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Only one side in this fight

When we were young, a very scary novel titled “On The Beach” described a post-nuclear war world where survivors await the eventual fallout that will kill them.

Written by Nevil Shute and set in Australia, the book details how a nuclear attack by one small nation sets off a series of miscalculations that will result in the elimination of all animal life on Earth. In the book, all life has already been wiped out in the Northern Hemisphere and the radiation clouds are slowly, inexorably making their way south.

An equally scary — and very sad — movie was made from the book starring Gregory Peck. The theme music for the movie was the old Australian ballad “Waltzing Matilda.” Played slowly in the background of most of the scenes in the movie, it painted the overwhelming sadness.

Every test of missiles and bombs by North Korea brings up memories from “On The Beach” in our mind. This seems a highly precarious time for our country to be dealing with all the chaos of the Trump presidency. It should be a time for a national security team to be highly focused on all the threats around the world — and, particularly, the nuclear one on the Korean peninsula.

It is our fervent prayer that professionals in our government are working with allies and adversaries around the globe to make sure there is a coordinated response if the unthinkable should happen on the Korean peninsula. There cannot be any mistakes with nuclear weapons, no miscalculations about who is on what side.

All nations must be on the side against the use of nukes.

* Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.

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