US Bombers Drill Near North Korea In ‘Show of Force’

South Korea: Bombers 'Sternly Respond' to North Korea

Early last week, North Korea successfully tested an ICBM, their first success ever. This was responded to immediately by a few US missile launches in the area as a “show of force,” and a solid week of threats. Over the weekend, the US dropped some bombs in what is also being called a “show of force.”

The US B-1B Lancer bombers flew from Guam to a South Korean bombing range, dropping some bunker buster bombs before they left. The South Korean military said this was a “stern response” to North Korea, simulating the destruction of North Korean missile launchers.

North Korea was quick to criticize the move as a “dangerous military provocation,” saying it risked bring the possibility of a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula to “a tipping point.” They added that any small error could start a nuclear exchange

With US officials having been nearly unanimous in the last week in bragging about how their military is “ready” for a war with North Korea at any moment, such exercises so close to the Korean DMZ are indeed risky in that regard, as North Korea may interpret such a “show of force” as actually the start of a US sneak attack, and start retaliating before the US first strike damages their capacity to respond.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.