The issue of North Korea is of great concern to Santorum, but he is against the idea of initiating direct talks with them, citing the failures of the Clinton administration in using the approach. He believes strong leadership and a unified front from the United States and its allies is crucial in handling North Korea’s continued research into nuclear technology, as well as the threat of technology transfers to other countries.
Santorum also advocates the use of selective assassination as a tool to contain the threat of nuclear from rogue nations like North Korea.
"And now they are in the process of developing nuclear weapons and it appears obvious to me that the administration is doing little to none. Now I’m hopeful that some of the things we’re seeing with respect to the nuclear program that the United States is involved with, which is, on occasion, scientist working on the nuclear program in Iran turned up dead. I think that’s a wonderful thing.
I think we should send a very clear message that if you are a scientist from Russia, or from North Korea or from Iran, and you’re gonna work on a nuclear program to develop a nuclear bomb for Iran, you are not safe.
And if people say, well you can’t go out and assassinate people, well tell that to al-Awlaki. Okay, we’ve done it. We’ve done it for American citizens. We can certainly do it for someone whose producing a nuclear bomb that can be dropped in the state of Israel or provides a nuclear shield for country that will spread terrorism with impunity and change the face of the world.”
October 25, 2011: Santorum speaking in Downtown Greenville
