Recent missile tests conducted by North Korea have put the idea of World War III in the heads of many Americans.

 … should concern people.

Faith Mellenthin | Columnist

Just as the travel ban affected students at NIU, we should realize that the potential of a World War III could also hit home.

However, despite the U.S. taking pity on those affected by the chemical warfare in Syria, we seem to not recall the civilian casualties of the bombs that we dropped in Afghanistan, according to an April 13 New York Times article.

For now, it is hard to realize we are living in the middle of a global crisis that involves bombs and missiles. Even if a world war is not invoked, it pushes me out of my comfort zone knowing that I live in a country that gives the military full authority to attack anyone based one person’s decisions.

If our country so eagerly counts casualties when other militaries are to blame but not with our own aftermath, there is an issue.

 … needs to be taken seriously.

Maddie Steen | Visual Editor

Everyone seems to make fun of North Korea for its failed missile launches, but eventually, we’ll have no choice but to take this seriously. We cannot let our guard down. Perhaps this is part of their plan, and I’m uncomfortable that Americans would take any threat as a joke.

I don’t understand how the U.S. has prevented North Korea from attacking for years, then suddenly, President Donald Trump takes office and stirs everything up. Not only has he made World War III an arm’s reach away within his first 100 days, but he’s also signed many controversial executive orders. Trump is doing nothing to ease the tension among the U.S., North Korea, Russia and China. Instead, he and Vice President Mike Pence are hoping their intimidation tactics will work.

Trump must be removed from office before we let this tyrant not think this through from every angle and rope us into something worse than we could imagine.

 … will happen if tensions don’t settle.

MacKenzie Meadows | Columnist

World War III is on the horizon, and no one is taking it lightly. The U.S. military dropped America’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb on ISIS in Afghanistan on April 13, according to an April 14 CNN article. This was the first time a weapon of this caliber has been used in battle, according to the same CNN article.

Last year, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and 24 ballistic missile tests, going against six UN Security Council resolutions that banned such testing, according to an April 19 Sun article. Trump OK’d soldier deployments toward North Korea by sending the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz to the Sea of Japan, according to an April 19 Sun article.

Only the sheltered will assume a war isn’t in America’s future, but we need to start preparing ourselves for the worst.

 … is a real concern under Trump.

Ian Tancun | Columnist

President Donald Trump seems to be on the verge of setting the U.S. on a collision course with North Korea. Trump seems to be handling the problem in a more confrontational manner than previous presidents.

While I don’t think it is Trump’s intention to start a war with North Korea, I think he might inadvertently bring us there. I think his Twitter feed has the potential to escalate longstanding tensions into full-blown conflict.

Back in January, China warned Trump that tweeting about the ongoing tensions between the U.S. North Korea and China could “escalate” the situation, according to a Jan. 3 Time article. Since then, Trump has not stopped tweeting about North Korea.

With Kim Jong Un, you’re not dealing with a rational, level-headed individual, and because the same could be said of Trump, I think the threat of an actual conflict breaking out has never been higher. For that reason, I think the president needs to immediately delete his Twitter account before he ends up tweeting his way into World War III.