Following up on yesterday’s comments by Ambassador Nikki Haley that she is perfectly happy to give up on North Korea and hand the matter over to the Pentagon to solve, Defense Secretary James Mattis confirmed that there continue to exist military options for attacking North Korea.
At the same time, Mattis appeared unwilling to discuss the matter, saying he “will not go into details” about US military options and that “I don’t want to go into that.” Other US officials have been eager to talk up the existence of myriad military options.
So exactly what those options are goes unstated, though realistically, it doesn’t matter too much. Analysts have consistently agreed that there is no such thing as a limited war with North Korea, and a limited attack is going to rapidly escalate out of control at any rate. This means all options boil down to one, disastrous option, a war in which millions would be killed.
One detail Mattis did offer, however, was on the question of trying to shoot down North Korean test missiles, saying there is no need “yet” to try to do so. There has been a lot of speculation recently that missiles fired over Japan could be targeted.
Such an attempt is hugely risky, however, as the massively expensive missile interceptors haven’t got the best track record, even in tests under optimal circumstances. A failed shoot-down would be a huge embarrassment for the US, and one they clearly don’t want to risk at this point.
Sure, there are military options for the US attacking North Korea. Let’s turn that coin over: There are military options for DPRK to attack ROK, including ten million Koreans in Seoul and tens of thousands of Americans (including dependents) in various US bases. SecDef Gates some years ago declared Korea to be safe, and allowed accompanied tours. So now there are many wives and kids and dogs and cats to think about with Mattis’s stupid “military options.” (Thank you, Robert Gates, for making Korea safe.)
Those will all be taken to shelters, including the US troops, because they would serve no function until after the worst is over. North Korea’s willingness to spitefully lash out and strike the South would be a decision for leftovers to make, because their chain of command will not last a single day, all of their communications will be dead.
Kim will be unable to give orders. Radar, Radio, Guidance, all dead.
Pentagon has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. Abilities that have never
been utitilized in war before. It is precisely because this is doable
that they are so close to ordering it.
You make it sound all so clean.
you’ve been watching too many hollywood movies. The only thing the U.S. can do is fly cruise missiles into NK from a distance where NK can easily hide their assets from it. Their air defense system although not up to snuff with ours can still easily shoot down our planes and stealth bombers so short of nuclear war being launched, South Korea will be turned into dust.
The “militairy option” cannot be on the table anymore. In this day and age war can no longer be an option. It’s outdated and obsolete.
Ridiculous confirmation. Military options always exist for every country on Earth and these options are revised as needed. Kim knows that too. He is today no more scared than yesterday which is why he continues launching missiles.
Duh Mattis. Of course military options exist against NK. Hell you have military options against everyone. So, NK is such a threat that it is practically needing a military offensive from the crazy man in the white house that it isn’t necessary yet to shoot down their missiles? Right there is your proof that the rats in the DC establishment are full of crap with regards of NK being a threat to U.S.