Daniel A. Pinkston "It’s pretty serious but I still think the likelihood of escalation into a full-scale war is low. All the rhetoric has been expressed in the context of deterrence. I think both sides have been very careful to signal to the other that they really don't want war but they will respond to provocations. The US backs calls for the UN to step into the fray. China's premier will visit South Korea this weekend its veto on the UN Security Council is crucial. But no one knows for sure whether the flurry of international diplomacy will stop these war games turning into reality.