotiations despite the position of China which is opposed to nuclear weapons in North Korea but also wants the US to denuclearize South Korea,” the analyst said.

“I think we are in a very tense and dangerous moment. It doesn’t appear that there will be a war within the next few days but one can never tell with Trump. He has been very unreliable as far as making commitments and then making uncommitments, and that goes for war and peace,” Petras said.

The Trump administration has repeatedly said in recent weeks that all options are on the table, and has deployed a strike group and a nuclear-powered submarine to the region in a show of force.

The USS Carl Vinson strike group arrived in the region on Saturday, where it conducted a joint drill with the South Korean navy.