(Image Source: The New York Times)

BY JIM FLINK

You're watching multisource politics and global video news analysis from Newsy.

“It’s possible that the Third World War could be started on the Korean Peninsula.”

Peace on Earth -- appears to be in major jeopardy, as the Republic of Korea or South Korea, mobilizes troops to its border with the North.  North Korean leaders are responding with threats of all out nuclear attack -- should the South decide to launch an offensive.
Is this the beginning of World War Three -- as suggested by RT?
Tensions have never seemed higher.

We’re analyzing coverage from RT, CNN, The Daily Mail, Fox News, Xinhua and Al Jazeera.

For three days, South Korean forces have carried out military exercises off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. They also engaged in high-profile live fire exercises in Yeonpyeong, which was shelled last month by the North, killing four South Koreans. Now, South Korean forces have deployed a naval destroyer and fighter jets are on standby.

On the brink of war? U.S. envoy Bill Richardson tells CNN, the world narrowly avoided it this week.

“We were very close. When I got there, the North Koreans said they were going to retaliate, immensely. The tension was very high. It was a tinderbox. And I said, look this is the worst you can do if you retaliate. This is a chance for you to be statesmanlike for a change.”

The North did not retaliate on Tuesday. Wednesday, The Daily Mail has a wide array of photos of more ROK war exercises using live ammunition, and a quote from South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak.

“I had thought that we could safeguard peace if we had patience, but that wasn't the case. Now we should have a strong response, so that we can safeguard peace, deter aggression and prevent a war.”

Despite the saber rattling on both sides, retired U.S. Major General Bob Scales tells Fox News it’s not in North’s best interest to go to war.

“The fear and the threat is of miscalculation. It is extremely unlikely that the North would do anything to foment a conflict with the South, because they understand that the South Korean military is incredibly capable, backed up by the United States and other than a little interest by China, frankly Jon the north simply has no friends in the region.”

But, as Xinhua reports, with tensions this high, any reason at all -- could be the reason used -- to start a war. Even something meant to represent -- peace -- like a South Korean Christmas tree visible to the North.

“Concerns are rising that a Christmas tree on the top of [a hill] in the South Korean city of Gimpo, lit up earlier this week, might be a potential target of the DPRK's strike for being a perceived anti-Pyongyang propaganda tool. The annual ritual of lighting up the symbolic tree was suspended in 2003 as the two Koreas, amid a conciliatory mood, agreed to stop propaganda war.”

Al Jazeera talks with Andrei Lankov at Kookmin University in Seoul who says, the North is not responding -- for now -- but that may not hold.

"The North Korean leaders did not duck the fight this time because they were afraid. Rather, they did what a cold-minded tactician should do: they avoided an engagement under unfavourable conditions chosen by the opponent, in order to strike the opponent at the time and place of their own choice, suddenly and forcefully."

So what do you think? War -- inevitable on the Korean Peninsula? Or can Peace on Earth -- remain?

Get more multisource political video news analysis from Newsy.

Transcript by Newsy.