WORDS are important not only because they present a method of communication among human beings, but more so the consequences they can carry, especially when they can build positive relations or conversely pose dire threats to relations and lives.
Given their potency, people and governments could find greater wisdom choosing their words carefully, lest they be misconstrued, forced them to act based on what was said for fear of losing face, or compelled to somersault diminishing their credibility and respect. Recognising the potential consequences, though known, unfortunately in the heat of moment such wisdom is oft ignored.

Last Saturday the 15-member United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to impose new sanctions on North Korea following its test of two intercontinental ballistic missiles last month. This vote was brought by the United States. China, a member of the Council, shares a border with North Korea and is that country’s biggest partner, but according to Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China is prepared to enforce the resolutions. This suggests, though the U.S can score this as a major victory, China’s support is evidence of its concern as to the consequences such test and development of arsenals pose to global security and more particularly its internal security.

United States President, Donald Trump, has not minced words on North Korea’s actions and following through with sanctions, calling on countries to provide the needed support, which has achieved. The positive responses to what is clearly a threat to man and the environment, particularly given the experience of the nuclear bomb the U.S dropped in Japan 72 years ago (9th August 1945) was not un-expected. The desire to avoid a repeat or any semblance of, and to halt the intent of those who seek to violate international agreements on nuclear production and usage, would find support.
As a result of the sanctions, North Korea reportedly stands to lose US$1 billion in exports affecting its coal, iron ore, lead and seafood trade. In reaction the government of President Kim Jong-un threatened to bomb Guam, a U.S territory located 3,400km (2,100 miles) from North Korea. Since such threat, on Tuesday President Trump said should North Korea dare the U.S will respond with “fire and fury,” reinforcing his position on Thursday that “maybe [his statement] wasn’t tough enough,” even as his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerman, has been re-assuring world leaders since Tuesday that “there is no imminent threat of war.”

Whereas according to a CNN poll, released on Monday, found 60 % of the population do not trust President Trump, 48% approve of his handling of national security and members of the U.S Congress have either condemned the rhetoric or are asking for a de-escalation out of concern of the dire consequences they can create, the impact these could have on the President’s future choice of words is anyone’s guess. On the other hand, where President Jong-un may feel the threat of war is imminent and desire to bolster his internal political power, it is also anyone’s guess what could ensue.

In the meantime world leaders, notably China, France and Germany, have called for the de-escalating of the rhetoric between the two countries. Words have consequences. Small state societies such as ours, that pursue world-wide comity, would too hope the conflict between the two countries, which carry external and global implications, can be resolved soonest. A nuclear threat, verbal and actual, threatens human existence and environmental protection, which the world can ill afford. This issue is causing tremendous global tension and where both leaders are considered unpredictable, the general hope is there would be the intensifying of all-out efforts to influence the toning down of the rhetoric, more particularly on the U.S.’ part, given its traditional leadership, particularly in global issues of such nature. Humanity would be best served using words to make real the Treaty adopted by the UN on 7th July, charge with responsibility “ to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.”