Seoul, South Korea. Reaction to the launch of another test missile by North Korea has been swift and alarming to outside observers.The South Korean government reacted by convening its National Security Council and ordering its troops to the highest state of readiness, while the Japanese government issued a strongly worded condemnation of Pyongyang’s latest act of provocation.
However, what really grabbed the attention of many was the brief press release from the US Department of State, underlining the sense of resignation over the question of war with North Korea that appears to be gaining traction in Washington.
The US State Department statement read, “North Korea launched yet another intermediate-range ballistic missile. The United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment.”
Former US intelligence officials say that the response, together with other comments coming from the administration, shows President Trump believes there is no other way to bring North Korea to heel other than the application of military force.
There are now indications that the new US president’s patience is at an end over an issue that has proved problematic to a succession of administrations in Washington. On Sunday, in an interview with reporters, Trump said China should resolve the issue of North Korea by using “the great influence” that it has over Pyongyang. The American President went on to add, “If China is not going to solve North Korea, we will.”
Other US officials are now signaling a US act of war upon North Korea is imminent, A Republican Representative Devin Nunes said in an interview with American reporters that a pre-emptive strike was under consideration,”The closer that the North Korean regime gets to being able to deliver a nuclear weapon, we’re going to have to be in a position to take some type of pre-emptive strike.”
Nunes further offered, “We hope that it doesn’t come to that. But this is an unhinged regime. At the end of the day here, something may have to be done because we can’t afford to let a nuclear weapon go off in Seoul or Tokyo or the United States for that matter.”