Portman Urges Reagan 'Peace Through Strength' on NKorea

The correct approach toward North Korea is to keep being tough including enacting even more strict sanctions than have already been approved, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman said Friday, while encouraging a continued strong stance against the Asian nation.

"Ronald Reagan said famously you get peace through strength," the Ohio Republican told CNN "New Day" anchor Chris Cuomo.

"I think what Secretary [Rex] Tillerson, Secretary [James] Mattis, and President [Donald] Trump are all saying is: that should there be a pre-emptive strike upon North Korea, the response will be swift, it will be forceful and that should deter them— one would hope —  from taking any actions against Guam, or South Korea. or Japan, or certainly our shores."

But when asked if he'd back the use of military force against North Korea if it aimed missiles at Guam, Portman said the nation needs to first see what the action Kim Jong-un takes before making that determination, but still, "we want to work with our allies."

"I think we do need to honor our red lines," said Portman. "As you know, the last administration we failed to do that on occasion and that had a tremendous effect not just on our enemies but our allies."

He also thinks the United States should follow through on its threats, not be like the past few administrations in "using hot rhetoric and not taking action."

North Korea, he pointed out, is continuing to export $3 billion worth of goods, and China is continuing to do business with them.

"About 80 percent of their trade is with China," said Portman. He continued that China also is providing dual technologies with North Korea, including in the nuclear section and weapons program.

"The step North Korea took recently by threatening a U.S. territory escalates it, no question about it," said Portman. "The UN. sanctions also help escalate, from our point of view."

However the United States should take those sanctions further, said Portman.

"We have legislation to do that as you know, it's bipartisan," said Portman. "We could do more…let's broaden those sanctions. Be sure to use the U.S. financial system, which is our biggest leverage, to stop companies from places like China from doing business with North Korea, because they also want to do business with our financial institutions."

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