In Tuesday comments, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster talked up the possibility of the US attacking North Korea, saying that President Trump has had the US continuing to “refine” its various military options, and the US is fully prepared to impose “denuclearization” by military force.
While US officials have generally pushed the idea that they favor diplomacy, McMaster very frankly admitted “we are not committed to a peaceful resolution,” and that the US goal is to force denuclearization at any cost.
McMaster’s comments are particularly concerning since over just the past week, the US has held a military exercise in South Korea which was a practice invasion of North Korea, including seizing all North Korean nuclear arms and removing them from the country.
Though analysts have agreed for decades that even a conventional war with North Korea would kill hundreds of thousands, potentially millions, the addition of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal risks making this one of the deadliest wars in generations in a very short period of time. Unfortunately, it appears that the US is still determined to see North Korea either unilaterally submit to all US demands, or start a huge war over it.
That is what McMaster would have to say. He’s forcing the issue.
The big question is whether he is smarter than his bluster, and in control enough for that to matter.
I do have faith in the man McMaster has shown himself to be in the past. His whole thesis about Vietnam was that the military ought to do what we hope he is doing now. I am confident he did believe that, and still does. He is also an exemplar of self-discipline, and very self-aware.
I am far less confident of his current control of events.
Hmm… Maybe South Korea has some thoughts about this, being as how they are the ones who will take most of the casualties. I noticed that they pulled out of joint drills yesterday. Just like in Vietnam we stand on the precipice of a human catastrophe. The victims of our militarism ought to have a say in whether we go to war or not.
What I can’t comprehend is how in the hell can one country who has nukes, tells another country they can’t have nukes? This ought to be a nuke free world.
I think China would agree with you
Trump may very well win his argument . if Russia and China agree to put real good nuclear defense bases in N Korea like we put in Poland and Romania to protect them from Iran . Than Kim might just feel safe enough to stop testing , otherwise I can’t see him laying down his weapons . The United States has just attacked to many countries after they gave up their nuclear weapons and became weaker
It’s going to happen unless Kim voluntarily denuclearizes with inspections and monitored suspension of program. I’ve been saying this for months and been criticised for it here, as the majority simply don’t want to believe the US will do this, but Trump will order it and Congress will indeed back him. The only question, assuming Kim doesn’t back down and it happens (up to Kim, but appears highly likely at this point) is precisely which secret capabilities the US decides to use in the field. They are not eager to reveal all. Yesterday’s release of “UFO” footage from 2004 by the Pentagon leads me to believe that at least some top secret capabilities are approved for the North Korea mission.
“I’ve been saying this for months and been criticised for it here”
Not criticized, exactly, unless you consider pointing out that the US and North Korea have been doing the same thing for decades but haven’t gone back to war since 1953 to be “criticism.”
It seems to me China and Russia have a new cold war policy too , As a matter of fact it looks to me their policy prevailed in Syria and I think it will in again N Korea .
The idiocy here is really confounding. You don’t just say “bow down to us” and expect that to work persuasively unless you’re some kind of savage.
Unfortunately that will mean them leaving N. Korea by way of the air, and they will simply be re-located to a smoking crater near you. Our government is full of incompetent boobs, hell-bent on delivering huge profits for the arms and death merchants.
I don’t understand what McMaster thinks can be done. Obtain China’s agreement to do what he proposes, or you have World War 3. If you get China’s agreement, how many troops would that require? Bombing from the air will not deliver the objective. Only an invasion and permanent occupation would eliminate North Korea’s nuclear weapons.
But a ground invasion would require at least as many troops as last time: 400,000.
And how is Trump going to threaten Iran at the same time? What troops will he use for that?
Does McMaster think there will need to be a draft?
And how would the United States pay for it?
McMaster is growing more and more unhinged as time goes by.
Clearly killing a million people doesn’t matter to him.
NK also has bio, and people are still talking about nuclear. People dont get it, do they?