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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMcMaster: U.S. Preparing for Preventive War with North Korea
http://www.globalresearch.ca/mcmaster-u-s-preparing-for-preventive-war-with-north-korea/5602863The United States is preparing for all options to counter the growing threat from North Korea, including launching a preventive war, national security adviser H.R. McMaster said in an interview that aired Saturday on MSNBC. The comments come after North Korea carried out two tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles in the past month and after the president said he has been clear he will not tolerate North Koreas threats to attack the U.S. with nuclear weapons.
The key excerpts (full transcript):
H.H.: Let me switch if I can to North Korea, which is really pressing. And and remind our audience, at the Aspen Institute ten days ago, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Joe Dunford, said, Theres always a military option. It would be horrific. Lindsey Graham on Today Show earlier this week said We need to destroy the regime and their deterrent. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday, I believe, to North Korea, You are leaving us no choice but to protect ourselves. And then the Chairman of the Chief of Staff of the Army said, Just because every choice is a bad choice doesnt mean you dont have to choose. Are we looking at a preemptive strike? Are you trying to prepare us, you being collectively, the administration and people like Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton for a first strike North Korea?
H.R.M. Well, we really, what youre asking is is are we preparing plans for a preventive war, right? A war that would prevent North Korea from threatening the United States with a nuclear weapon. And the presidents been very clear about it. He said, Hes not gonna tolerate North Korea being able to threaten the United States if they have nuclear weapons that can threaten the United States; Its intolerable from the presidents perspective. So of course, we have to provide all options to do that. And that includes a military option.
Now, would we like to resolve it short of what would be a very costly war, in terms of in terms of the suffering of mainly the South Korean people? The the ability of of that North North Korean regime to hold the South hostage to conventional fires capabilities, artillery and so forth, Seoul being so close. Were cognizant of all of that. And so what we have to do is is everything we can to to pressure this regime, to pressure Kim Jong-un and those around him such that they conclude, it is in their interest to denuclearize. And there are really I think three critical things, came out of the presidents very successful summit with President Xi of China that were different that were different from past efforts to work with China, which has always been, you know, the the desire, right, to work with China on the on the North Korean problem.
How many casualties will there be:
HH: In 1994, when the first North Korean deal with signed, the people who executed it, Gallucci, Dan Poneman, Joe Wit wrote a book. And they quoted a general saying, If there is a conflict, called Going Critical, there will be a million casualties. A million casualties. Is that still a good estimate of what happens if preemptive strike unfolds in North Korea, General?
HRM: You know, one thing about war. Its impossible oftentimes to predict. Its always impossible to predict the future course of events. Because war is a continuous interaction of opposites, a continuous interaction between your forces and those of the enemy. It involves not just the capability to use force, but also intentions and things that are just unknowable at the outset. And so I think its important to to look at range of estimates of what could happen, because its clear that at war, its unpredictable. And so you always have to ask the question, What happens next? What are the risks? How do you mitigate those risks? And and obviously, you know, war is is is the most serious decision any leader has to make. And so what can we do to make sure we exhaust our possibilities and exhaust our other opportunities to accomplish this very clear objective of denuclearization of the peninsula short of war?
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You know, Trump may be right. He might accomplish things that no other President has done. Like killing a million or so people and launching a nuclear attack on Korea.
So long, mom, I'm off to drop the bomb
So don't wait up for me.
And there while you swelter
Down in your fallout shelter
You can see me
On your TV
...
And when this war is over
I'll hurry back to you
About and hour and a half from now.
--Tom Lehrer
dalton99a
(81,443 posts)underpants
(182,763 posts)This could be a complete disaster
milestogo
(16,829 posts)arthritisR_US
(7,286 posts)Aristus
(66,316 posts)n/t
Solly Mack
(90,762 posts)Do they giggle while coming up with this shit?
Let's not call it murder. Let's call it challenging a life based reality. (giggle, giggle) Good one, Bob! (giggle, giggle)
atreides1
(16,072 posts)"Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked about such a thing.
"When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to hate war."
― Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death."
Otto von Bismarck
"There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war."
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
"Preventive war is a crime not easily committed by a country that retains any traces of democracy."
George Orwell
maryellen99
(3,788 posts)Cold War Spook
(1,279 posts)Will someone get it through Trump's head that China and North Korea have a treaty to aid one another militarily? If we attack North Korea without China's approval, say goodbye to South Korea. Any further actions on our part and say hello to WWIII. At least we won't have to worry about a draft.
yodermon
(6,143 posts)If Trump brings harm to them I'll hold him personally responsible.