Rice Reaffirms Nuclear Umbrella

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reaffirmed that the US will use the "full range" of military options to defend Japan. That would be diplo-speak for the US will use nukes to defend Japan against any aggressor. For now, Japan is saying it is not ready to enter a nuclear arms race in Asia.

The United States is concerned that Japan, South Korea or perhaps Taiwan may want to develop their own nuclear weapons programs to counter the threat from North Korea. Such moves would anger China, which already has nuclear weapons, and raise tensions in the region.

Part of Rice's assignment on this week's hastily arranged trip to China, Russia, Japan and South Korea is to lessen the temptation to develop separate national nuclear programs by reaffirming the U.S. intention to defend the nations most at risk.

In Japan, Rice said she reaffirmed President Bush's pledge, made the day of the North's test last week, "that the United States has the will and the capability to meet the full range — and I underscore the full range — of its deterrent and security commitments to Japan," Rice said following discussions with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso.

Rice's words were a reminder to U.S. allies that the United States does not want to see a new nuclear arms race in Asia, but will likely be taken also as a warning to North Korea that it could face the U.S. nuclear arsenal if it used a nuclear weapon on a neighbor.

I do not know how long until the arms race kicks off. That will depend on how much more provocation North Korea provides and how weak the US is perceived by allies as our internal political disarray continues. When allied nations begin to doubt US will is when the world is going to be off to the races. Not good races, either. There will be no winners.