Intelligence officials state that North Korea is preparing to launch short and medium range missiles instead of long range ones that could possibly hit the U.S. This brings up an interesting question: Is North Korea backing down from it threat? Is it just unable to fulfill its promise to attack the U.S. if we interfered with their weapons programs? Do we call their bluff?
As a veteran I can assure you that calling another country's bluff is the most terrifying thing you can do. On one hand you have great intelligence telling you that you've got the upper hand, but on the other hand there is always that level of uncertainty. I can imagine that for President Obama it is even more a daunting task since he is not exactly in-tune with his military side yet. But that's not a dig on the President, it's just a statement of fact. Bush didn't have a handle on the military this early into his presidency either (or ever some would argue... but I digress).
If the U.S. shoots down the North Korean missiles, there could be further tension on the Korean peninsula and a war that was put on pause 50 years ago could suddenly break out again. The level of intelligence uncertainty as it pertains to North Korea is even more exasperated since it is the single most dangerous spot for a U.S. Intelligence agent. Over 7000 U.S. agents (American, South and North Korean in nationality) have disappeared since the Korean Conflict ended. There is no way to know for sure what the North Koreans are planning to do.
One thing is for sure, we probably can shoot down anything that comes our way. The real problem is how to deal with the communist country on its own turf. An undertaking that was proved very difficult (or impossible) in the 1950's.
Diplomacy has proven over the last three administrations to be ineffective but no one has ever called for all out war against the country as that could prove fatal as China is their biggest supporter. And with China holding $2.5 Trillion in U.S. debt we can't really afford to piss them off can we?
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Calling another country's bluff is a dangerous thing to do, but to be bullied or intimidated by another country would send a far worse signal to the rest of the world. If N. Korea decides to launch missiles....fine, launch em, but if they head toward any other country they should be destroyed. No negotiations with terrorists, that's suppose to be our policy. Never mind that Clinton had Arafat at Camp David (without an arrest), and Oboma inviting Hamas to take part in negotiations over Palastine.
During the "undertaking" of the 1950's we did indeed push N Korean forces all the way to the Chinese border. The Chinese were the only reason that conflict was difficult. Today, while yes China is their biggest supporter, I don't think that the support is big enough (new resolutions point to that conclusion). Especially with how media has allowed the whole world to watch the wars of today. I seriously doubt China would repeat the 50's with the Koreans instigating it.
As for china holding our debt....Thanks Bill for the WTO!!!!
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