Will Trump Wage War on North Korea?
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
His rage for wars makes the unthinkable possible. Washington never before attacked a nuclear powered nation.
Pyongyang will surely respond forcefully if targeted, using all weapons in its arsenal deemed necessary to defend the country – the same thing all countries would do in self-defense.
Attacking the DPRK would be madness, yet possible – given hostile rhetoric by Trump, National Security Advisor HR McMaster and CIA director Pompeo.
On Monday, Pompeo lied saying “(w)e are mindful that Kim Jong-un continues to present a risk not only to the United States but to the world,” adding:
“Collectively, the United States and our intelligence partners around the world have developed a pretty clear understanding of Kim Jong-un’s capability.”
“We talk about him having the ability to deliver a nuclear weapon to the United States in a matter of a handful of months.”
Unprovoked, the chance of that happening is nil. Pompeo knows it. So do other Trump administration officials. Yet reckless rage against North Korea persists, manufacturing nonexistent threats.
Defense Secretary Mattis and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dunford are reluctant to wage war on nuclear powered North Korea, knowing the likely catastrophic regional consequences.
It’s hard separating Trump’s bluster from his policy intentions. In his State of the Union address, he said “North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland,” adding:
“We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening. Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation.”
“I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position.” Does he have nuclear war in mind to counter a nonexistent North Korean threat?
Earlier he said US “military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded” calling Kim “a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing his people.”
How many previous times have we heard this type reckless talk ahead of planned US aggression?
Is Trump willing to risk what no responsible leader would contemplate? Earlier he considered delivering a “bloody nose” strike against North Korea’s nuclear sites.
When asked about the possibility at the time, Rex Tillerson said “we have to recognize that the threat is growing, and that if North Korea does not choose the pathway of engagement, discussion, and negotiation, then they themselves will trigger an option.”
Separately, the UN claimed Pyongyang earned around $200 million from banned exports of coal and other commodities, blaming China, Russia and other countries for letting the DPRK skirt sanctions.
Beijing and Moscow deny the charges. Sanctions never should have been imposed on North Korea in the first place, harming its ordinary people most, failing to stop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs – pursued solely for self-defense.
It’s entitled to do whatever it takes to defend the country and its people. The problem on the peninsula lies in Washington, not Pyongyang.
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