The US would win a conventional war against Russia, North Korea or even China — which is precisely why they could go nuclear.
Like a broken clock that’s right twice a day, Donald Trump recently identified the biggest danger facing the world: “He’s got nuclear weapons,” the former and perhaps future president said last month. “Nobody ever thinks about that. And eventually, uh, maybe he’ll use them.”
“He” in this context is Russian President Vladimir Putin. But Trump could also have been talking about North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un or Chinese leader Xi Jinping, both of whom are adding to their nuclear arsenals as fast as they can. Putin, Kim and Xi also increasingly behave as an anti-American “axis.” Another member is Iran, which may yet become the 10th nation to build atomic weapons.